So I have hiked to Phantom Ranch, and as of last weekend, I have ridden the mule. I prefer to hike.
When I hike I can carry whatever I am willing to haul. On the mule, I am limited to two plastic bags. Since I had a layover day on which I wanted to hike, I needed some extra stuff.

When I hike I can carry as much water as I wish. On the mule I have a bota bag (I hate drinking out of those) that holds one liter.The wranglers carry extra water to refill, so more water is a possibility. Of course, if I drink enough to be hydrated I need to, not to put too fine a point on it, use the outhouses. There is only one stop on the mule ride, so if one is hydrated, one is in dire straits. Again, the wranglers will stop at the outhouses, but one has to ask, and the whole string has to stop, and the mules have to be restrained so they don't run off while I am using the facilities.

As for the much-vaunted education one gets on the mules, here are some of the things I learned:
The pictographs are painted with cochineal (not).

The resthouses were CCC kitchens until they were turned into resthouses. The CCC did not build the Bright Angel Trail. They did build the resthouses, but as resthouses, not kitchens.

Cedar Breaks is the only place that cedar grows. There is no true cedar in North America, and if they are talking about Juniper, it grows all over the place.

The Colorado River cut the Grand Canyon 80 million years ago. A good trick, since the Laramide Orogeny was only 65 million years ago.

Scientists have proven that the Colorado River used to flow north. This is one idea, but it does not enjoy common acceptance, and it has certainly not been proven by anyone.

There is petrified wood in the inner gorge. The ruins at the Boat Beach were habitated by Havasupai Indians. Brama Temple is called that because it looks like a bull. I could go on and on.

Riding the mules is not, as many have said, for the infirm. It hurts the knees, the back, and the ankles. One needs a strong body core to sit upright, and strong thighs to control the mule. If one has any problem with heights, parts of that trail are terrifying.