You’re standing at the edge of the South Rim and it is pitch black. I mean, the kind of dark where you can’t see your own boots. Then, you hear it. The low rumble of a 4x4 engine and the crunch of limestone under heavy tires. This isn't your typical tourist bus tour where you're pressed against a foggy window. This is the Growlers Night Ride, and honestly, it’s the only way to actually experience the canyon without the crushing crowds of midday.
Most people think the Grand Canyon "closes" when the sun goes down. They head back to their hotels in Tusayan, grab a mediocre burger, and call it a day. Big mistake. Huge.
The Growlers Night Ride—operated by Buck Wild Hummer Tours out of Tusayan, Arizona—is a specialized after-dark excursion that uses customized, open-air Hummer vehicles. These things are beasts. They’re painted that signature "Growler" green or tan, and they are built to handle the rugged corridors of the Kaibab National Forest and the viewpoints along the rim. It’s a mix of adrenaline, stargazing, and that weird, eerie silence that only a desert canyon can provide.
What actually happens on a Growlers Night Ride?
The tour usually kicks off right as the "golden hour" fades into the blue hour. You meet your guide near the Grand Canyon National Park Airport. You’ll see the Hummers lined up. They look like something out of a military convoy, but with much more comfortable seating.
Once you’re buckled in, the driver guns it. You head out toward the park, but you aren't just sticking to the main paved roads. The beauty of the Growlers tour is the access to forest trails. You’re bouncing over roots and rocks. The wind is hitting your face. If it’s spring or fall, it’s cold. Like, "bring a heavy jacket because the desert doesn't care about your feelings" cold.
The guides are the real MVPs here. They aren't just drivers; they’re storytellers. You’ll hear about the geological layers—the Vishnu Schist at the bottom that’s two billion years old—but you’ll also hear the local lore. They talk about the ghosts of the El Tovar Hotel or the various explorers who nearly died trying to map the Colorado River. It feels like sitting around a campfire, just at 20 miles per hour.
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The light show you didn't expect
LEDs are the secret weapon of the Growlers Night Ride. These Hummers are rigged with massive light bars. When the driver flips the switch, the forest illuminates in high definition. You’ll see elk. Lots of them. Sometimes mule deer or the occasional coyote darting through the ponderosa pines.
But the real magic happens when you reach the rim.
When you get to a viewpoint like Moran Point or Grandview, the guide kills the lights. Everything goes silent. Your eyes take a few minutes to adjust, and then you see it: the Milky Way. Because the Grand Canyon is a certified International Dark Sky Park, the lack of light pollution is staggering. You can see the Great Rift. You can see satellites trekking across the sky. Sometimes, the guides bring out high-powered lasers to point out constellations like Orion or the Pleiades. It makes the "big" canyon feel even bigger when you realize you’re looking at light that left a star thousands of years ago.
Why people get the timing wrong
There is a common misconception that you should only do the Growlers ride during a full moon. People think, "Hey, I want to see the canyon walls, so I need the moon."
Wrong.
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If you go during a full moon, the moonlight is so bright it actually washes out the stars. It’s beautiful, sure—the canyon looks like a silver, ghostly version of itself—but you lose the depth of the galaxy. If you want the "true" Growlers experience, book your ride during a new moon or a thin crescent. That’s when the darkness is absolute and the stars look like they’re going to fall out of the sky.
On the flip side, the winter months are underrated. Yes, you will freeze. Yes, the Hummer is open-air. But the air is crisper and clearer in December and January. There’s less dust in the atmosphere. If there is snow on the rim, the LED lights from the Growler reflect off the white drifts, creating this surreal, neon-winter-wonderland vibe that most tourists never see.
Survival tips for the ride
Don't show up in shorts. I don't care if it was 90 degrees at noon. Once the sun drops in Northern Arizona, the temperature plummeted faster than a rock off a cliff.
- Layers are non-negotiable: Wear a thermal base, a fleece, and a windproof outer shell.
- Hold on to your hat: Those Hummers move, and the wind will snatch a baseball cap right off your head.
- Camera settings: If you're trying to take photos, bring a tripod. You cannot take a good photo of the night sky from a vibrating Hummer. You’ll need to wait until the "star stop" to set up. Use a wide aperture ($f/2.8$ if you have it) and a long exposure (15-20 seconds).
- The "Jump" factor: The Hummers are high off the ground. If you have mobility issues, let the company know ahead of time so they can bring the step-stool.
The logistics: What it costs and who it's for
Buck Wild Hummer Tours usually runs these for about 2 hours. It’s not an all-night expedition, which is great if you have kids. It’s long enough to feel like an adventure but short enough that you’re back in time for a late drink.
Price-wise, you’re looking at somewhere between $100 and $150 per person depending on the season and the specific package. Is it more expensive than driving your rental car to a turnout? Yeah. But your rental car can't go off-road in the Kaibab, and you don't have a 50,000-lumen light bar to spot wildlife.
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The ride is perfect for:
- Couples looking for something more "vibey" than a daytime bus.
- Families with teenagers who think nature is boring.
- Photographers who want access to dark spots without hiking in the dark alone.
What most people miss
The silence.
At one point during the tour, usually at the furthest point out, the guide will have everyone stop talking. It’s a "sound of silence" moment. You realize that during the day, the Grand Canyon is loud. It’s full of shouting kids, camera shutters, and the constant hum of the park shuttle buses. At night, on a Growler ride, you can hear the wind moving through the canyon's side gorges. You might hear the distant call of an owl. It’s a visceral reminder that the canyon is a living, breathing place, not just a postcard background.
The Growlers Night Ride isn't just about "seeing" the Grand Canyon. You can see it on Google Earth. This is about feeling the scale of the world. It’s about the contrast between the raw power of a machine like a Hummer and the ancient, indifferent stillness of the rock walls.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Trip
If you’re planning to book, do these three things immediately:
- Check the Lunar Calendar: Look for "New Moon" dates for your travel window. Book your Growlers ride for one of the three nights surrounding the new moon for the best stargazing.
- Book the "Sunset to Stars" Transition: If they offer a tour that starts 30 minutes before sunset, take it. You get the best of both worlds—the orange glow on the rocks and the transition into total darkness.
- Pack a Headlamp with a Red Light Mode: White light ruins your night vision (and everyone else’s). A red light allows you to see your bag or your footing without killing the "dark sky" experience for the group.
Go to the Buck Wild website or their office in Tusayan. They fill up fast, especially in the summer. Don't be the person staring at the canyon from a hotel balcony. Get in the green truck and go find the dark.