Top 5 Grand Canyon National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks

Mather Campground

This campground comes highly recommended and provides a lot of privacy, despite a large number of users. The camping ground is in the South rim of Grand Canyon National park in Northern Arizona. All within a few miles of the facility, you can find scenic overlooks, free shuttle bus system, visitor center, and hiking/walking trails are all very close. There are many facilities offered in the Mather campground, including campfire ring with a cooking grate, picnic spaces, toilets, and showers. A short one-mile walk from the campsite, you will find the Rim Trail, which is a paved walkway stretching 14 miles along the edge of the canyon, making for some epic views! If you are an early riser, you can catch the sunrise over the canyon, making for an unforgettable experience.

Desert View Campground

Situated on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Desert View Campground’s name says it all. This campground offers views as far as the eye can see. Located behind this campground is the famous Desert View Watchtower, which was built in 1932 and still standing to this day!

Although this campsite is farther from some of the more popular attractions in Grand Canyon, the campsite offers peace and quiet, perfect after a long day full of canyon adventures! Desert View Campground features electrical hookups, toilets and showers, phone service, and much more. This campground is also closed during winter, from mid-October to mid-April, and runs as a first-come, first-served basis.

North Rim Campground

Due to its distance away from the main attractions within Grand Canyon National park, North Rim campground tends to be much quieter than other campgrounds. It is home to an abundance of wildlife, hiking trails, and unparalleled views of one of the Seven Natural wonders of the world. The best part? The campground is surrounded by towering Ponderosa pines and Aspens, which turn a striking golden-yellow in early fall, talk about the perfect Insta-worthy shot! You can awake to spectacular sunrises of red, yellow, and orange dancing across the morning sky.

This campground can experience a wide variety of weather temperatures, mostly due to the campground elevation of 8,200ft. With pleasant summer temperatures and the afternoon thunderstorm, it is advised travelers prepare for all types of weather. There are multiple trails to explore, with the Bridle trail being the only trail that will allow bikes. A short walk from the campground is the North Kaibab trail, which descends into the inner canyon. The facilities at the site include picnic tables, coin-operated showers, and laundry and toilets.

Trailer Village RV Park

Trailer Village is one of the most popular RV sites throughout the Grand Canyon as it offers full hookups for campervans and RVs. As far as campgrounds go, Trailer Village RV Park offers it all. For this reason, it can become very booked out very fast. As far as the location goes, you can’t quite get much closer to the rim! A cruisy 5-minute bike ride of a slightly longer walk, and you’ll be gazing at the canyon itself. The visitor center is also within walking distance and a great way to plan your stay within the park, making sure you make the most of your visit. There is also a free shuttle bus that runs where you can hop on and hop off along the various highlights surrounding the campsite. Elk are known to graze through the campground. Features include electrical hookups, dump stations, restrooms with toilets & showers, phone service, potable water, and general store.

Bright Angel Campground

If you’re wanting to experience a bit of backcountry camping before leaving the park, Angel campground is the place to go! Bright Angel is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and the only officially recognized Grand Canyon campground. As this campground is in the backcountry, you will need to read the National Park Service recommendations carefully. It isn’t the easiest campground to reach as you must hike roughly 9.9 miles, but the more you work, the better the reward! Characterized by the river Delta, where Bright Angel Creek meets the Colorado River, beautiful Cottonwood trees shade the campground while offering the creek to cool days after a day’s hike.

There are both tent campsites and cabins for your overnight stay, including running water and toilets! Not only will you have a high chance of spotting wildlife such as squirrels and deer, but you will also capture the magnificent natural views all within the comfort of your campsite! This camping site comes highly recommend after all; how many people can say they’ve stayed inside one of the natural wonders of the world?

Camping within the Grand Canyon National Park will require a bit of pre-planning for a once in a lifetime experience. Not often will you be able to wing it and travel there last minute and be lucky enough to secure campgrounds. The Grand Canyon showcases spectacular skies, unforgettable sunrises, and the unrivaled geographical scale of the American West. The canyon will see a flock of millions of travelers per year, however not all will have the time to take in the breathtaking serenity of the park itself. Each season will offer its uniqueness, whether that be oceans of golden leaves covering the grounds in fall, or snowy peaks during the winter months. The canyon is vast enough to cater for all types of travelers for the perfect city escape.

We have taken care of the nitty-gritty of your pre-planning for your road trip, making it easier for you to focus on planning your jam-packed days full of activities!

Note: If you can’t find a spot at one of these amazing locations try Demotte Campground, Kaibab Camper Village, Ten-X Campground, and Grand Canyon Camper Village.

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