Yellow Van Travels

Grand Canyon Camping

Camping is the most economical way to stay at the Grand Canyon. While there are hotels both in and around the canyon as well as RV spots, we chose to do your basic tent camping. And we both really enjoyed it (even I did, and I am not really the camping type 🙂

Sites:
There are 3 campgrounds located within the Grand Canyon. The first is the North Rim campground. In general, the North Rim is a lot more remote and doesn’t have near the facilities that the South Rim has. That being said, it’s campsites have limited facilities and are only open from mid-May through October.

The second campground is located near the South Rim area of the canyon. Desert Tower campground is located about 25 miles East of the Village. There are no reservations and this campground is limited to tent camping only. There are limited facilities here as well. Just like the North Rim campground, Desert Tower is only open for part of the year generally from mid-April through the fall.

The third (and most popular) campground is Mather campground located in the Grand Canyon Village. This is by far the most conveniently located campground which is what makes it so popular. Make sure you make your reservations early! This place fills up quite quickly. This is where we stayed and we loved it. There are shower and laundry facilities at this campground and it is open year-round.

Prices:

  • North Rim campground: $18-$25
  • Desert Tower campground: $12
  • Mather campground: $18

Tips:

  • Make reservations early!: If you choose  a site that will take reservations, do it early. If you are camping at a place without reservations, get there early. Most campsites without reservations fill up by the early afternoon during the busy season (Spring through early Fall)
  • Use a packing list: Check out our list here.
  • Camp close: Decide what you are going to be doing at the Grand Canyon and find a campsite close to where you’ll be. There are lots of fun activities at night and you will also be exhausted!
  • Set-up right away: Take care of setting up camp right when you get to the canyon. Then you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your time and you won’t have to set up camp in the dark.