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Does the US Post Office Really Use Mules?

Allison Boelcke
By Allison Boelcke
Updated Dec 16, 2014
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The US Post Office really uses mules to deliver items to the Havasupai Indians, who live at the bottom of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. A train of mules is used to transport mail, along with food, supplies, and even furniture, down an 8 mile (12.87 km) trail to the base of the Grand Canyon. The daily deliveries to the Havasupai Indians weigh around 4,000 pounds (1814.37 kg), with an individual mule being able to carry 130 pounds (58.97 kg) at a time. The nearest Post Office location to the Havasupai Indians is in Peach Springs, Arizona and contains walk-in freezers to hold the food for delivery.

More about the US Postal Service:

  • There is no way to access the Point Roberts, WA Post Office by land in the US—it requires driving through British Columbia, Canada or else by boat.
  • The Post Office Stamp Fulfillment Center in Kansas City, Missouri is actually located 150 feet (45.72 m) underground in order to provide the right moisture levels for preserving the stamps.
  • Ships on the Detroit River in Michigan have their own mail boat that delivers to them on the water, and it even has its own zip code.
WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
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Discussion Comments

By Viranty — On Dec 17, 2014

Just an observation from both my life experiences, and from reading some of these tidbits, but one thing that I've noticed about mail, is the fact that the heavier it is, the more work and effort is required to transport it.

In fact, I've also noticed that to be the case several times when I would order several products online a few months ago, products that varied greatly in weight and size.

For example, when I ordered a small pair of headphones online, all they did was stick it in my mailbox, and I retrieved it rather easily.

However, later on in the summer, when I ordered a gigantic pack of gummy worms from an online store, it actually had to be delivered to my front door, as it was way too heavy to fit otherwise.

All in all, I guess that transportation methods really depend on what it is that you're ordering online.

I mean, even though I've never ordered furniture online, I can imagine that it would be delivered by truck, and they would help me move it inside the house.

After all, no wonder why mules were and are required to carry heavy furniture down a long path in Arizona.

By Krunchyman — On Dec 17, 2014

I'll admit that these are some very interesting tidbits, especially in reference to the way that certain items are delivered.

Also, I never gave this much thought until reading the article, but I do find it interesting that many things can be transported by ship.

However, maybe I didn't take this into consideration because I don't live anywhere near the coast, and everything that I order online either arrives at the door, or goes directly to the mail.

RoyalSpyder, I'd also like to mention that you make some good points as well. Unless we've been traveling around the world, transportation is something we might not give much thought about, despite its importance in connecting to the network around us.

By RoyalSpyder — On Dec 16, 2014

Wow, it's really interesting that mules are actually used in some areas to transport food and other items. In fact, I didn't even know that until reading this article.

I don't know about anyone else, but one reason why it interests me so much is due to the fact that it really shows that overall, the "old" ways of doing things aren't always so outdated, and even more so, they could be very beneficial in this day and age.

Also, even though I don't live in Arizona, I can imagine that it must be quite interesting to see mail and food supplies actually delivered on mules.

This point aside, on a final note, one thing I think that this bullet point does a good job at doing, is showing how in general, there are many, many ways in which items can be transported, and even more so, they're not just limited to our scope, if that makes sense.

For example, let's say that someone lives in an urban area, and they're used to having their mail left in the mailbox for them to pickup.

What they need to remember though, is that there are countless ways to transport material, and not just by mail and horses either.

After all, don't forget about air delivery, and though this one is a bit more obscure, delivery by ship. In my opinion, while transportation can be very important, it's also how it's transported that makes a huge difference.

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