A visit to the Grand Canyon National Park is an item on many people's bucket lists. The Grand Canyon receives almost five million visitors every year, and while many visit the Canyon for one day, some visitors like to take part in a guided tour into the depths of the Canyon for one night or more. The Grand Canyon offers several options for adventurers who want to explore and camp in the more than 1.2 million acres of the park.
Advantages
Taking advantage of a professionally guided camping tour of the Grand Canyon can save you some work and planning. Guides will provide park permits, most of the camping equipment you need, and meals will be taken care of, plus you will not have to worry about navigating your way around the Canyon. With a guided camping tour in the Grand Canyon, you can relax and enjoy your surroundings.
Backpacking
The Grand Canyon Field Institute offers several multi-day guided backpacking trips into the Grand Canyon. From introductory backpacking classes to a five-day rim-to-rim backcountry backpacking trip, you can learn more about the Grand Canyon and how to safely navigate your way through the backcountry. There are also several private outfitters that offer guided backpacking and camping trips in the Grand Canyon.
Mule Trips
Year-round guided mule trips from the South Rim to the bottom of the Grand Canyon are another way to experience the Canyon. Mule rides are 10.5 miles each way and go down the Bright Angel Trail, cross the Suspension Bridge over the Colorado River and wind up at Phantom Ranch. You will be treated to a steak dinner and stay overnight in a cabin at the ranch. After breakfast the second day, you will head back up the Bright Angel Trail, a trip that takes about six and a half hours.
Whitewater Rafting
Take a guided trip down the Colorado River and see the Grand Canyon from a new perspective. Guided trips are between two and 18 days long and are offered by 16 commercial outfitters. These all-inclusive trips include boats, camping and safety equipment, plus meals. You can choose from a motorized boat trip, which often has up to 15 passengers per boat, or an oar boat trip, which is a smaller boat that can be navigated through more whitewater rapids by your guide. While tents are available, you can enjoy sleeping under the stars at night.
Considerations
Most guided camping trips in the Grand Canyon are booked full 12 to 24 months in advance, so you may need to plan your trip a year or two ahead of time. Summer temperatures at river level in the Grand Canyon can reach temperatures higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so adequate water consumption is important.
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