Of the estimated five million visitors who will travel to the Grand Canyon this year, about half plan to stay at one of the Grand Canyon National Park Lodges. With seven lodges and one trailer village within the National Park, one needs to apply advance planning and a little luck to secure such coveted reservations at the Grand Canyon Lodges. For reservations and information about the Grand Canyon National Park lodges, please visit Xanterra Parks & Resorts website dedicated to South Rim lodges, and the Forever Resorts website for the North Rim lodge. But if you find you're not one of the lucky ones to get a room on the Rim, be sure to check out our recommendations for lodging in the nearby towns of Tusayan and Williams, Flagstaff and Sedona.

Grand Canyon South Rim Lodges:

As you can see on our map of the Grand Canyon South Rim lodges, there are five lodges atop the South Rim: Bright Angel Lodge, El Tovar Hotel, Kachina-Thunderbird Lodges, Maswik Lodge and Yavapai Lodge. Also accessible from the South Rim is the immensely popular Phantom Ranch Cabins, the only lodging nestled down in the Inner Canyon. Finally, services and hook-ups for your recreational vehicle (RV) are available at Trailer Village, located atop the South Rim inside Grand Canyon Village.

Bright Angel Lodge

Bright Angel Lodge is located just steps from the edge of the South Rim; many of its rooms offer spectacular Grand Canyon views. Bright Angel is an ever-popular epicenter for South Rim overnights and daytime activity. With its rustic and historic charm, this early-20th century lodge is the hub for South Rim Grand Canyon mule rides and the check-in point for both the Thunderbird and Kachina lodges. Home to the famed Arizona Room, the Grand Canyon's fine dining destination, Bright Angel Lodge also features a casual restaurant, summertime ice-cream parlor and a tours and activities desk. Bright Angel Lodge is open year-round and can be booked on the Xanterra website.

El Tovar Hotel

With its signature cupola crowning the roofline, the El Tovar Hotel has delighted Grand Canyon tourists for over a century. Built in 1905 and renovated in 2005, the El Tovar features 78 elegant rooms and suites as well as a fine-dining restaurant, gift shop and full-service activities concierge. This Registered National Historic Landmark is perched on the edge of the Grand Canyon South Rim, with many of its guest rooms offering at least partial Grand Canyon views.

Kachina Lodge and Thunderbird Lodge

These two contemporary lodges are located between Bright Angel Lodge and El Tovar Hotel, within a short walk of the neighboring lodges. Situated on the edge of the South Rim, Kachina and Thunderbird Lodges are a perfect choice for families and groups. Half of the rooms at Kachina and Thunderbird have at least partial canyon views. These are the ideal accommodations for visitors who want to wake up to the sights of the Grand Canyon before numbers of other visitors descend upon the park.

Maswik Lodge

Maswik Lodge is a contemporary, motel-style lodge located an easy quarter-mile walk from the Grand Canyon edge. Nestled in the Ponderosa Pine forest, Maswik Lodge features a cafeteria, sports bar, gift shop and tours and activities desk.

Yavapai Lodge

Located just east of Grand Canyon Village at the Market Plaza, Yavapai Lodge is comprised of two large facilities called Yavapai West and Yavapai East. Yavapai Lodge is the largest of the Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, with 358 rooms altogether. Atop the South Rim's juniper and pinon pine-covered plateau, Yavapai Lodge is located an easy half-mile walk north-south to the canyon's brink. Also within a half-mile east-west walking distance is the Grand Canyon National Park Visitors Center; the lodge's walkability is good because the Visitors Center is not accessible by car since it was built to be the Park's terminus for a mass-transit system that is not yet in operation. Yavapai Lodge is a good choice for families.

Phantom Ranch Cabins

Located a little over 9 miles down Bright Angel Trail or Kaibab Trail into the Inner Canyon - by mule or on foot - Phantom Ranch is just north of Bright Angel Campground on the north side of the Colorado River. This markedly in-demand destination is made up of just eleven cabins and is a favorite overnight spot for hikers, riverrafters and muleriders alike. Reservations are available year-round at Phantom Ranch and can be made up to 13 months in advance. There is a separate reservation process for Phantom Ranch; reservations must be made through Xanterra Parks and Resorts on their website or by phone. For more in depth information, please see Xanterra's website and check out NBC's Today Show article naming Phantom Ranch one of the nation's top National Park lodges.

Trailer Village

If you are traveling by recreational vehicle, or RV, to the Grand Canyon, you too can stay inside the park at the National Park's Trailer Village. Located near Market Plaza and Yavapai Lodge, Trailer Village provides full hookups (electrical, cable, water and sewage) and pull-through, paved sites for vehicles up to 50 feet long. Just a half-mile walk to the Grand Canyon's edge, Trailer Village is well-located to all the sights and conveniences of the park and Market Plaza, and each site features a picnic table and barbecue grill to add to your camping fun.

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Grand Canyon North Rim Lodge:

The Grand Canyon Lodge and Cabins is the sole in-park accommodation on the North Rim. Only about ten percent of the Grand Canyon's five million annual visitors go to the North Rim, but lodging at the Grand Canyon Lodge is still in greater demand than supply. Make your reservations early, as much as 13 months in advance, to stay at the historic Grand Canyon Lodge's main motel-style facility or its many cabins.

The Grand Canyon Lodge offers 174 cabins in three different models: Frontier, Western and Pioneer cabins sleep 3, 4 and 5 adults respectively. In addition, 40 motel-style rooms are available. A comfortable, casual accommodation, this National Historic Landmark features timbered ceilings and limestone walls that harmonize with the landscape of the surrounding Kaibab Plateau.