7 Best Grand Canyon RV Parks
(with YouTube Video Tours)
Are you searching for the best Grand Canyon RV Parks for your next camping trip? You’ve come to the right spot! We absolutely love the Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding forest.
This 2020 camping guide will share the best spots near the canyon. We’ll provide amenity, price and location info. Additionally, each campground will be rated on a “Grand Canyon RV Parks Vibe” scale. This will help you compare each RV park head-to-head.
Grand Canyon RV Trip Planning
Before we dive into the best Grand Canyon RV parks, its essential to understand your RV and the travel limitations due to length and height.
The GCNP is out in the boonies. That means you’ll likely encounter wind-y roads and long stretches with no gas stations (even more true if visiting the North Rim of the canyon).
We use a tool called RV Trip Wizard. It allows us to set perimeters, both RV-related and our personal travel preferences, and it routes us accordingly. Never directing us on roads with low underpasses or steep grades.
There are also (more expensive) RV-specific GPS systems that will help you trip-route. No matter your solution, please plan ahead and know your route. In these remote National Parks, it can be challenging to re-route when you’re on narrow roads.
1: Mather Campground
Price: $18
Address: 1 Mather Campground Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Why You’ll Love It: This is the most vibe-y RV style camping you can do at the Grand Canyon. The forested campground is within walking to the main Visitors Center and wildlife roams freely throughout the grounds.
Here’s the drawback – the RV sites don’t offer hook ups. That means no electricity, water, or sewer. There is a dump station available outside the campground.
Even though it’s dry camping, we loved our stay at Mather Campground. Our site was a large pull-through with plenty of space to spread out.
What’s The Word: Nini on campendium says, “This campground is such a lovely surprise! The sites tend to be large; some more private than others of course. It was a challenging squeeze for us to pull through our site with our 22′ trailer but so worth it. Be sure and research your intended site to make sure it is doable.”
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 8.7/10 Awesome & rustic – this is a “must visit” if you want an authentic Grand Canyon experience!
2: Trailer Village
Price: $45-$75
Address: 100 Trailer Village Rd, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Why You’ll Love It: If you have a big rig and want to camp inside the National Park, this RV park is for you. You’ll get full hook ups, a paved pad, picnic table and an outdoor grill.
Unlike Mather Campground, Trailer Village has minimal vibes. It feels more like a parking lot. However, if you have a large RV, this is your best (and only) bet for camping in the park.
What’s The Word: Dands on Campground Reviews says, “Paved interior roads and pads, although not too level. Shuttle bus stop nearby which connects to other areas within the park. Easy walk to Market Plaza for groceries, bank, post office and restaurant. In the evenings there were elk grazing in the campground.”
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 6.8/10 Big rig friendly & close to the rim!
3: Grand Canyon Camper Village
Price: $52 and up
Address: 549 Camper Village Ln, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Why You’ll Love It: As the Grand Canyon Camper Village brags, it’s “the only full service campground within 25 miles of Grand Canyon National Park.” If you need full hook ups and all the official National Park campgrounds are booked, give this RV park try.
The Camper Village isn’t much to right home about. However, the location is great. It’s within walking distance to the Imax theater, restaurants, shopping and the National Park shuttle.
The cell service here can be iffy…we recommend using a cell booster in these locations to improve your signal.
What’s The Word: A recent Campendium review says, “We stayed in April and came in last minute as an impromptu visit on our way to Flagstaff. It is a parking lot with full hookups, but it’s proximity to the South Rim gate is awesome. We also pulled in after a long drive and it was super easy to just go to the well supplied general store that also has a Starbucks attached.”
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 6.1/10 Full hook ups & great location!
4: Ten-X Campground
Price: $10
Why You’ll Love It: This rustic camping option is great if you’re looking for an economically-priced spot near the grand Canyon. There is an inner & outer loop. The inner loop sites may be reserved in advance. The outer loop spots are available on a first-come first-serve basis.
Ten-X Campground is also suprisingly peaceful. Even though you’re close to all the action, you’ll only find peace & quiet here!
What’s The Word: Nick on Campendium says, “We have been coming to Ten-X campground for 4 years in a row every summer. We normally stay 3 nights. Campground is about 15 mins from the grand canyon national park. The campground is clean with a friendly host. “
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 7.6/10 Economical & peaceful!
5: North Rim Campground
Price: $18-$25
Why You’ll Love It: The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is a completely different experience from the South Rim (location of the main visitor center). Barely any tourists venture to these parts. You’ll feel like you have the canyon all to yourself.
With all that said, North Rim Campground is the best place to RV camp in the area.
Keep in mind, there are no amenities at this campground. You’ll have to supply your own water, electricity and sewer management.
What’s The Word: Suru on Campground Reviews says, “We stayed in a pull through space on the outer loop. The website said maximum vehicle 27 feet. Our truck is 22 feet and the trailer 20 feet so I was worried whether we would fit. I called the campground and a very nice employee called back in an hour to let us know we would be OK. That said, the driveways are narrow and quite curved with lots of trees on the sides. We had to back our trailer out of the site as we couldn’t make the turn pulling forward.”
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 9.1/10 Awesome campground on the North Rim!
6: DeMotte Campground
Price: $20
Address: Forest Rd 616, Fredonia, AZ 86022
Why You’ll Love It: DeMotte Campground is another great option on the North Rim. While there aren’t hookups available, there is a bathroom, general store and plently of wildlife onsite.
This site is a little further from the North Rim main entrance…but, it’s still a great choice.
What’s The Word: A recent review on Campground Reviews says, “Park is 25 miles south of Jacob’s Lake and about 18 miles to the North Rim Lodge. Typical NFS campground. Host was very pleasant and helpful. A few of the sites are big enough for a large RV. We stayed in site 13 and I could of easily parked a 40 ft rig on that site. Some of sites are not very level and some sites are pretty small. We were there on the weekend and the campground was full by mid afternoon.”
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 7.7/10 National Forest campground outside the North Rim.
7: Desert View
Price: $12
Address: Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023
Why You’ll Love It: The Desert View campground is located on the far east side of the South Rim. This part of the canyon is more populated than the North Rim, but not as crowded as the main gate South Rim.
In our opinion, that’s the best of both worlds. The best hiking trails are on the South Rim, and the best sunsets can be seen at Desert View!
Keep in mind, this is another “dry camping” only campground. That means you’ll have to come prepares. But, that’s the beauty of an RV…you can be self sustainable for a few days!
What’s The Word: A recent post on Campground Reviews says, “This park is amazing. A short walk (<10min) to the desert view visitor center, watchtower and canyon views. And you know everybody wants to see sunsets in the Grand Canyon, no need to drive to a packed parking lot and stand over top of everybody. This side of the park is not visited as much.”
Grand Canyon RV Park Vibes: 9.8/10 All the views with less crowds!
Tips for Dry Camping at Grand Canyon RV Parks
The Grand Canyon is unique in many ways, one of them being the lack of full service RV parks in the area. Chances are, you’ll be camping at a no-hook up or partial hook-up spot.
Here’s a list of 5 tips to help you navigate your first dry-camping experience!
- Water: Fill up your RV water tank before setting up camp. You may also want to buy a collapsable water tank to avoid breaking camp when you run out of water.
- Electricity: There are a few options for staying charged while camping at the Grand Canyon. For tents & vans, having a portable battery station (like a Goal Zero) will keep your electronics charged without draining your vehicle battery. For RVers, carrying a small inverter generator is your best bet. Solar power doesn’t work well in the GCNP due to the amount of trees.
- Food: Stock up before you make the trip. There aren’t a lot of great grocery options near the National Park.
- Trash Bags: Bring a couple trash bags with you. If you have extra bags, pick up the campsite and leave it better than you found it!
- Bathroom: While some campsites have a vault toilet, always come prepared with another option. For tent & van campers, we recommend bringing a small cassette toilet. RVers – make sure your black tank is empty before arrival.
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To be honest with you, we hate paying for camping. There are so many free campsites in America (with complete privacy).
You should give it a try!
As a matter of fact, these free campsites are yours. Every time you pay federal taxes, you’re contributing to these lands.
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Ten-X Campground is by far the better campground or RV park. Just look at the reviews..