Grand Canyon's mule rides rerouted

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - Mule rides at the Grand Canyon are being rerouted, in part, to allow for construction of a major trail.

Instead of a seven-hour ride deep into the canyon to Plateau Point, the park's largest concessionaire is offering a three-hour ride from Grand Canyon Village to the edge of the 3,000-foot drop called The Abyss.

The rerouting comes as the National Park Service weighs what to do with mule traffic into the canyon and whether to close, limit or reroute mules heading down major trails into the canyon.

Park administrators say the cost of repairing trails used by mules exceeds their budget, while mule wranglers say their animals are a part of the canyon's history.

The Park Service is due to issue a preliminary opinion this winter on the subject.