While on our way south for the winter we decided to stop by Grand Canyon National Park. It was a great time to visit!
Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most popular national parks to visit during the spring and summer. And for good reason. It’s huge! And it’s also a great place to study the geologic formations that provide evidence for evolutionists and creationists alike.
During the winter season, however, there are far fewer visitors. The North Rim is closed for the winter (it’s only open May 15th through October 15th) but the South Rim is open all year. It does snow there and it’s not unusual for the area to experience freezing temps, so if you are planning a visit in your RV during the off season just keep that in mind.
We spent a Saturday morning through early afternoon and it certainly wasn’t very crowded. This gave the kids plenty of time to visit with Park Rangers and ask as many questions as they liked. This year, 2019, also marked the 100th anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park so their Junior Ranger books got an extra stamp with the anniversary logo.
Where to Stay
There are four campgrounds within Grand Canyon National Park: Mather Campground, Desert View Campground, and Trailer Village on the South Rim and North Rim Campground on the North Rim. Mather, Desert View, and North Rim Campgrounds are run by the National Park Service and are dry camping only. Trailer Village is owned and operated by a third party and offers full hook-ups for RVs. Mather and North Rim Campgrounds can be reserved and it is strongly recommended that reservations be made during the summer season, but both are closed for the winter season.
Outside of the park there are two different options for camping. One is at RV Parks within the town of Tusayan south of the park. The other is in the Kaibab National Forest that surrounds the park. The national forest has one developed campground (Ten X Campground) and plenty of dry camping opportunities on the forest roads that meander through the forest.
We chose to spend two nights on Forest Road 305. The camping spots here were plenty, but I strongly recommend having a 4×4 vehicle to travel these forest roads. It rained the second night we were there which left puddles in the ruts and our camping site was already muddy from the snow when we arrived. However, it was a beautiful spot and the night was quiet and we would definitely stay again. When we drove by Ten X Campground on or way to Grand Canyon National Park we noticed that it was closed so we were glad we decided to check out the forest road first.
How to Get There
Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim is located at the north end of Arizona State Hwy 64, about 90 minutes north of I-90. The North Rim is accessed by Utah Hwy 67 and is more remote than the South Rim.
The South Rim has free shuttle buses that run from the town of Tusayan during the summer and within the park all year round. The kids absolutely loved taking the buses to various points within the park.
Amenities
Most of the camping in and around the park is dry camping with no water, electric or sewer hookups. If you need water it may be available at Ten X Campground, or you can check the RV parks in Tusayan. Laundry services and a sewer dump can also be found at the RV parks within Tusayan.
If you need hookups and wish to spend more than just a day or two at Grand Canyon National Park Your best bet is Trailer Village.
What To Do
Grand Canyon National Park has a rich history and there is plenty to learn and see and do. The South Rim has two visitor centers, a place to rent bicycles, a gift shop, and restaurants. You can take private tours of the canyon, participate in ranger talks (the kids really enjoyed one of the Park Rangers talk about the coyotes that live in the park), watch the park film, visit historical homes and museums, taking a rafting trip on the Colorado River, and attend religious services.
The North Rim has one visitor center, and plenty of opportunities for hiking, guided mule trips, and scenic drives. Both the North Rim and the South Rim offers plenty of places to stop and snap a shot (or several) of the park.
There is so much more to Grand Canyon National Park than what I listed here. We only spent a day here and we should we had more time we could have spent a couple more days exploring the beautiful canyon and its surroundings. Have you visited Grand Canyon National Park? What was your favorite part? Please share with us in the comments below!
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