With recent changes to the popular hiking destination of Havasupai Falls that no longer allow camping in cars at the trailhead, there are limited accommodations if you’re trying to stay the night before. I decided to take my chance and stay at the Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn, and give it a full review.
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Why I Booked Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn
With new rules barring overnight car camping at the Havasupai Falls trailhead, accommodation options near Peach Springs are limited. Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn was close enough for an early departure, and — permits for the hike are picked up here, too — made it the practical choice over driving farther out.
Booking a Room at Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn
While the Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn does have its own website, it could use some work. A few times while trying to book, it gave me errors and couldn’t complete the process. So I decided to book through Trivago instead, with no issues.
There are a few different options when staying here. My friend and I decided to just get a standard room, which had 2 queen beds and cost us $100 for the night. Not bad, considering other accommodations in the area run around $150, and there are very limited options available.
If you’re looking for a cheap option, the inn also has campsites you can book for $20 a night. And if you’re looking to splurge, check out the Cavern Suite — this will set you back $1,000 a night, but come on, how many times are you going to get a hotel suite that’s 200 feet underground?
Getting to Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn
The Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn is located in Peach Springs, Arizona. This is about a 3-hour drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and about 2.5 hours if you’re driving from Las Vegas. If you have a lot of money lying around, there’s also the Grand Canyon Caverns Airport, just a few hundred feet from the inn — I can’t offer many additional details on booking it beyond knowing it exists.
For some reason, Google Maps had the address listed simply as “Peach Springs” at the time, so we had to call for better directions. The actual address is: Grand Canyon Caverns Inn, Historic Route 66, Mile Marker 115, Peach Springs, AZ 86434.
The Hotel Rooms at Grand Canyon Caverns and InN
As mentioned, I had just booked a double room, so nothing fancy. Check-in was pretty easy, although they do have limited staff. For after-hours check-in, there’s a little doorbell outside the main office to press, and a staff member will come check you in.
The rooms are equipped with an air conditioning unit, which to my surprise worked very well. The rooms are very dated, and it’s starting to show — our room did have a few dead bugs lying around once we walked in. We were here for a pre-hike rest, though, so not a big deal.
The Wi-Fi is supposed to cover all the rooms, and it appeared to be connecting, but despite having the password, we had no luck getting online. Not a big deal for us, since we arrived in the evening and needed to be up early anyway.
The Campground at Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn
The campground sits right out front of all the rooms, on an open piece of land. While we didn’t camp, there were a few campers that evening. It appears they selected the campground simply because it was a large, flat area — with people arriving and departing, car lights might be visible through most of the night.
There are no trees for hammocks, just an FYI for backpackers not taking a tent into Havasupai Falls. Porta potties are accessible, though I imagine the bathrooms in the main lodge are somewhat better during the day.
Food, Beverage & Services at Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn
In the main lodge, there’s a small convenience store with snacks and everyday essentials. It’s open until 7:00 PM daily, and prices were pretty reasonable — similar to gas station food prices. There’s also a gas station on the property; you just have to ask inside about the pumps and they’ll help you out. I’d fill up here, since there aren’t many gas stations in the area — the nearest is about 15 minutes away in Peach Springs.
About a mile down the property is a restaurant that serves lunch and dinner, but no breakfast. There’s a walking path from the rooms, but we just drove — it was easier. The menu is small, mostly American food like burgers and wings. For a drink, burger, and fries, I paid around $18.00.
The Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn is also where you pick up permits for hiking Havasupai Falls. This was the first year that system was implemented, so I’d expect some changes as they work out the logistics. For the month of August, permit pickup ran from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
While not operational during my visit, they do offer cave tours. At the time, the elevator was out of order, but staff expressed their intention to resume tours at some point. Worth calling ahead to check current status before you go.
Is Grand Canyon Caverns and Inn Worth the Price?
At $100 a night for a standard room, this felt fair given how few accommodation options exist near Peach Springs — other nearby options run around $150. This isn’t a destination hotel; it’s a practical stop before an early hike, and priced about right for that purpose. The $20/night campsites are a solid budget option, and the $1,000/night Cavern Suite is a genuine novelty if you want a one-of-a-kind splurge.
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