According to a recent article in the Arizona Republic (Sept. 27, 2009), mule trips into Grand Canyon National Park could be endangered.

The reason for this is the damage the mules cause to the trail and the cost involved in maintaining these trails.  A ride on a mule to Phantom Ranch (the bottom of the canyon) costs around $450 and this price includes one night stay at Phantom Ranch and food.  A day trip to Plateau Point costs $150.   Xanterra South Rim, the private company that runs the South Rim concession, earned $2.8 million in revenue in 2007; however, by contract, they are only required to give 3.8 person of their gross to the National Park Service.  This amounted to $100,000.  This is far cry from the $2 million the park spent on trail maintenance that year alone.  An amount that is likely to increase annually.

While the mules are not entirely responsible for the damage to the trails, it does not take a keen eye to see what the mules do to the trails.  The South Kaibab trail is currently closed to all mule traffic (except National Park Service mules) for trail rehabilitation, leaving the Bright Angel trail the only trail available for mule traffic.  After the South Kaibab trail is complete, the Bright Angel trail will go under the same reconstruction.  Take a hike on South Kaibab trail (or any other trail in the canyon that does not allow mules, which is almost all of them) and then go on Bright Angel trail and it is very obvious where the damage comes from.  Hikers pack the dirt on the trails, assisting against erosion.  Mules dig up the trails with every step, making them dusty and susceptible for washing out during heavy rains.

The park is not suggesting the mules should be banned, as they are necessary.  However, the number of trips going in will most likely be limited.  Many opponents to this suggestion argue that the mules are part of canyon history and tradition.  This is true, but as history has shown world-wide, it does not always correspond with conservation or what is best for the environment.  It it did, we would still be burning coal and cutting down our forests.  History is meant to be learned from, not continued when that continuance is detrimental to people or place.  I remember getting to walk inside ancient Indian ruins such as Montezuma’s Castle in Central Arizona.  Then someone realized that continuing this activity would eliminate the ruin’s existence for the future to enjoy.

The mules are cute and mild mannered, but that does not mean there hasn’t been some mishaps, remember that all animals are unpredictable.  I was involved in one with a run away train that almost walked off the edge and in the process were inches away from being smashed into the walls of the inner gorge.  We all escaped unharmed but I can say we were a bit rattled and I have now seen a jack’s ass up close and personal.  Another incident is depicted in the above picture.  One of my guests was waiting for the mule train to pass when the last mule decided that was the spot of a pee break.  Not life threatening, just a little overspray.  Actually, it was funny.  I would miss these moments of comic relief quite honestly.

While I don’t think Grand Canyon should ban the mules all together, there should be limits imposed, or at least make Xanterra pay a much bigger portion of the cost for maintenance.  Yes, that is a big portion of what they make off mule rides, but call it the cost of doing business.