Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Rim to Rim Hiking 5 Day - 2025 Tour
Epic Grand Canyon Rim to Rim Hike & Stay at Phantom Ranch
A rim-to-rim hike in Grand Canyon National Park is an adventure of a lifetime, providing an intimate and unparalleled opportunity to explore this magnificent natural wonder in a way few visitors ever experience. Beginning on the North Rim, we follow our experienced guides down the 14-mile-long North Kaibab Trail to the canyon's inner sanctum, enjoying awe-inspiring views the entire way. At canyon bottom, the Colorado River and historic Phantom Ranch await. Our overnight at Phantom allows us to relax and soak in the lush riparian world created by the Colorado and its tributaries before beginning the 4,300-foot climb up Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim. Upon reaching the rim, we relish the feeling of accomplishment gained from having crossed the Grand Canyon on foot, and spend a final evening celebrating with our hiking companions and newfound friends at a South Rim hotel.
A rim-to-rim hike in Grand Canyon National Park is an adventure of a lifetime, providing an intimate and unparalleled opportunity to explore this magnificent natural wonder in a way few visitors ever experience. Beginning on the North Rim, we follow our experienced guides down the 14-mile-long North Kaibab Trail to the canyon's inner sanctum, enjoying awe-inspiring views the entire way. At canyon bottom, the Colorado River and historic Phantom Ranch await. Our overnight at Phantom allows us to relax and soak in the lush riparian world created by the Colorado and its tributaries before beginning the 4,300-foot climb up Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim. Upon reaching the rim, we relish the feeling of accomplishment gained from having crossed the Grand Canyon on foot, and spend a final evening celebrating with our hiking companions and newfound friends at a South Rim hotel.
Your trip begins early this morning in the Phoenix area. Rendezvous with your MT Sobek guides for a brief orientation before driving north through the Sonoran Desert, past Lee's Ferry (the launch point for Grand Canyon rafting trips), and towards the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Arriving in mid-afternoon, set up camp at our campground near the North Rim and stretch your legs on a short hike along the Transept Trail before enjoying a dinner with your group and guides at the North Rim Lodge.
Accommodation: Grand Canyon North Rim Camping
Activity: 1-2 miles of hiking with minimal elevation gain and loss
Transportation: 7-hours private van transfer (frequent stops)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Take a Hike Through Ponderosa Forest to the Canyon Rim
Day 2
After an early start and hearty breakfast at the North Rim Lodge, set out on a morning warm-up hike along a mostly forested trail to Cape Final, a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the Grand Canyon. From Cape Final, you can make out some of the canyon's iconic formations, including Vishnu Temple and Jupiter Temple, and distant views of the Vermillion Cliffs and Navajo Mountain. Although the hike is not a particularly challenging one, it's a chance to begin acclimatizing to the North Rim's 8,000-foot elevation and its arid desert climate. After returning to the trailhead, take a short van ride to Cape Royal, another fabulous North Rim viewpoint, where you'll eat lunch and discuss the plans for tomorrow's big adventure with your guides. Back in camp by mid-afternoon, you have the rest of the day relax and prepare for a very early wake-up call and the hike down to Phantom Ranch.
Accommodation: Grand Canyon North Rim Camping
Activity: 5 miles of hiking with 425' elevation gain and loss
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hike Down Stunning North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch
Day 3
Rise before dawn and get ready for a challenging trek into the heart of the Grand Canyon. Dropping 5,900 feet in 14 miles, today's hike down the North Kaibab Trail descends from the alpine to the desert, each step taking you thousands of years back in geologic time through ancient oceans, deserts, lakes, and swamps. With mind-blowing vistas, 100-foot tall waterfalls, green spring-fed oases, and astonishing trail design and workmanship, the North Kaibab Trail is truly a national treasure. The end of your epic hike brings you to Phantom Ranch, nestled on the banks of Bright Angel Creek, not far from its confluence with the Colorado River. Phantom Ranch was founded in 1903 as a hunting camp and named by Mary Jane Colter after nearby Phantom Creek. You will sleep in mixed gender cabins at Phantom tonight.
Accommodation: Phantom Ranch-Grand Canyon National Park
Activity: 14 miles of hiking with 5,900' elevation loss
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Complete Your Traverse, Ascending Bright Angel Trail
Day 4
Up before the sun once again, have breakfast at Phantom Ranch before setting your sights on the South Rim. Your rim-to-rim adventure culminates with a 4,300-foot ascent up Bright Angel Trail, an iconic Grand Canyon hike! After crossing the Colorado River, the trail snakes its way up and out of the inner gorge to Havasupai Gardens, a welcome oasis and rest stop. Refuel and refill with water here before tackling the steep hike up Jacob's Ladder through the Redwall layer. While always a tremendous challenge, your guides provide interpretation and encouragement to keep you engaged and energized throughout the climb. With proper preparation, hydration, and timing, we push through the final uphill section of trail and are soon high-fiving on the South Rim. Take a moment to reflect on your grand accomplishment, then head to your nearby hotel for a celebratory dinner with our hiking companions and newfound friends.
Accommodation: Thunderbird Lodge-Grand Canyon National Park Accommodation: Kachina Lodge-Grand Canyon National Park Accommodation: Maswick Lodge
Activity: 10 miles of hiking with 4,300' elevation gain
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hike the Rim Trail or Relax & Return to Phoenix
Day 5
If you are interested in packing in a few additional hiking miles before departing this morning, your guides will be waiting after breakfast to lead a short hike along the Rim Trail. While the elevation gain is minimal, the trail provides outstanding bird's-eye views of the canyon and offers some perspective on the fantastic route hiked during the previous two days. Or if you prefer to relax and learn more about the natural history of the Grand Canyon (or doing some last-minute souvenir shopping), you can spend the morning hours in Grand Canyon Village at the village's museums and shops. Regroup mid-morning and begin the drive back to the Phoenix area, stopping for lunch in Flagstaff en route.
Activity: 3 miles of hiking with minimal elevation gain and loss (optional)
Our expert guides provide travelers with helpful hints, techniques and hiking tips, plus knowledge on local wildlife, geology, and history.
Be one of the few to hike famed trails all the way to the canyon floor and spend two magical nights at the historic and highly coveted Phantom Ranch—the only lodge below the canyon rim.
MT Sobek's legacy of preservation and protection enables us to operate over 30 Global National Park adventures.
Phantom Ranch Accommodations During your stay at Phantom Ranch, you will occupy shared, mixed-gender cabins reserved exclusively for MTS guests and guides. Single rooms are unavailable for the nights in the canyon. Each cabin varies in size, accommodating anywhere from two to ten occupants, and is equipped with bedding, a cold-water sink, a toilet, liquid soap, and hand towels. Showers, hot-water sinks, bath towels, and a combined liquid soap and shampoo are provided at a central facility available to all ranch guests.
Dates & Prices
Your Guides
The best people to immerse you in a destination are the ones who live there, which is why we feature local Adventure Guides on our trips. Here are a few that you might meet on this adventure.
Casey H.
Casey has been guiding exhilarating outdoor adventures since 2016, leading guests though some of the most awe-inspiring places in the West, from Yellowstone to Zion and the Grand Canyon. He is all about showing people the beauty of the wild while keeping them entertained with captivating stories and cool facts, and ensuring they are well-fed and safe on the trail. Casey is a Wilderness First Responder.
Jerry W.
Jerry started guiding in 2007 after moving to Colorado where he discovered mountain biking in the fresh alpine air. After years of guiding multi-day hiking and cycling trips, he has built up a depth of hands-on experience and wilderness wisdom that he brings to each adventure. He was raised in Florida, followed by four years in the military, then moving to Colorado, where the magnificent wilderness inspired him to guide.
Jordan M.
Guiding since 2006, Jordan has led guests across six continents—from the rugged trails of the Grand Canyon to the high passes of the Himalayas. He grew up hiking, backpacking, and boating and at age 18 he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. What he loves most about guiding is seeing others connect with the outdoors, each other, and with themselves. He is a Wilderness First Responder, LNT Level 2 Instructor, and AIARE 1.
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Your trip begins early this morning in the Phoenix area. Rendezvous with your MT Sobek guides for a brief orientation before driving north through the Sonoran Desert, past Lee\'s Ferry (the launch point for Grand Canyon rafting trips), and towards the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Arriving in mid-afternoon, set up camp at our campground near the North Rim and stretch your legs on a short hike along the Transept Trail before enjoying a dinner with your group and guides at the North Rim Lodge.
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After an early start and hearty breakfast at the North Rim Lodge, set out on a morning warm-up hike along a mostly forested trail to Cape Final, a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the Grand Canyon. From Cape Final, you can make out some of the canyon\'s iconic formations, including Vishnu Temple and Jupiter Temple, and distant views of the Vermillion Cliffs and Navajo Mountain. Although the hike is not a particularly challenging one, it\'s a chance to begin acclimatizing to the North Rim\'s 8,000-foot elevation and its arid desert climate. After returning to the trailhead, take a short van ride to Cape Royal, another fabulous North Rim viewpoint, where you\'ll eat lunch and discuss the plans for tomorrow\'s big adventure with your guides. Back in camp by mid-afternoon, you have the rest of the day relax and prepare for a very early wake-up call and the hike down to Phantom Ranch.
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Rise before dawn and get ready for a challenging trek into the heart of the Grand Canyon. Dropping 5,900 feet in 14 miles, today\'s hike down the North Kaibab Trail descends from the alpine to the desert, each step taking you thousands of years back in geologic time through ancient oceans, deserts, lakes, and swamps. With mind-blowing vistas, 100-foot tall waterfalls, green spring-fed oases, and astonishing trail design and workmanship, the North Kaibab Trail is truly a national treasure. The end of your epic hike brings you to Phantom Ranch, nestled on the banks of Bright Angel Creek, not far from its confluence with the Colorado River. Phantom Ranch was founded in 1903 as a hunting camp and named by Mary Jane Colter after nearby Phantom Creek. You will sleep in mixed gender cabins at Phantom tonight.
Up before the sun once again, have breakfast at Phantom Ranch before setting your sights on the South Rim. Your rim-to-rim adventure culminates with a 4,300-foot ascent up Bright Angel Trail, an iconic Grand Canyon hike! After crossing the Colorado River, the trail snakes its way up and out of the inner gorge to Havasupai Gardens, a welcome oasis and rest stop. Refuel and refill with water here before tackling the steep hike up Jacob\'s Ladder through the Redwall layer. While always a tremendous challenge, your guides provide interpretation and encouragement to keep you engaged and energized throughout the climb. With proper preparation, hydration, and timing, we push through the final uphill section of trail and are soon high-fiving on the South Rim. Take a moment to reflect on your grand accomplishment, then head to your nearby hotel for a celebratory dinner with our hiking companions and newfound friends.
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Activity Level
This trip is rated activity level 5. Trip members will carry their large daypack weighing 15-25 pounds 14 miles (6,000' elevation loss) from the North Rim down to Phantom Ranch and 10 miles (4,300' elevation gain) up to the South Rim of the canyon, maintaining a 2+ mile per hour pace. Learn more about activity levels here.
Activity Snapshot
Day 1
1-2 miles of hiking with minimal elevation gain and loss
Day 2
5 miles of hiking with 425' elevation gain and loss
Day 3
14 miles of hiking with 5,900' elevation loss
Day 4
10 miles of hiking with 4,300' elevation gain
Day 5
3 miles of hiking with minimal elevation gain and loss (optional)
*Mileage and elevation change information is approximate and may vary slightly depending on trail conditions, weather, and route adjustments, and the guide’s discretion.
Accommodations
Camping, a night at Phantom Ranch, the only lodging located in the heart of the Grand Canyon and capped off with a landscape-inspired lodge at the end.
Built near the Bright Angel Trail head and the Vercamps Visitor Center, the Thunderbird is a popular South Rim lodge. Contemporary 1960s architecture coupled with a wonderful vantage point ensure an unforgettable stay on the very edge (literally) of a natural wonder of the world. Comfortable rooms have all the expected amenities but the biggest draw is the location.
Perched on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, the Kachina Lodge boasts a contemporary setup near the historic district, and rooms complete with amenities like full baths and flat-screen TVs. The lodge is a convenient and comfortable hub for guests eager to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Grand Canyon.
Founded in 1903 as a hunting camp, Phantom Ranch is a National Park Service-owned and operated outpost in the depths of the Grand Canyon, and the only lodging below the canyon rim. Made up of a main lodge and shared dorm-style cabins, it's known for its hearty meals prepared by the rangers. The cabins are traditional and very comfortable, providing a peaceful place to rest your head.
Maswik Lodge is a welcoming, rustic-style lodge nestled in the scenic forest just a short walk from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Located within Grand Canyon National Park, it offers a tranquil retreat surrounded by towering ponderosa pines and the natural beauty of the canyon's rugged landscape.
Camping on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers a tranquil escape for stargazing, wildlife spotting, and enjoying the grandeur of the canyon in a peaceful setting. The campground features shaded sites, picnic tables, fire rings, and restrooms.
Weather
Be prepared for anything as the weather varies. Inner-canyon temperatures are generally very mild. South Rim temperatures range from 34 F to 62 F. Phantom Ranch temperatures range from 55 F to 82 F.
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Grand Canyon National Park
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
High
Low
Grand Canyon National Park
70
35
82
43
90
50
82
49
FAQs
Who will meet me on arrival?
You can choose to meet your guides and fellow guests on Day 1 of the trip at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Tempe and TownePlace Suites Tempe at 8:00 a.m. or, if you prefer to fly into Flagstaff, AZ, meet at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport at 10:30 a.m. on Day 1 instead.
What is the best time of year to hike to Phantom Ranch?
During the winter months, access to the North Rim is closed, so hikers seeking the rim-to-rim experience must travel when the North Rim is accessible. For this reason, MT Sobek offers this trip from May through August. Summer days can be intensely hot, particularly in the inner canyon, with temperatures soaring above 100°F (38°C), requiring hiking times to be adjusted for very early starts to avoid travel during the hottest part of the day. Smaller crowds and great swimming opportunities are some advantages of summer visits, and temperatures are much more enjoyable for the camping and hiking portions of this trip on the North Rim as well. If you want to avoid the heat or simply prefer a fall rim-to-rim experience, we offer limited fall dates on our Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Rim to Rim Hiking 7 Day Tour. Or, if you prefer even cooler temperatures, our South Rim-based Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Weekend 3 Day Tour and Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Weekend 4 Day Tour operate in April, November, and December in 2025.
How should I train for this Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch hike?
This trip requires that all visitors descend from the canyon rim to the Colorado River and then, importantly, complete the full hike back out. You should do significant training and feel confident in your ability to hike uphill for as long as 8 hours. There is a steep elevation loss of 5,800 feet over 14 miles. The hike out ascends 4,300 feet of elevation over 10 miles. The trails in the Grand Canyon are well-used and maintained, but are uneven with significant daily elevation change, so it is important that hikers are fit and confident. Remember, the South Rim is also at an elevation of 8,000' so hiking will feel more strenuous near the top. If you don't have access to hikes with large elevation change, stair climbing and carrying your daypack with some water in it can help you get ready. Always train with the boots and socks that you'll be wearing on the trip for the best results.
Can I skip some activities on this trip if I want more downtime?
Because you'll spend only one night at Phantom Ranch, this trip requires back-to-back days of challenging hiking. For a rim to rim experience that offers more opportunity to relax at Phantom Ranch between big hiking days, check out Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Rim to Rim Hiking 7 Day Tour, offering a two-night stay at Phantom Ranch, with the chance to explore the spectacular Clear Creek Trail, or take a day off to relax before hiking back up to the South Rim for a final night before the trip's end.
How is this trip different from the other MT Sobek Phantom Ranch Trips?
On this trip, you'll enjoy 2 nights of comfortable camping with scenic hikes along the canyon's remote North Rim before descending the challenging 14.2-mile North Kaibab trail, past breathtaking Ribbon Falls to arrive at Phantom Ranch. After one night at Phantom Ranch, you'll ascend to the South Rim for a celebration dinner and final night at the Grand Canyon. After a brief morning exploration of the South Rim, travel back to Flagstaff and on to Phoenix at the trip's end. For a rim-to-rim trip with no camping, and that offers more time to relax and explore from Phantom Ranch between big hiking days, check out our Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Rim to Rim Hiking 7 Day Tour. For shorter trips, we offer down and back hikes from the South Rim in April, November, and December, when the North Rim is closed, including a 3-day trip with one night at Phantom Ranch and a 4-day trip with two nights at Phantom Ranch: Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Weekend 3 Day Tour and Arizona Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch Weekend 4 Day Tour
Where can I find more information about Phantom Ranch?
Check out our Phantom Ranch information page for more on reservations, length of stay, weather, history, amenities, gear considerations, wildlife and to learn more about all the ways to visit Phantom Ranch with MT Sobek.
What is the minimum age for MT Sobek Phantom Ranch hiking trips?
The standard minimum age for these trips is 18, and hikers must be fit to complete the challenging hikes into and back out of the Grand Canyon. Families with fit younger teens may consider private and custom trip options.