Grand Canyon North: An American Cowboy Adventure Tour for the Whole Family

Grand Canyon North Rim is the most remote region of the national park, covered in dense forestry and winding hiking trails. Here, the climate is milder than the South Rim - in fact, the North Rim is closed during the winter months due to regular intense snowstorms.

The North Rim is mainly appealing to Grand Canyon visitors that enjoy hiking and more secluded exploration away from other guests. The North Rim can only be reached via private vehicle, as airplane and helicopter landings cannot take place at this location.

There are easier options if you'd like to experience the beauty of the Grand Canyon North. Near the Grand Canyon North Rim region is the home of Bar 10 Ranch, who works closely with Papillon to provide exciting Western-style tours across the desert landscape.

You can travel to Bar 10 Ranch on your own from St. George, Utah, but note that the road is unpaved and very remote - plan accordingly before departing. You can also enjoy a day trip from Las Vegas to Bar 10 Ranch aboard a sightseeing airplane tour with views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the Mojave Desert along the way. Learn more about this iconic ranch and its history with the Grand Canyon.

Built between 1982 and 1983 by Tony and Ruby Heaton, Bar 10 Ranch rests deep in the Southwest desert, 70 miles from the nearest town, St. George, Utah. Due to its isolation, the Heaton family even had an airstrip built to make transporting people and goods more accessible.

River rafting started to become popular in the Grand Canyon, and many rafters began to pass Bar 10 Ranch, tired and weary from their week-long journeys in the sun. Mr. Heaton recognized this as an opportunity to allow these Grand Canyon tourists to end their trips a few days early and stay at his ranch to rest and rejuvenate. He also used his airstrip to transport them back to Las Vegas for an easier return trip.

As demand increased for overnight stays at his property, Heaton realized that his ranch needed to expand to accommodate tourists' needs.

Today, visitors to Bar 10 Ranch will find pine wood walls, a dining hall with stunning wooden beams lining the ceiling, antique chandeliers made from wagon wheels, and oversized windows with views of the Grand Canyon.

Overnight guests can stay in either the lodge or the coveted covered wagons that can be found scattered across property grounds. These are the most high-demand accommodations and require very advanced booking.

Due to its remote location, the night sky above Bar 10 Ranch is often so breathtaking that many overnight guests happily pull their mattresses onto the porch to sleep under the starscape!

Bar 10 Ranch offers 1-night, 2-night, and 3-night stays at their property. Guests can enjoy skeet shooting, horseback riding, and cowboy demonstrations and Western entertainment during their visit. You can also elevate your experience to include a variety of exciting desert adventures.

Visitors over the age of 16 can enjoy an ATV/UTV tour that traverses the desert landscape and reaches the edge of the Grand Canyon. Stays longer than one night also include a UTV tour to the Mt. Logan/Trumbull area as well as Pa's Pocket/Engagement Point, some very photogenic regions of the nearby landscape.

Riders do not need prior ATV/UTV experience to participate in these tours and will receive safety instruction and assistance from their tour leader during these guided expeditions.

Available from May through September, river rafting tours through the Grand Canyon can either start or end at Bar 10 Ranch. Choose between 3-4 day excursions, or 6-7 day excursions. If you're a true nature lover, there is no more magnificent experience than enjoying multiple days traversing the mighty Colorado River, floating between the Grand Canyon's walls, and camping at the very bottom of this ancient landform.

Whether you're spending several days at Bar 10 Ranch or just visiting for the day from Las Vegas, you can indulge in authentic homecooked country dining. Ranch staff prepare daily feasts in the dining hall for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Overnight guests will wake up to a hot breakfast, fresh fruit, and rich coffee to enjoy amidst the desert scenery. Lunch often consists of slow-cooked barbecue beef sandwiches, roasted vegetables, potatoes, and dessert - all served buffet-style so you can enjoy as much as you'd like. Dinner varies in its offerings, ranging from Native American dishes to hamburgers and more, but you'll certainly get to taste the ranch's own homegrown beef!

Bar 10 Ranch may not be a globally-known location in the Wild West, but it is undoubtedly one of the most worthwhile places to visit during your trip to the American Southwest. Even if you only have time for a Bar 10 Ranch day tour, you can experience incredible sights of the Grand Canyon, enjoy some true country hospitality, and explore some of the most unique nature in the United States.