Grand Canyon News

Good morning to all.  Well, it wasn’t the moon that hit my eye like a big pizza pie this morning – it was the sun.  Spring just can’t wait to be sprung.  The days are getting longer, which means that I get a bit of a glare off Lake Powell as I drive to work.  Oh well.  A small price to pay for the what has to be the prettiest commute on the face of the earth.  

Well, here’s something that actually does my heart some good.  It seems that this year, a lot of you are interested in camping on your Grand Canyon vacations.  I’ve gotten lots of e-mails from you asking about your options at the North and South Rims.  Why does that give me a warm fuzzy?  Because lately it seems that interest in camping in our National Parks is on a bit of a “downswing.”  According to a recent article on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s Website,  the National Park Service’s latest statistics indicate that camping and backcountry stays were down by a figure of 24%….24%!!!! 

That is one sad state of affairs.  I remember childhood camping trips most fondly in and around Sequoia and Yosemite.  After graduating college, I spent almost an entire summer camping in several National Parks, including the Rockies, the Great Sand Dunes National Monument in New Mexico and Zion National Park in Utah.  I do believe that experience led directly to my career choice as a Grand Canyon vacation planner.  To this day, at *ahem* 43 years young, I still enjoy sleeping “al fresco,” particularly in places/circumstances where tents aren’t needed, just the stars and the crickets seeing me off to dreamland. 

Seems as though that sort of experience is losing its appeal on a multigenerational scale.  If you’re a proud member of the Baby Boomer generation, you may be dealing with things like a back that doesn’t take too kindly to sleeping on a rock (which on occasion I’ve done out on Lake Powell!); today’s twenty-somethings don’t seem interested in spending ANY time in a place where their cell phones don’t work and the nearest Starbuck’s is a 3 hour drive away.  Such a pity! 

Let’s hope the trend in my e-mail box is an indicator of renewed interest in camping in our National Parks.  When I was writing our newest round of Grand Canyon Travel Guides (have you downloaded yours yet?), I debated whether to include an extended camping section, but now, I’m sure glad I did!  

As to whether it will make a difference remains to be seen, but here’s an excerpt for those of you considering making a tent and sleeping bag your lodging of choice on your Grand Canyon vacation:

• At Grand Canyon South Rim, trailer and tent sites are offered at Trailer Village, which is managed by Xanterra South Rim LLC (www.grandcanyonlodges.com , 888/297-2757 or 303/297-2757).  Tent sites and limited trailer sites are also offered at Mather Campground, which is near Trailer Village.  Mather Campground does not have hook-ups for trailers, but does have a dump station, pay showers and a Laundromat at the Camper Services building.   

  At the North Rim, the campground is open from mid-May through mid-October.  There are no trailer hook-ups, but a dump station is available.  In-park campgrounds for both North and South Rims are administered by the National Park Reservation Service.  Advance reservations are strongly recommended for Grand Canyon camping during peak travel periods.  Reservations for Grand Canyon and other National Park campgrounds can be made by phone at 877-444-6777 or on-line at www.Recreation.gov 

  First-come, First-Serve Camping

  There are a few Grand Canyon campgrounds which are operated on a first-come, first-served basis.  2 miles South of Tusayan, the U.S. Forest Service’s 10-X Campground  offers “dry camping” from May through October.  There are no utilities or hook-ups at individual campsites, but pit toilets and cold water spigots are located throughout the campground.  26 miles East of Grand Canyon Village is the Desert View Campground.   Run by the National Park Service, it is also open to tent campers and trailers, though there are no hook-ups.  

  In Valle, 30 miles South of Grand Canyon South Rim, a remnant of true-blue American roadside kitsch still stands: the Flintstones Bedrock City.  Built in 1972 (under the official auspices of Hanna-Barbera, no less), you can’t miss Bedrock City.   Here, campers can park their trailers or tents next door to colorful replicas of Fred and Wilma’s house (or Barney and Betty’s if one prefers).  There’s a theatre on-site that plays (what else?) Flintstones cartoons, a diner that serves up Brontosaurus Burgers and a “kiddie train” that tours a “volcano.”  Though showing its age according to recent visitors, many still get a kick out of Bedrock City’s unabashedly cheesy character.  Located at the junction of Highway 64 & 180.  For more information, call (928) 635-2600.

  At the North Rim, the Tuweep  (also known as Toroweap) Campground is located in the remote Arizona Strip on the Northwest side of the canyon.  The National Park Service oversees this facility, which is known as a “primitive campground:” picnic tables, fire grates, and composting toilets are provided, but no electricity or water is available.  Sites may fill during spring months, especially on weekends.

  The Jacob Lake Campground  is run by the U.S. Forest Service 44 miles North of the park.  Drinking water and flush toilets are available on-property, plus this campground is within easy access of the town of Jacob Lake where gas and other supplies may be purchased.   All North Rim campgrounds are open from mid-May through mid-October, weather permitting.  

  On both the North and South Rims, “dispersed camping” or “camping-at-large” is permitted within National Forest Lands as long as one’s vehicle is situated ¼ mile or more from the main highway.  Some restrictions may apply, particularly at the North Rim.  

  Grand Canyon West does not have camping on-site, but there is a campground and RV parks in Peach Springs at the Grand Canyon Caverns Inn (www.gccaverns.com, 928-422-3223).  The Place Motel on Pearce Ferry Road has dry RV spaces (928) 564-4040.

  The gateway communities of Williams, Flagstaff, Page, and Kingman also have many fine RV Parks and Campgrounds.  For more information, visit www.rvpark.com.  Insider tip: Before you commit to camping, remember that nights still get cold at the South and North Rim!  Overnight lows in the 20’s are reported as late as Memorial Day.  Bring a good sleeping bag!