Grand Canyon National Park South Rim Camping

South Rim Camping In the park camping Camping is permitted only in designated campsites while in Grand Canyon National Park. Violators are subject to citation and/or fine. Camping fees are in addition to entrance fees, and are charged per night. Campsite reservations fill up fast; make reservations as far in advance as you can.

Mather Campground:

Open year-round. Operated by the National Park Service and located in Grand Canyon Village, this campground offers tent and RV camping (no hook-ups, 30 foot trailer or RV maximum). Reservations are strongly recommended from April through November. For online reservations, visit http://reservations.nps.gov/ or call 1-877-444-6777; outside the U.S. call (301) 722-1257. A maximum of two vehicles, six people, three tents are allowed per site. (A vehicle which is towing a trailer, pop-up, tent trailer, fifth wheel, or a motorhome pulling a vehicle is considered 2 vehicles.) Group sites are also available, maximum of 50 people and three vehicles per group site. Sites may be reserved up to five months in advance. From December through March reservations are not available and campsites are on a first-come first-served basis. Pets are allowed but must be leashed at all times and may not be left unattended. Wood and charcoal fires permitted in provided campsite grills only. No gathering of down wood, wood may be purchased at the general store. Laundry and showers located near the campground for a fee. Golden Age or Golden Access passport holders pay only price year round (passport number is needed when making reservation and passport holder must be camping at the site). Accessible campsites and restrooms are available.

Driving directions:

Mather Campground is located in Grand Canyon Village. From the south entrance follow the road for about three miles to the stoplights, turn left onto Center Road. Travel mile; turn right onto Market Plaza Road. The campground is about one mile down Market Plaza Road on the right. From the east entrance follow the road 25 miles, turn left at the T intersection onto South Entrance Road. Travel about mile to the stoplights and turn right onto Center Road. Travel mile; turn right onto Market Plaza Road. The campground is about one mile down Market Plaza Road on the right. Desert View Campground: Open mid-May through mid-October, Desert View Campground is 26 miles/ 42 km east of Grand Canyon Village (no hook-ups). It operates on a first-come, first-served basis only. A maximum of two vehicles, six people, three tents are allowed per site. (A vehicle which is towing a trailer, pop-up, tent trailer, fifth wheel, or a motorhome pulling a vehicle is considered 2 vehicles.) Pets are allowed but must be leashed at all times and may not be left unattended.

Trailer Village:

Adjacent to Mather Campground, Trailer Village offers RV sites with hook-ups. Advance reservations may be made by calling (888) 297-2757; for same-day reservations call (928) 638-2631. A dump station (closed during the winter months) is located near Mather Campground. Pets are allowed but must be leashed at all times and may not be left unattended.

Outside the park camping

Ten-X Campground: The U.S. Forest Service operates Ten-X Campgro und 2 miles/ 3 km south of Tusayan, mid-April through September. No hook-ups or showers; pit toilets and cold water faucets are located throughout the campground. The campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis and rarely fills. A group site is available for groups of up to 100 people, reservations required. Call (928) 638-2443. (for more info visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/recreation/camp_tnx.html )

Dispersed Camping:

Camping at-large is permitted in the national forest outside the park. Camping must be at least 0.25mile/ 0.4 km away from Highway 64. Other restrictions may apply. Contact the Tusayan Ranger District, Kaibab National Forest, P.O. Box 3088, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 or call (928) 638-2443 for information. Camper Village: Commercial campground located 7 miles south of Grand Canyon Village in the town of Tusayan. Call (928) 638-2887. Open seasonally. Hook-ups and coin-operated showers are available.

Services

A variety of services are available inside the park at Grand Canyon Village and Desert View (at the east entrance to the park), and outside the park in Tusayan (7 miles/ 11 km south).

Dining:

A wide variety of restaurants are available in the park, from the formal El Tovar Hotel to cafeterias at Yavapai and Maswik Lodges. Tusayan offers both fast food and more formal dining.

Showers and Laundry:

Showers and laundry facilities are available adjacent to Mather Campground in Grand Canyon Village and in Tusayan. No facilities are available at Desert View.

Groceries:

Food and supplies are available at Canyon Village Marketplace in Grand Canyon Village, at the General Store at Desert View, and in Tusayan. Open year-round.

Camping Equipment:

Canyon Village Marketplace in Grand Canyon Village offers sale and rentals of camping, hiking, and backpacking equipment. Limited repair services are also available. Open year-round.

Backcountry (Inner Canyon) Camping

To camp in the park in a location other than a developed campground on the rim you must obtain a permit from the Backcountry Information Center, this includes Bright Angel Campground at Phantom Ranch. All campsites in the Inner Canyon require a backcountry permit. Permits can be requested by mail or fax using the permit request form (telephone requests are not accepted). Applying well in advance is recommended although a small number of permits are sometimes available for the same day.

Backcountry Information Center

Grand Canyon National Park

P.O. Box 129

Grand Canyon, AZ 86023-0129

or call (928) 638-7875, (Mon-Fri 1-5 pm)

Fax: (928) 638-2125

Persons arriving without permits may put their names on a waiting list for cancellations. The South Rim Backcountry Information Center is open 8am-12pm and 1-5pm daily. Names are accepted for the waiting list in person only.