Staying at Phantom Ranch
Note: prices updated January 2019.
How do I make a reservation for Phantom Ranch?
For reservations within 48 hours, call the Xanterra Transportation Desk at 928-638-3283. A waiting list is also available for persons at the South Rim for travel the following day. Call or show up the day before your trip, then you may show up in person the morning you wish to hike down and wait for them to access the waiting list.
As of January 2019, reservations will be made via lottery. 15 months in advance, one enters the lottery, then will be notified the following month if they have been drawn, or not. For example: November of 2017, the lottery will be open for January 2019. In December 2018 winners will be notified. If you have not heard from them by the end of the month, check your spam box. It has been my experience that if drawn, the notice is sent out in the first few days of the month. One then has two weeks to pay for the space. Any spaces not claimed will then be put back into the lottery.
Refunds will only be made 45 days in advance. On the first of the month, reservations by phone will open up for any dates not claimed during the lottery for that month of the following year (or any other months up until then). For more information go to Xanterra Parks Resorts
How many people can I make a reservation for?
For one to twenty people. If you have more than ten, you must go through the Group lottery process..
How do I cancel a reservation?
45 days prior or the deposit is forfeited. For a small group, the deposit is the reservation cost in full. For a group reservation, at least 45 days prior, or you forfeit your deposit (which in 2019 was 50%).
If one is lucky enough to get a reservation, the cancellation date will be posted on the confirmation form.
What do I get for my money?
If you stay in the dorm ($65.21) (November 2019 prices), you get a bunk bed in a single-sex dorm. The bed has a real mattress (not plastic), sheets, pillow, spread, and blanket in the winter. The dorm is heated/cooled according to the season. It has a small bathroom with toilet, hot water sink, and shower. There are hangers on the wall for your pack and picnic tables outside for your convenience.
If you stay in the cabin (four-person $180.66 for two, plus $14.00 for persons three and four) (10-person $216.56), you get a bunk bed in a four to ten person cabin. You stay only with members your party: they do not send strangers into your cabin. The cabin has a heater and/or cooler, a toilet, and a cold water sink. You get a key that locks the cabin and opens the shower houses, one male, one female.
You get a towel (not a washcloth) and there is shampoo, conditioner, and body gel in the shower. The cabins have a small desk, reading lamp (very dim bulbs), and chair. They also have hot and cold running mice, so keep your food safe. The cabins do have ammo cans in which to store food.
How about food? (undated November, 2019)
Food is purchased separately.
Breakfast: |
Lunch on your own |
Dinner (stew or veggie) 6:30 PM |
Dinner (steak) 5:00 PM |
|---|---|---|---|
| pancakes | bagel/cream cheese/jelly | salad | salad |
| bacon and sausage | sausage | stew (or veggie chili) | steak |
| scrambled eggs | craisins | cornbread | baked potato |
| canned fruit | almonds | chocolate cake or brownie or spice cake | veggies |
| coffee/ hot tea/ ice water | electrolyte drink mix | coffee/ iced tea/iced water/hot tea | cornbread |
| babybel cheese | chocolate cake or brownie or spice cake | ||
| apple | coffee/iced tea/ iced water/ hot tea | ||
| huppy bar | |||
| $28.28 | $22.29 | $34.76 | $57.14 |
Can I stay and not eat?
Yes, and a lot of hikers stay in the dorm and bring their own food. If you bring a backpacking stove you can cook outside, but not within the rooms.
Can I eat and not stay?
Yes, if meals are available, and you have to reserve them in advance. Often backpackers in the campground eat dinner at the Ranch.
What is available in the canteen?
FIRST AID AND SUNDRIES: Band-Aids, Moleskin, Ace bandages, Muscle easing salve, Rolaids, Advil and Aspirin, sun block, Lip Balm, Tampons, Intensive Care Lotions,Pepto Bismol.
BEVERAGES: Coffee, hot cocoa, herbal teas, iced tea, lemonade, Tecate, Grand Canyon, and Bud beers, wine. BEER CANNOT BE TAKEN OUT OF THE CANTEEN!!!
SNACKS: Peanuts, Oreo cookies, Huppy bars,, plain and peanut M&M's, Snickers, Gum, Lifesavers, Trail Mix, apples, bagels with cream cheese and jelly, summer sausage, Cliff Bars.
OTHERS: AA, AAA, L132 and 9 volt batteries, Flashlights, bandanas, hiking poles, ice grippers (winter), spray bottles (summer). Exclusive hats, postcards knick-knacks and tee shirts. Fishing licenses and tobacco products are not available.
When is the canteen open?
During summer from 8 AM to 4 Pm and 8-10 PM. During winter 8:30 AM - 4 PM and 7-9 PM. No sales during meal hours. Last call for alcohol at 3:30 PM and 1/2 hour before last closing. Credit cards, travelers checks and cash. No personal checks.
Once I am down there, what is there to do?
You should by all means try to arrange for at least one day down there with "nothing" to do, and you may check out the nothing activities for your free day at the layover page.
Can I get my gear carried in and out?
You can arrange this in advance, but you won't have access to the stuff, so don't send anything you will need while hiking. In 2019, this cost $70.00 each way, and you have to have your gear ready to go down at 4 PM the day before you start down, at 6 AM on the day you go out.
There is a 30 pound, 36 by 20 by 13 inch size limit to duffels. They do accept internal frame packs, but not external frame without a duffel. If you have food in the duffel, it is NOT protected from the animals. I have had problems in the past with ravens ripping into the duffels to get at the food therein. No glass is allowed in the duffles, due to problems with them sneaking into the trash and thence the compactor.
I can leave my trash down there, right?
Wrong. You pack it in, you pack it out. Canyon Karma will get you otherwise.
What if I show up without a reservation?
Not a good idea. Many are those who figure that if they hike down and don't have time to get back out that day, the Ranch staff will take pity on them and let them sleep on the floor or two to a bed.
Wrong.
IF there is room at the Ranch, they will allow you to purchase a spot, though you may not get meals. If the Ranch is full, you walk out, Clyde. Limits are set by fire laws and by the limitations provided by the septic system, and the workers are not willing to put their jobs on the line because you failed to plan in advance.