Grand Canyon, best rv parks

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ZinLuvR

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Jan 23, 2018
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Location
Colville, WA
Planning a trip to the Grand Canyon this Sept. after Labor Day.  Need some recommendations for RV parks to stay at.  Could spend up to two weeks in the area.  Coming in from the north, Washington state, on our way to visit friends near Sedona, AZ.  We will not be doing a lot of hiking, unless a knee friendly trail.  What might be on a must see list?  Thanks.
 
Get a spot in the park if you can.
Mather is the best IMO but no hookups. But you have access to the park shuttle system.
This gives you access to the to best things in the park.
Sunrise and Sunset
Otherwise the Trailer Village in the park is next
https://www.visitgrandcanyon.com/trailer-village-rv-park/reservations not to far from rim and shuttle
 
Trailer Village is usually filled up and if it is the Grand Canyon Camper Village in Tusayan is your best bet. There is a free shuttle right at the village that will take you into the canyon.

http://www.grandcanyoncampervillage.com/
 
The Grand Canyon Railway RV Park is also a nice place to stay. Decent WiFi, clean facilities and it's right in the town of Williams, on old Route 66. It's also home to the Grand Canyon Railway. You can board one of their nicely refurbished old trains right at the RV Park, which will take you on about a 45 minute train ride to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It's a touristy thing, and the train gets robbed by bandits on the return trip, but it's good fun. If you have kids, they'll love it.

We've stayed there several times and never had a bad experience.

Kev
 
Kevin Means said:
... which will take you on about a 45 minute train ride to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. ...

Kev

That RR is, indeed, a nice trip, but it's about 2:15 one way, not 0:45. It's about 65 miles, and they don't do much more than 25-30 mph (28 mph average). And though you can take it up and back the same day (arr. 11:45, dep. 3:30), you can also arrange to take it up one day, stay one or more nights in the canyon (hotel, of course) and return another day. The GCRR is a fun trip. We really enjoyed the parlor car (the Keokuk, I think, back in the '90s), as it was nice luxury, but the other cars are great, too.
 
We stayed at circle pines KOA and had a nice time. It is Central to Grand Canyon ,Flagstaff and going down to Sedona.
 
  If you can boondock, we spent two nights  (about  2 weeks ago) just south of Tusayan  on FR 302. Turn east on FR 302, quite a few places to park in the first 3 to 3 1/2 miles. If you do not have good ground clearance on your unit, it will limit the available two-tracks (roads) you can use. If you have a tall ( 12’ or more) vehicle, that will also limit your spots. We drove past a couple of big Class A units that were camping along FR 302 just a short distance off of Hwy. 180/64. We had good ground clearance, went in about 3 1/4 miles, got on a 2-track, went in about 400 yards. Nice camping spot, plenty far enough from the road that it was quiet, and no dust!
    We even got to see a small group of elk (cows and calves) one morning, while we were out walking our dogs!
 
Memtb said:
  If you can boondock, we spent two nights  (about  2 weeks ago) just south of Tusayan  on FR 302. Turn east on FR 302, quite a few places to park in the first 3 to 3 1/2 miles. If you do not have good ground clearance on your unit, it will limit the available two-tracks (roads) you can use. If you have a tall ( 12’ or more) vehicle, that will also limit your spots. We drove past a couple of big Class A units that were camping along FR 302 just a short distance off of Hwy. 180/64. We had good ground clearance, went in about 3 1/4 miles, got on a 2-track, went in about 400 yards. Nice camping spot, plenty far enough from the road that it was quiet, and no dust!
    We even got to see a small group of elk (cows and calves) one morning, while we were out walking our dogs!

we did a couple of days at the touristy south side and boon docked on Fire Road 310 just after the cattle grid.
there is a fire lookout tower that has great views. I was told about that location by a ranger..
easy in and out, no problem.

here is a link to the location
https://freecampsites.net/#!4655&query=sitedetails




 
Larry N. said:
That RR is, indeed, a nice trip, but it's about 2:15 one way, not 0:45. It's about 65 miles, and they don't do much more than 25-30 mph (28 mph average). And though you can take it up and back the same day (arr. 11:45, dep. 3:30), you can also arrange to take it up one day, stay one or more nights in the canyon (hotel, of course) and return another day. The GCRR is a fun trip. We really enjoyed the parlor car (the Keokuk, I think, back in the '90s), as it was nice luxury, but the other cars are great, too.
My wife said you're right Larry. I remembered wrong. I guess time flys when you're having fun.

Kev
 
Kevin Means said:
The Grand Canyon Railway RV Park is also a nice place to stay. Decent WiFi, clean facilities and it's right in the town of Williams, on old Route 66. It's also home to the Grand Canyon Railway. You can board one of their nicely refurbished old trains right at the RV Park, which will take you on about a 45 minute train ride to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It's a touristy thing, and the train gets robbed by bandits on the return trip, but it's good fun. If you have kids, they'll love it.

We've stayed there several times and never had a bad experience.

Kev

X2. We just did that at the start of our 2018 Alaska trip. Spent a week at Grand Canyon Railway in early May. We had an awesome time.

Ken
 
For our trip out there a year ago, we had reservations for trailer village, but when out dates change we had to give that up and it was too late for any openings.....have to reserve early.
Mather and there's another at Desert View...both looked promising if your rig is short enough.
We drove in to check out the commercial one just outside the park, Camper Village.  I was not impressed...but there were plenty of open spots.  It's basically a dirt lot as I recall with some picnic tables in each spot, if I'm remembering correctly.  Went in to ask about availability and pricing, and not only was I not impressed with the place visually, and in my opinion much too expensive, the guys attitude was equally as bad.  Still, if you need hookups then it would be a good option, and close to a few stores and the imax there.
We ended up boondocking in the national forest.... some of the best campsites I've ever stayed in (well not counting a few places I've tented by foot or by boat)
 
Mather has a length limit of 30", so that is out, if your rig is as big as your signature suggests.

Trailer Village is a big parking lot, but it now has paved pads and improved electrical service. Also, there is a shuttle stop right at the campground.  I love the elk that come during the day to munch of the grass and shrubbery.
 
Know this thread is old... but like the info, just wondering about doing it in March? We are here, and thinking of heading that way in early March. But wondering if 7000 feet too early. Don't  mind a little snow... but boondocking and mud, not so much... ideas?



 
I have spent a lot of time at the south rim. I have been snowed on at the south rim in both May and June. However both times it was a very light dusting of snow. If you don't want hook ups then there are plenty of free places to camp right at the south entrance in the Kaibab forest.
 
I will suggest a stop at the North Rim. Beautiful sunsets, great CG, no hookups, and way less people. You can camp right on the rim. We were there 2 years ago and can't wait to go back which will probably be this fall around the time you will be there.
RichH
 
aguablanco said:
I will suggest a stop at the North Rim. Beautiful sunsets, great CG, no hookups, and way less people. You can camp right on the rim. We were there 2 years ago and can't wait to go back which will probably be this fall around the time you will be there.
RichH

North rim doesn't open until May usually. Check befure heading there.
 
We stayed at Railside RV Ranch in Williams this past summer.  Sites were a little narrow, but they could handle our 40' coach, with room to park the toad.  Rates were good considering, and  they offer a free pancake breakfast, and are on the edge of town.  I would stay there again.  In Williams, I highly recommend the Pine Country Restaurant.  Great home style cooking and they make their own pies!
 
I am jumping in on this old thread also.  I am going back to the Area this summer with my Class C.  I had to book Williams and I went KOA so we could have the nice swimming pools for the Grand Daughter etc.  We are not boondockers.  I was unable to book in the RV park closest to the South Rim.

Here is a tip for those going to the Area and Seilerbird touched on it.

Park in Tusayan at IMAX or anywhere you can blend in to the parking lot, and Catch the Free Shuttle from Tusayan to the visitor center at the GC.  There are multiple places to catch the bus in Tusayan.  Last time we had no RV and Stayed at Holiday Inn Express in Tusayan.  Make sure you know what time the shuttle bus starts running and make sure you are on that #1 bus. We went it June 2018.  Once we got to the GC main visitor center where the buses run the Different Routes, Red, Yellow, Blue? bus lines. (Think Red closes partially in the year).  On my limited research the Red Line was the most interesting and EPIC. We jumped on the Red line.  We road and stopped at every stop with a almost empty bus.  When we were returning back to get on the yellow line we noticed the Red Line was packed like a sardine can.  Be Early!!!  The Ticket you buy (To tape and display on your car window) to gain access to the GC is your free shuttle bus ticket also.

I saw enough of the Grand Canyon in 5 hours to satisfy my needs.  I got some Great Pics which my cell phone repair guy wiped out complementary with my $200 repair of my phone.

Here is some Free $$ for people who have never visited the GC South Rim.  Do not try and drive your vehicle into the GC park and go from point to point parking in the parking lots.  The parking lots in June are Slam Packed FULL.  You do not have to stay in Tusayan to ride the free shuttle (Your entrance to GC includes shuttle bus) combo ticket.  Maybe come back later with your vehicle to a sunset point or a one stop destination.  Tusayan is a sleepy little town with a concentration of Hotels and over priced fast food, but a little Gem of a place for sure.
 

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