Arizona Grand Canyon camping?

bobthetj03

bobthetj03

Daily driver
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Joined
Feb 3, 2017
Messages
15,176
Location
Clearlake Ca.
We will be spending the week in Moab for the TJ Fest, then will be heading south to visit the Grand Canyon. We'll be in our 30' Class A, flat towing the TJ. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good RV campground to stay at, plus anything of interest to see as we head south from Moab? It's about a 6ish hour drive from Moab, but would like to break that up with an overnight stay along the way to the GC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alex01
I‘m going to list RV parks I have experience with. First choice would be trailer village. Given the size of your rig the access to the sites will be MUCH easier. Full hook ups a plus.

https://www.visitgrandcanyon.com/tr...edium=local&utm_campaign=trailervillagervpark
Check the NPS site for camping/RV info. You will see Mather Campground listed. No hook ups and the roads accessing some sites can be a real challenge with larger rigs. I’m not familiar with all areas of the campground but the area I’ve stayed in frequently has a couple of real tight areas on the acccess roads.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/camping.htm
There are two KOAs near the junction of I40 and 64. Both are OK? but are approx 45 and 50 miles from the south rim entrance. One KOA is just off I 40 near Williams and the other is off 64 a bit closer to the canyon. I would pick the I 40 campground.
If you’d like to know my #1 reason, PM me.

These are four I have experience with. I believe there is another short term park in Tusayan that I have no personal experience with.

Keep a watch on the NPS web site for current closure of south rim attractions. For example the east entrance to the south rim was closed much of last season for Covid reasons. (That route passes thru the Rez)

Also contact at least trailer village ASAP as they fill up fast.

What route do you plan to take from Moab to south rim ?
 
jgaz said:
I‘m going to list RV parks I have experience with. First choice would be trailer village. Given the size of your rig the access to the sites will be MUCH easier. Full hook ups a plus.

https://www.visitgrandcanyon.com/tr...edium=local&utm_campaign=trailervillagervpark
Check the NPS site for camping/RV info. You will see Mather Campground listed. No hook ups and the roads accessing some sites can be a real challenge with larger rigs. I’m not familiar with all areas of the campground but the area I’ve stayed in frequently has a couple of real tight areas on the acccess roads.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/camping.htm
There are two KOAs near the junction of I40 and 64. Both are OK? but are approx 45 and 50 miles from the south rim entrance. One KOA is just off I 40 near Williams and the other is off 64 a bit closer to the canyon. I would pick the I 40 campground.
If you’d like to know my #1 reason, PM me.

These are four I have experience with. I believe there is another short term park in Tusayan that I have no personal experience with.

Keep a watch on the NPS web site for current closure of south rim attractions. For example the east entrance to the south rim was closed much of last season for Covid reasons. (That route passes thru the Rez)

Also contact at least trailer village ASAP as they fill up fast.

What route do you plan to take from Moab to south rim ?
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the great info! I have not looked yet to see what route to take from Moab. Suggestions? How many days is a good amount to visit the park?
 
We stayed at a campsite about 10-15 min south of the south entrance of GC. Tenn X I believe it was called. Clean, quiet, restrooms were clean. I dont recall RV hookups, but I could be misremembering. There was definitely an RV site in Tusayan. Ton of elk in the area too which was fun to see in the evenings/early morning.

When we left Moab we stayed at a KOA in Monument Valley (maybe 3 hours south?). It was absolutely gorgeous but the KOA itself could have been better. We stayed in a tent but I do remember noisy guests, no beer sales (reservation), and a ton of stray but friendly dogs. Monument Valley was just like the movies; very open, very little traffic, just a vast desert. The stars at night were incredible.

20190605_184932_IMG_5161.jpeg



20190605_183920_IMG_5143.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03
Depending on your route you may go thru Page AZ. Not familiar with RV parks there but as far as attractions you have the Glen Canyon Dam and also Antelope Canyon (crowed but worth it once).
If you go that route I can recommend one tour co. vs another.

The raft trip from the base of the dam down the Colorado river is kinda cool.

Horseshoe bend is worth a look.

There is an excellent slot canyon that used to be self guided. I hiked it 3 times when all you needed was a permit. Now you “hire” a guide from the tribe and it’s a bit $. You will most likely have it all to yourself though.

if you didn’t stay in Page there is a NPS campground at Lee’ s Ferry. Lots of hiking in the area but the campground might be first come, first serve.

PM me your hiking wishes and/or abilities and I can make some other suggestions.

Depending on your hiking desires a couple days at the south rim would be fine. Again if I know your wants I can be more specific.

Be aware that most route plans from Moab will have you going into the park thru the east entrance. That entrance might be closed.
If it is you will have to go down to Flagstaff and west on I40. It’s about 325 miles from Moab to Tusayan via the east entrance. Going down to Flag will add about another 100 miles.

Depending on your available time and desires you could spend a week or more going between the two spots especially since you are towing the Jeep.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03 and tworley
jgaz said:
Depending on your route you may go thru Page AZ. Not familiar with RV parks there but as far as attractions you have the Glen Canyon Dam and also Antelope Canyon (crowed but worth it once).
Click to expand...

Antelope Canyon is pretty rad. Though like you mentioned, it is CROWDED. All the pictures you see of an individual hiking thru the canyon are just timed right. Not shown are the hoards of people just around the corner.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03
jgaz said:
Depending on your route you may go thru Page AZ. Not familiar with RV parks there but as far as attractions you have the Glen Canyon Dam and also Antelope Canyon (crowed but worth it once).
If you go that route I can recommend one tour co. vs another.

The raft trip from the base of the dam down the Colorado river is kinda cool.

Horseshoe bend is worth a look.

There is an excellent slot canyon that used to be self guided. I hiked it 3 times when all you needed was a permit. Now you “hire” a guide from the tribe and it’s a bit $. You will most likely have it all to yourself though.

if you didn’t stay in Page there is a NPS campground at Lee’ s Ferry. Lots of hiking in the area but the campground might be first come, first serve.

PM me your hiking wishes and/or abilities and I can make some other suggestions.

Depending on your hiking desires a couple days at the south rim would be fine. Again if I know your wants I can be more specific.

Be aware that most route plans from Moab will have you going into the park thru the east entrance. That entrance might be closed.
If it is you will have to go down to Flagstaff and west on I40. It’s about 325 miles from Moab to Tusayan via the east entrance. Going down to Flag will add about another 100 miles.

Depending on your available time and desires you could spend a week or more going between the two spots especially since you are towing the Jeep.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advise. We are not hard core hikers, but scenic hikes of 3-5 miles is doable for us. And yes, the east entrance is closed, so it'll likely be the North or south we want to camp close to. Since we'll have the jeep, I'm not opposed to camping further away from the entrance for a nicer RV park. To break up the drive from Moab to the GC I'd just like to stay the night somewhere nice and start fresh the next day to the GC. I'd like to spend at least 3 full days at the GC, then take 3 more to get home, with a possible stop at Yosemite.
 
tworley said:
Antelope Canyon is pretty rad. Though like you mentioned, it is CROWDED. All the pictures you see of an individual hiking thru the canyon are just timed right. Not shown are the hoards of people just around the corner.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I try to avoid crowds, especially under current circumstances. What's the weather like first week in May? Last trip to Moab we went towards the end of May and it was mild, and rained a little first day we got there.
 
bobthetj03 said:
We will be spending the week in Moab for the TJ Fest, then will be heading south to visit the Grand Canyon. We'll be in our 30' Class A, flat towing the TJ. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good RV campground to stay at, plus anything of interest to see as we head south from Moab? It's about a 6ish hour drive from Moab, but would like to break that up with an overnight stay along the way to the GC.
Click to expand...
We stopped at Bearizona near the GC. You'd need to unhook the TJ since its a drive through zoo. It was a fun place to stop and we didn't even have the kids with us.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03
North rim won’t open officially or completely until May 15.

If you want some of the Antelope Canyon experience, without the crowds, checkout Waterholes Canyon.
This canyon is located just south of Page on 89. The concession parking area is just before a large bridge as you’re headed south. Not sure about cost.

All three of these pics were taken in Waterholes. Quite an EZ hike. Very EZ once you’re on the canyon floor
D053665D-5878-4226-889B-75E647DD56FB.jpeg

0A5F5370-590A-4BBC-AB0F-F00475C48267.jpeg

5B98FA72-59BC-43B8-8F7B-22CF4CC703A2.jpeg

You should have good weather first week of May. Not to say we haven’t had snow on the south rim mid May but it’s usually nice.

If you’re going to spend several days at the canyon, you should plan to hike below the rim. Walk down the Bright Angel trail to maybe mile and a half rest house. A bit past there is 2 mile corner with very similar views to the 3 mile rest house with two miles less hiking (round trip) and bunch less elevation loss/gain.

On the South Kaibab trail hike at least to Ohh ahh point about 3/4 mile or down to Cedar ridge at 1 1/2 miles. If you're feeling good at Cedar Ridge go another 1/4mile+ down to Oneil Saddle. Fantastic down canyon views.

Walk the rim trail especially from the village to Yavapi geology museum. Also from the village hike west in the rim trail to the “Trail view overlook” stop. K Really a great view of the Bright Angel especially if you’ve hiked down it as well.

Take your time. Twice as long come up as go down. Carry about two quarts of wAter. Eat salty snacks.
Enjoy yourself.

I volunteer there in the summer in the Preventive Search and Rescue program (PSAR) and in case you can’t tell I absolutely LOVE the place.

The view from my “office” just below the mile and a half rest house on the Bright Angel.

B7C9DE17-2F29-4004-A9F8-9FFD8CFFD5AD.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Farmergreg, nk24 and bobthetj03
Camped at Jacob's Lake many times. I agree if you are going to go to the canyon do the North Rim. So much prettier with lots of wildlife and not so many tourists.
 
Top Bottom
Back