Most visitors peer off the south rim, see the tiny trickle a mile below, and then rush to the Imax Theater in Tusayan to see the river on the big screen. Walking is arguably the best way to appreciate the depth and timelessness of the Grand. It's also the most physically demanding. There are people who have hiked down and back in a single day, but rangers strongly discourage it. The hike demands a 5,000-foot elevation change each way, often in blazing heat with no water.
Good sense dictates hikers take at least two days.
Riding a mule is demanding in a different way, but still an adventure. The mule trains are a canyon tradition, dating to the days Teddy Roosevelt rode a particularly stout mule to the bottom. Phantom Ranch, on the river's edge, is a main destination for an overnight stay, via Bright Angel Trail from South Rim. About two-thirds of those are clients in commercial groups and one third are private boaters. For many, the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is the ultimate rafting experience.