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Camping at the Grand Canyon
Camping at the Grand Canyon might be the highlight of your trip to Utah or Arizona!
Whether you prefer a full-service campground with all the amenities, or a primitive campground in the desert, you'll find what you are looking for close to the awe-inspiring view of the Canyon.
Camping at the Grand Canyon allows you to make good use of your vacation time. By staying right on the spot, you'll spend less time traveling to and from the Canyon, and more time enjoying the amazing scenery and the many activities in the area.
Camping at the South Rim
Most Grand Canyon visitors - millions of them every year - visit the South Rim. If you are going to be one of them, be sure to plan early, and make reservations!
Fortunately, there are lots of places to camp at the South Rim.
Inside Grand Canyon National Park
There are a number of campgrounds right inside the park - both park-operated and privately run.
Mather Campground
This National Park Service campground has more than 300 individual sites, as well as group sites and shared hiker/biker sites.
Reservations are strongly recommended from March to November.
- no hookups
- flush toilets
- pay showers
- laundry facilities
- free shuttle buses to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center
Trailer Village
This privately owned campground is ideal for RVers.
- full hookups (water, sewage, electrical, cable TV)
- flush toilets (but no showers or hot water)
- close to grocery store, post office, bank
- shuttle to Canyon
Desert View Campground
This smaller, more primitive campground is operated by the National Park Service and is open till mid-November. It's suited for tents and smaller RVs. No reservations are accepted, and the campground is usually full - so come early in the day if you are hoping for a site!
- no hookups
- flush toilets and sinks (cold water only)
- water faucets
Outside the Park
Ten-X Campground
This Forest Service campground located 9 miles south of Grand Canyon Village is open only during the summer. There are 70 campsites as well a large group site. Some sites are reservable, and the rest are "first come, first served".
- no hookups
- outhouses
- water taps
Camper Village
This privately owned campground located 7 miles south of Grand Canyon Village is open seasonally. It's within walking distance of grocery stores, restaurants and shops.
- hookups
- flush toilets
- pay showers
- laundry facilities
Camping at the North Rim
If sharing your experience with huge crowds doesn't appeal to you, consider camping at the Grand Canyon North Rim. That's what we did!
Inside the Park
North Rim Campground
This National Park Service campground is the only campground within the North Rim park. It has 90 sites, plus 3 group sites and a site for hikers and bikers to share. All of the sites are reservable in the summer, and they book up quickly.
Make your reservations the moment you decide on your dates. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance.
We were extremely lucky! We arrived with no reservations, and we got the last available spot in the park.
We loved this campground! The sites are treed, spacious and relatively private. Although every site was occupied, we didn't feel crowded at all. Each campsite has a parking area, a picnic table and a fire ring. The bathrooms were clean. There are ranger programs at the amphitheatre in the evening. There are trails to the Grand Canyon Lodge and the canyon rim.
- no hookups
- drinking water
- flush toilets
- pay showers
- laundry
- dishwashing sink
- a sani-station
- a well-stocked general store
Outside the park
Forest Service Campgrounds
Demotte Campground is 16 miles/28 north of the rim.
Jacob Lake Campground is 45 miles north of the rim.
Neither has hookups.
Both are "first-come, first served".
Kaibab Camper Village
This private campground near Jacob Lake is open from mid-May to mid-October.
- full hookups
- pay showers
- toilets
- laundry
- dishwashing sinks
Fall and Winter Camping at the Grand Canyon
South Rim
Mather Campground is open year-round, although the office is closed and reservations cannot be made during the off-season.
Trailer Village and Camper Village are open all year as well.
North Rim
Once the National Park closes in mid-October, a limited number of campsites are available at the North Rim Campground. Services are limited, too: there are portable toilets, but no running water. No reservations are needed; it's first-come, first served.
These campsites are available as long as Highway 67 is open. Once the snow closes the highway, the campground is closed too.
Even in the middle of winter, intrepid hikers and cross-country skiers can camp in the group campsites as long as they first obtain a camping permit from the park's Backcountry Information Center.
No private snowmobiles are allowed in the park at any time.
Now that you know about camping at the Grand Canyon, learn more about camping in US National Parks.
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