The Grand Canyon & Northern Arizona - American Southwest - page 541

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layover at the canyon. Fares range from $70 to $190 for adults, and $40 to $110 for
children 2 to 12 (these rates do not include taxes or the park entry fee).

A Bird's-Eye View
Despite controversies over noise and safety (there have been a few crashes over the years),
airplane and helicopter flights over the Grand Canyon remain one of the most popular
ways to see this natural wonder. If you want to join the crowds buzzing the canyon, you'll
find several companies operating out of Grand Canyon Airport in Tusayan. Air tours last
anywhere from 30 minutes to about 2 hours.
Companies offering tours by small plane include Air Grand Canyon ( & 800/
247-4726 or 928/638-2686; www.airgrandcanyon.com) and Grand Canyon Airlines
( & 866/235-9422 or 928/638-2359; www.grandcanyonairlines.com). This latter com-
pany has been offering air tours since 1927 and is the oldest scenic airline at the canyon.
Fifty-minute flights cost $99 to $125 for adults and $89 to $99 for children.
Helicopter tours are available from Maverick Airstar Helicopters ( & 888/261-4414
or 702/261-0007; www.airstar.com), Grand Canyon Helicopters ( & 800/541-4537 or
928/638-2764; www.grandcanyonhelicoptersaz.com), and Papillon Grand Canyon
Helicopters ( & 888/635-7272 or 928/638-2419; www.papillon.com). Rates range
from $125 to $165 for a 25- to 30-minute flight and from $179 to $225 for a 45- to
55-minute flight. Children sometimes receive a discount (usually around $20).

The Grand Canyon Field Institute
If you're the active type or would like to turn your visit to the Grand Canyon into more
of an educational experience, you may want to consider doing a trip with the Grand
Canyon Field Institute ( & 866/471-4435 or 928/638-2485; www.grandcanyon.org/
fieldinstitute). Cosponsored by Grand Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon
Association, the Field Institute schedules a wide variety of guided, educational trips, such
as backpacking trips through the canyon and programs lasting anywhere from 1 day to
more than a week. Subjects covered include wilderness studies, geology, natural history,
human history, photography, and art.

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Jeep Tours
If you'd like to explore parts of Grand Canyon National Park that most visitors never see,
contact Grand Canyon Jeep Tours & Safaris ( & 800/320-5337 or 928/638-5337;
www.grandcanyonjeeptours.com), which offers three different tours that visit the park as
well as the adjacent Kaibab National Forest. One tour stops at a lookout tower, while
another visits an Indian ruin and site of petroglyphs and cave paintings. Prices range from
$50 to $109 for adults and $40 to $89 for children 11 and under.

Rafting the Colorado River
Rafting down the Colorado River as it roars and tumbles through the mile-deep gorge of
the Grand Canyon is the adventure of a lifetime. Ever since John Wesley Powell ignored
everyone who knew better and proved that it was possible to travel by boat down the
tumultuous Colorado, running the big river has become a passion and an obsession with
adventurers. Today, anyone from grade-schoolers to grandmothers can join the elite
group of people who have made the run. However, be prepared for some of the most
furious white water in the world.
Most trips start from Lees Ferry near Page and Lake Powell. It's also possible to start
(or finish) a trip at Phantom Ranch, hiking in or out from either the North or South
Rim. The main rafting season is April through October, but some companies operate