TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:42 am

Hi gang--

Ms MootPoint and I are going to be around the North Rim of Grand Canyon at the end of the month and I'm wondering if anyone has any good tips for camp sites. The NPS site is booked solid, of course (oh, how I long for the days when my dad would pull the '54 Ford into a Park Service campground and we'd have our pick of great sites for the canvas tent and the kapok sleeping bags).

Is there any good camping - BLM, lonely side roads, cool canyons, etc. - outside the park that's worth aiming for?

Thanks in advance.

Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:01 am

The whole NR area is inside a national forest (free camping).
When we went several years ago we stayed in the National Forest real close to the entrance to the park.
We got to the campground late and woke up early.
We didn't have to pay to camp and we got the the park so early in the morning that we didn't pay entrance fees either.
Very cheap trip.

Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:10 am

There is lots of access in the national forest all around the park.

Additionally the backcountry office can issue you permits to camp along the rim in the backcountry, just no ground fires allowed.

Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:15 pm

We camped in the forest service campground just outside the park last summer. We also arrived late and got a decent spot, but right across from the camp host, so had to pay. As previously mentioned, if you roll in a little earlier you can camp wherever you want in the Nat Forest nearby, no charge.

Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:17 pm

Second to electric wizard.

I camped at the last forest service road to the right before the park entrance about 10 years back.

Free camping any where you can pull off the road, and just a few minutes from the park entrance.

Option 2: Go to the park campground, park the van, walk around at dinnertime until you see someone who looks cool, and offer to share campsite in trade for adult beverages, camp fees, etc. I've done this dozens of times and never been shut down. Maybe had to ask a few times, but never been really turned away.

Often it turns into a nice new travel friendship. You just need to read the vibe of your new camp-mate and see how intro/extroverted they are.

Sun Apr 20, 2014 10:55 am

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/cg-nr.htm#CP_JUMP_153585

More info for North Rim Camping outside of the park itself.