Mule Trips At South Rim Of Grand Canyon National Park Scheduled To Resume After Trail Maintenance

Day Trips to Plateau Point to Start March 23; Phantom Ranch Trips Start May 1

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of lodges, restaurants and activities at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, has announced dates for resuming both day and overnight mule trips.

Day trips to Plateau Point are projected to resume March 23, 2004 with trips to Phantom Ranch on the floor of the Grand Canyon anticipated to begin May 1, 2004.

Xanterra suspended visitor mule rides September 22, 2003 to allow for trail maintenance on the Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trails by the National Park Service and Xanterra.

"Work on the trails is progressing steadily and satisfactorily, and we are pleased that we can again schedule these popular, historical trips," said Bill Johnston, Xanterra's general manager of South Rim operations. "Mule rides in the Grand Canyon have been available to tourists since 1887, and we estimate more than 600,000 people have made this journey since."

Xanterra will begin accepting new reservations for day and overnight trips beginning March 3 at 888-297-2757 or 303-297-2757. While trail work is an ongoing occurrence in the inner canyon, Xanterra had stopped accepting any new reservations for mule rides until trail work had been substantially completed. Reservations for mule rides are typically accepted up to 23 months in advance. The seven-hour day trip to Plateau Point costs $132.88 per person and includes tax and a box lunch. The one-night ride to Phantom Ranch costs $360.54 for the first person, or two people for $641.57, and includes tax, accommodations, breakfast, lunch and steak dinner.

During the trail work, Phantom Ranch remained open and provided overnight accommodations for hikers. While the trail work was being performed, Xanterra conducted maintenance operations of its own with upgrades to cabins, hiker dormitories and restrooms at Phantom Ranch.

Xanterra's other operations on the South Rim were not affected. On the South Rim, Xanterra operates six hotel properties, 10 restaurants and 11 retail shops as well as motorcoach tours. For advance reservations or questions about existing reservations at any of the properties Xanterra operates, visitors can call 888-297-2757 or 303-297-2757.

Xanterra Parks & Resorts operates lodges, restaurants and other concessions at national parks and state parks and resorts. Xanterra is the country's largest national park concessioner. The company operates concessions in the following locations: Yellowstone National Park, the North and South Rims of Grand Canyon National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Death Valley National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Everglades National Park, and Mount Rushmore National Memorial; and at the Silverado Resort in Napa, Calif.; Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and eight Ohio State Parks.

For more information about Xanterra and links to individual properties, visit: www.xanterra.com. For reservations and more information about Grand Canyon, Bryce or Zion, call (1) 303-297-2757 or toll-free at (1) 888-297-2757. For reservations and more information about Yellowstone, call (1) 307-344-7311. For reservations and more information about Flamingo Lodge in Everglades National Park, call (1) 800-600-3813 or (1) 239-695-3101. For reservations at Crater Lake Lodge, call (1) 541-830-8700. For reservations and more information about Ohio State Park Resorts, call (1) 800-282-7275.

Media Contacts:: Xanterra Parks & Resorts
Mona Mesereau
Mesereau Public Relations
720-842-5271

National Park Service
Maureen Oltrogge
928-638-7779