PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

Built in 1922, Phantom Ranch is the only lodge at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and has a classic ranch atmosphere. Accommodations are in rustic stone-walled cabins or 10-bed gender-segregated dormitories. Evaporative coolers keep both the cabins and the dorms cool in summer. Make reservations as early as possible, and don't forget to reconfirm. (It's sometimes possible to get a room on the day of departure if there are any last-minute cancellations, though. To attempt this, you must put your name on the waiting list at the Bright Angel Lodge transportation desk the day before you want to stay at Phantom Ranch.) Family-style meals must be reserved in advance. The menu consists of beef-and-vegetable stew ($23) and steak ($37). Breakfasts ($17) are hearty, and sack lunches ($11) are available as well. Between meals, the dining hall becomes a canteen selling snacks, drinks, gifts, and necessities. After dinner, it serves as a beer hall. There's a public phone here, and mule-back duffel transfer ($59) between Grand Canyon Village and Phantom Ranch can be arranged.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Arizona 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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