Enjoy a night out in the desert while camping in Grand Canyon National Park! Encompassing seemingly endless miles of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere on the planet, Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona is both inspiring and overwhelming. One look into this massive chasm in the earth’s crust is all it takes to discover what beauty truly is!
Grand Canyon National Park has four frontcountry campgrounds (meaning you can drive your car to them, and you don’t need a backcountry permit). The North Rim has one, and the South Rim has three, including the RV Park. If you are interested in backcountry camping, click here.
This guide is all about the frontcountry camping possibilities within the national park. It is designed to help you decide which developed campground is perfect for your needs!
What You Need to Know About Camping in Grand Canyon National Park
- Each standard campsite only accommodates six people and three small tents. If you have a larger group, you will need to book two campsites or look for a campground that offers double or group campsites.
- National Park Service Senior Pass and Access Pass holders can get 50% off of the camping fee (this does NOT include the America the Beautiful Pass)
- Many of the first-come, first-served sites should be claimed first thing in the morning during the summer months! Plan your trip so that you can get to the campground early before it fills.
- A maximum of 2 vehicles is allowed at each campsite (RVs, 5th Wheels, and trailers count as vehicles).
- Grand Canyon National Park gets extremely hot during the summer months, and some campsites have partial or no shade. Consider the heat when planning your camping trip.
- Gathering of downed wood for campfires is prohibited, but wood can be purchased near the campgrounds.
- Campsites that require reservations can be reserved up to 6 months in advance, except for Trailer Village, which is 13 months in advance.
How to Get a Campsite at Grand Canyon National Park
All four campgrounds in the park accept reservations. For the three NPS-run campgrounds, click over to Recreation.gov to find a site. Reservations can be made six months in advance.
The Trailer Village RV Park is run by a concessionaire and accepts reservations 13 months in advance. This campground is open year-round with full RV hookups.
Mather Campground does have a few campsites that operate on a first-come, first-served basis. These sites become available starting at 8 a.m. at the campground kiosk. I recommend arriving as close to 8 a.m. as possible, especially during the peak season, because they get snatched up fast!
To choose your ideal campground, take a look at the in-park options below:
Camping at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
Sitting about 1,000 feet higher than the South Rim, the North Rim enjoys more precipitation, more greenery, and more diversity in its plant and animal life. The trails and viewpoints are quite spread out, providing new and spectacular views of the canyon each time you get out of your car. The erosion patterns in the layers of rock are gradual, creating unique landmarks and formations that add variety to the Grand Canyon views.
Be aware that visitor services on the North Rim are limited. The season usually runs from June – October, and the road closes down completely in the winter. The nearest town is Jacob Lake, 41 miles away from the park. Keep this in mind if you are planning on camping at the North Rim.
North Rim Campground
The North Rim Campground is a fabulous place to stay on your Grand Canyon adventure! A majestic mixture of a tall canopy of ponderosa pine and aspen trees shade the area, and summer temperatures are generally moderate and pleasant. Afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon, and at 8200 feet above sea level, snow comes early and stays long during the winter months on the North Rim. For this reason, the campground is only open for a short season, and it can be difficult to snag a site.
This campground offers a variety of campsites, including shared hiker/biker sites, group sites, tent sites, and premium sites with views of the canyon. A dump station is provided, as well as coin-operated laundry and shower facilities.
Open Season: Middle of May to the end of October
Max RV Length: 40 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Okay, from 7-9 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. only
Reservations Required: Yes, click here to check availability.
Fee: $18-$25 per night
Number of Sites: 90
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Grand Canyon’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Accessibility: Several sites are wheelchair accessible
Planning a trip to the Grand Canyon can be overwhelming.
How do you make a solid plan if you’ve never been to the park before? How do you keep everyone in your group excited and engaged?
You can spend hours on the internet searching for things to do, but you still won’t find the insider tips and first-hand knowledge that I’ve gained from working as a park ranger.
If you’re hoping to see the best sights without getting stuck in traffic, circling parking lots, or being surrounded by people, check out this Grand Canyon Itinerary.
You will see all of the can’t-miss spots, plus get lodging and dining guides, driving directions, and insider tips!
Camping at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
The South Rim is a spectacular place to experience the beauty and grandeur of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River that carves its way through it. While you may find it unpleasant to navigate through the crowds of people at the many scenic overlooks here at the park’s most popular area, it is well worth any effort it might take to finally get to peer over the edge of the canyon rim and gasp in wonder and awe at the deep canyon below.
When speaking about a visit to the Grand Canyon, most people are usually referring to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. This is the hub of all visitor activity, with many conveniences such as lodges, restaurants, the main visitor center, tour guides, and the park’s free shuttle bus system. The majority of trails, like the Bright Angel Trail, the South Kaibab Trail, or the Rim Trail, and viewpoints are within a few miles of each other, making it possible to see a lot in a short amount of time.
Desert View Campground
Located 26 miles east of Grand Canyon Village, the Desert View Campground is further removed from the busy South Rim crowds, lodges, and restaurants. It offers a more peaceful stay nearer to some beautiful viewpoints, including the famous Desert View Watchtower.
This campground will feel slightly more primitive than other campgrounds in the park. There are only two water spigots and only one bathroom to share between all of the sites, and there are no showers or laundry service nearby.
Open Season: Middle of April to the middle of October
Max RV Length: 30 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: No
Generators: Yes, from 7-9 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. only
Reservations Required: Yes, click here to check availability.
Fee: $18
Number of Sites: 50
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Grand Canyon’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Accessibility: Yes
Mather Campground
Located just one mile from the rim of the Grand Canyon, Mather Campground is for you if you want to be right in the middle of all the action! Shade is not hard to come by among the beautiful ponderosa pines that surround the campsites, and many animals (such as elk, mule deer, and coyote) call this area home.
This campground offers a variety of campsites, including shared hiker/biker sites, group sites, RV sites, and tent-only sites. A dump station is provided, as well as coin-operated laundry and showers. There is a shuttle bus stop at the campground that will connect you with other services and points of interest at the South Rim.
Open Season: Year Round
Max RV Length: 30 feet
Hookups: No
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Yes, from 7-9 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. No generators allowed in the Pine Loop.
Reservations Required: Yes, Click here to check availability. (15 first-come, first-served sites are available daily at 8 a.m.)
Fee: $18
Number of Sites: 327
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Grand Canyon’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water
Accessibility: Several sites are wheelchair accessible
Trailer Village RV Park
The Trailer Village is adjacent to the Mather Campground and offers all of the necessities needed for traveling in style with your RV. Full hookups (cable, electrical, sewage, and water — no wifi) are included in the nightly rate. A picnic table is provided next to each site, but shade is hard to come by. Showers, laundry, and a dump station are located nearby in the Mather Campground.
Reservations for the Trailer Village can be made up to 13 months in advance.
Open Season: Year-round
Max RV Length: 50 feet
Hookups: Full
Reservations Required: Strongly recommended during the summer months. Click here to check availability.
Fee: $79-$84
Number of Sites: 84
Pets Allowed: Yes, but please review Grand Canyon’s Pet Policy
Restrooms: Flush toilets with running water.
Now that you’ve seen your options for camping in Grand Canyon National Park, are you ready to make sure you don’t miss out on the best sights?
Click NEXT to see the 12 things you can’t miss on your first visit!
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I wanting to run the rim to rim to rim very late March-early April. There are a few others that just want to do the rim to rim. Is there any possible way for them to do the rim to rim with the N. TH being closed at this time of year. I’m trying to get creative but coming up short. Thanks for your help!
No, there’s literally no way for them to come out at the North Rim unless they want to snowshoe/cross-country ski 45 miles to Jacob Lake! They’d be better off staying with you :) If they’re wanting to hike to the bottom of the canyon and then back out, at that time of year I’d recommend going down South Kaibab and up Bright Angel. It’s a phenomenal hike…they wouldn’t be disappointed with the views from there!
Great post! Just want to ask if the information here was still the same this year? We’re planning to have fun with my friends and I think camping in Grand Canyon National Park will suit best for that event. All your information here was great!
I was just there a few months ago, and this post is up to date. Have fun!
I am planning a trip for Valentine’s Day weekend for myself. My potential flight will land in Flagstaff around 11am. Will this be too late to get a camping spot at Mather? I have been to the Grand Canyon before but last time I had a camper and made reservations. Suggestions and recommendations are welcome :)
You might be ok, but that weekend is a holiday weekend so it may be busier than usual. There are some good boondocking options outside of the park that you may want to keep as backups. I like to use http://www.campendium.com to plan out my camping trips. Have fun!
Hello I’m thinking of bringing the family to rent camp at Mathers Campground in Early March. How cold is the evening and nights during this time frame?
It can get decently cold during March and snow is not uncommon! It’s an adventure at the canyon that time of year. Have fun!
I am planning a trip to the Grand Canyon the first week of June and plan to camp. I have a CPAP medical device that I use when I sleep each night. The National Park sites fo not have electric and will not charge my medical battery. Are there any campgrounds really close to the park that offer electricity for tent camping that you would recommend? I’ve been looking online the past few days and am not having any luck. All I can find are RV campgrounds that don’t allow tents.
Hmmm I’m racking my brain and can’t think of anything that’s really close. The problem is that once you get out of the South Rim area of the park and Tusayan, you have to drive quite a ways to the next places such as Williams and Flagstaff. While I generally would try to dissuade you from staying that far out of the park, I’m having a hard time thinking of anywhere else that would have the potential to meet your needs. A few ideas come to mind if you really want to be close to the South Rim and not camp. You can check out the Hull Cabin {https://www.recreation.gov/camping/hull-cabin/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72160} or this unique but cheap hotel in Tusayan {http://www.angelfire.com/biz/7milelodge/}. I’ve never stayed at either, but either may be an option if you’re unable to find anything else. Good luck!!
Hi! I’ve heard that you can camp at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Would you happen to know where I would be able to plan or book a reservation for that kind of experience?
Thank you!
Hey there Maddie! There are several places to camp below the rim of the Grand Canyon, but they will require a permit to stay there. You can find more info about that here: https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm
There is also a lodge at the bottom of the canyon called Phantom Ranch that’s worth looking into if you don’t want to camp. It’s extremely hard to get a room there {gets booked up soooo fast} but an awesome way to stay if you’re hiking down to the bottom. Have fun!
Wow! I want to just sit and talk and “pick your brain” of all that incredible info! We are planning a trip for about a month to start at the Grand Canyon and do Yellowstone and what else we can fit in without rushing. What is the best time of the year to do this? We usually try not to go during peak times.
It really depends on where you plan on stopping, but September is generally a good month to see the desert parks and the mountain parks without all of the crowds :)
Hi Ash,
You mentioned hiker/biker campsites on the North Rim, and here’s what the website says as well:
“Hiker/biker communal (shared) sites are available during the season – inquire at the campground kiosk office.”
Do you know how the communal campsites work on the North Rim? I want to do a Rim-to-Rim hike of the Canyon starting at the South Rim, hiking to the north, camping there one night, then taking the shuttle back to the South Rim in the morning. I can’t get a reservation for the day I want, can I just show up without a reservation and ask to use a shared site?
There doesn’t seem to be too much information out there about the shared sites, but if you happen know anything that would be great :)
Hi Niccolo,
Unfortunately I’m not exactly sure how the communal sites work, although my guess would be that they are first-come, first-served. On the Reserve America website for the campground, there is a phone number you can call. I would see what they say….hopefully they can answer your question before you get there!
Thank you! Bookmarking this for my trip this year. Any insider tips on camping here with dogs would be awesome if you had that experience.
Hi Danielle, I actually don’t have a dog so unfortunately I don’t have any experience to share. Good luck!
Hi Ash,
I’m not sure if this is something that you’d be able to answer to or not, but I thought I’d give it a shot.
We’re doing a cross-country trip without reservations for most of it (a first for me, yikes!), but I’m definitely reserving at the Grand Canyon because I know how busy it gets.
So here’s my question, if I reserve a couple of days and we don’t make it there our first day do you know if they give away your campsite? At $18/night I’m not concerned about paying for it because I know you’re responsible if you don’t cancel enough in advance, so that’s not a problem. I just don’t want to lose our spot, and I’m worried about being able to plan our itinerary well enough to make it there right on the nose.
Any advice you could give would be great, thanks!
Hey Jen! I definitely wasn’t sure off of the top of my head, but I did a little digging and it looks like they hold your reservation until checkout time (usually around 11) the next day before they open the site up to others. I found that info here: https://www.recreation.gov/content.do?path=/brands/rec.gov/marketing/nrrsreservationpolicies.html if you want to read more about it. Hope that helps!
Hi My family and I are planning on renting a pop up tent and going at the end of May. I have no idea what sites would be good for that. Can you recommend a shaded and more secluded site at Mather or desert view? Also any additional advice. This will b a new experience for us. We usually stay in hotels!
Thanks
Amber
Hi Amber, that sounds like a lot of fun! I don’t really have any specific site recommendations, although if you want shade you’ll probably want to stick with Mather. Desert View doesn’t have many big trees, but Mather does. Mather is much bigger than Desert View, so it might be more difficult to find seclusion there….but it’s actually a really nice campground so that’s where I would go :) Have a great time!
Hi this may sound like a silly question, but my friend and i are travelling to AZ frim Niagara Falls Canada. We love the idea of camping in GC however are feeling a little timid over the fear of animals lurking/ attacking at night I supposed this is because we have never been to a desert and have images of ” who knows what” at our tent at night. Any thoughts? Are we just being paraniod?
Hey Kim, I think most people have some level of paranoia over wild animals :) All of the campgrounds in the park are pretty busy so you’ll be surrounded by people {depending on the time of year} and there isn’t much by way of large animals. Elk and coyote would be the most common ones, and they don’t really cause problems with humans. You should be just fine!!
For the North Rim hiker/biker sites, do you know if reservations are required?
Hey Christian,
I’ve never used those sites before so I don’t know for sure, but it sounds like you don’t need a reservation (although I will admit it’s pretty unclear from the website). The tent-only sites do require reservations, but those ones aren’t communal so I don’t think they list the hiker/biker sites on the reservation website. I would call this number (1-877-444-6777) to double-check just in case.
Any suggestions for good tent sites in Mather?
I would go anywhere in Pine Loop to avoid generator noise. The further east you go in the campground, the more highway noise you’ll have too. Most of the sites are similar though (in spacing and shade) so after that it’s just preference to how close you want to be to the bathrooms :)
We had an unpleasant experience camping at Mather. Guy had a big RV and two noisy generators that he ran ALL night and ALL day. And he had a full hookup! They took off in the morning, letting everything keep running. There need to be rules about noise and light after 9 pm. Any camp attendant or ranger passing by would have heard that racket.
That’s too bad Colleen! They do have rules about that, but sometimes people just don’t care :(. For that reason, we almost always try to get a site in the “tent-only” loops. Many campgrounds in the national parks have areas set aside for that, but if you are in a trailer area it can be hard to find some peace and quiet. I hope that this negative experience won’t keep you from camping in the parks next time…it really can be an amazing experience!