Camping at the Grand Canyon

March 6th, 2009 Posted in Outdoors

The grandeur of the canyon has grabbed humans for centuries. The Paiutes call it Mountain Lying Down. It was not until John Wesley Powell began calling it Grand Canyon that it became the popular term. But whether you see it as an upside down mountain or a great canyon the place is magical and will draw you in.

You may have had the opportunity to view the Grand Canyon while flying across America but being up close is another whole story. The Canyon is just a majestic place to get out in nature and see one of its great marvels. You should consider packing up your tent and visiting this great place for a week.

What camping options do you have when you arrive at the Grand Canyon? Well, to begin with you will need to plan ahead and make reservations well in advance as this is a very popular place. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance. Be sure to bring along a good tent like the Kelty Green River 4, as a quality tent will make the trip more enjoyable.

First off you will need to pay a reservation fee to get into the National Park; the fee is $25 per vehicle or $12 per individual. Next you need to do some research and decide which rim you plan on visiting. The south rim is more crowded and the north rim is less crowded.

Within the National Park are two campgrounds. On the North Rim is North Rim Campground and on the South Rim Mather Campground. During the busy season the sites cost $18 for up to 6 people with 2 vehicles and 3 tents. If you need more space there are group sites for $50. In the offseason the sites run $15 and $30. If there is no room at Mather you might try Desert View Campground 26 miles east.

The North Rim Campground is open from mid-May to mid-October. The campsites cost from $18-$25 per night. The occupant rules are the same as for Mather Campground. If you have a Backcountry permit you can use the group campsites in the winter if they wish. There are four other campgrounds outside the park between 16 and 45 miles away.

If camping down in the canyon is your plan then you will need to get a Backcountry permit with costs $10 plus $5 for each night and is per person.