Grand Canyon RV parks

[mxdad777]

Looking to make our first trip next summer to the Grand Canyon area. My 3 adult kids and their families will be going with us so we will have a total of 4 trailers and 6 grandkids ages 2 to 12. Prefer to have full hookups, but am open to ideas. Anyone have any recommendations they could share. Thanks!

[mileshuff]

We always stay in Williams at the Grand Canyon Railway RV resort. Lots of things to do around Williams.

Day trip on Train from Williams to GC. Train depot is next to RV park.
Drive to GC, a bit under an hour. Tour the rim, have lunch at El Tovar
Visit Bearizona, a drive thru animal park with walk thru area too.
Near Williams is a Deer petting zoo, several other animals too.
Have fun on the zip line in Williams. Short but fun.
Williams itself is a small route 66 town. Very fun.
Drive to Flagstaff and tour Lowell Observatory.

Williams and Grand Canyon are high altitude. Summer day temps are usually in the 70's, nights in 40's, perfect for campfires. Late June and early July can be warmer upper 80's during the day.

[timandsusan]

Lots of good advice, my wife and I (both retired since 2006) have been to the GC 4 times. My experience is to stay at Trailer Village on South Rim and use the shuttle. Attend Ranger programs and enjoy the information about the GC that is offered. Maybe geology, wildlife, and early explorers will get old quickly for a 12 year old. We have flown over the GC by helicopter and got the CD of our flight, rafted for 6 days thru the GC--the best and most expensive way, and stayed 2 different times on the North Rim, as you can see we had the time. With less time, then recommend 3-4 days on South Rim, drive around to the North Rim for 2 days and then head to National Parks in Utah.

[Mayor30]

We stayed at the Circle Pines KOA in Williams. It had full hookups and indoor pool and hot tub.

[ppine]

Some people seem to be good travelers, but not good at being somewhere.

[michael_tee]

Here's a suggestion that we did a couple years ago: Spend a few nights at Grand Canyon (or Tusayan if you can't get in GC), then go up to Lake Powell. Wahweap campground is very nice.

[ppine]

Many people like staying in Williams. Staring at the Canyon is okay, but you really need to do some day hikes to get the feel of the place.

Utah is a long way to travel because you have drive around the GC.
Flagstaff, Sedona and some Nat Monuments are close by. Tuzigoot, Montezuma's well, Wapatki, Sunset Crater. Museum of Northern AZ.

[jdc1]

From the GC you can head to Sedona and Flagstaff. Kids would LOVE Slide Rock. Wives will love shopping in Sedona.

[agesilaus]

I would blast up to Bryce a few days there or the general area. Bryce has some good hiking, is higher in elevation (ie cooler) can be mostly seen in a single day or dang near every bit of it in two

We like Bryce Much more than the South Rim, indeed we much prefer the north Rim and can easily find weeks of stuff to do there. But we drive the back roads, take the trip to Toroweap and lots of other places. Not as much of that on the South Rim. That I know of that is,I'm not as familiar with the SR.
If you hike down to the river you better be in really good hiking condition and even more so Rim to Rim. And make sure to get reservation down at the river before you leave. The rangers are not amused down there if you do not. You can ride the mules down if you are under the weight limit.

[Janss]

I agree with BB TX. Three or four days is enough. When I took my brother's family with my 12 yr old nephew to the Grand Canyon just for a day trip, after the third overlook, my nephew said "Do we *have* to stop at *another* overlook to see the same big hole?" He's a city boy. YMMV. There is a junior ranger program at GC. And there is an IMAX theater in the nearby town of Tusayan...where, by the way, there is another campground with hookups (Camper Village), in case you can't get reservations inside the Park.

Yes, you could combine your week with Bryce, also at high elevation so not so hot in the summer. But then, depending where in "Ca" you are from (if that's California)...you may as well drive through Zion on the way back home.

Alternatively, you could add Sedona, but warmer in the summer than GC. Or Flagstaff (higher elevation, similar temp to GC) where you could visit Walnut Canyon Nat'l Monument, Sunset Crater/Wupatki NM and loop road, Lowell Observatory, Museum of No. AZ. You could do a day trip down to Sedona from Flagstaff through Oak Creek Canyon.

[BarryG20]

I love the Grand Canyon. Have hiked most of the trails many times never get tired of going there. However with that being said a week there is quite a while unless you are going to do some backpacking.
Day one - do the pull offs starting or ending at desert view, even stop at the museum/ruins west of desert view.
Day two- get on the shuttle and head to hermits rest hike back to the village about 7 miles. It for the most part runs along the rim. You can always bail on it and catch the shuttle back to the village at one of the numerous stops.
Day three -hike down into the canyon via bright angel (down to Indian gardens campground or perhaps even plateau point 4.5 & 6 miles each way but obviously you can go for as long or short as you like. Personally I prefer the south kaibab trail go down to skeleton point or tipping point or again as long or as short as you like. Bright angel more crowded but more services ie water south kaibab a bit steeper less water access but you have better views of the canyon for sure. Bright angel you hike down a side canyon and can barely see the main canyon until you get several miles down. South kaibab you can see the main canyon shortly after starting. June can be hot but start early or very late take plenty of water and rest when needed.
You can check out the village in the evenings, make sure and take a good look at Hopi house in the village yes it is a gift shop but really look at the architecture inside and out, same with desert tower and the kolb studio. Beyond that it is just more hiking or biking(on the rim)
North rim really to far for a day trip but is possible however over 200 miles each way

I would blast up to Bryce a few days there or the general area. Bryce has some good hiking, is higher in elevation (ie cooler) can be mostly seen in a single day or dang near every bit of it in two
Very scenic if you do make sure and go to one of the view points for some stargazing at night

[Thom02099]

mxdad777 wrote:

H E R E - Trailer Village is the place to be, for what you're looking for. Inside the park, full hookups, within walking distance to shops and restaurants, and a shuttle stop at the entrance to get you any place you want to go in the South Rim area. Park and forget about having to drive anywhere. Shuttle can do it and there's no charge.

Make reservations as soon as you have a firm date of arrival, and do that as soon as possible, to make reservations NOW so you're more likely to get spaces that are in close proximity.

Thanks for the info. My next question is...are there plenty of things do if we stay for a week or are we going to be bored after 2 or 3 days? Trying to decide if we want to stay a week there or stay a few days and then move on to a different location like Bryce National Park.

Full disclosure...the time of year that I was there was in October. Started out on the North Rim camping there, on the last full week that it was open, then moved around to the South Rim.

Depending on fitness level and interest in hiking, one thing that would take up 2 days would be to hike from Rim to Rim. I had family members who were staying at the South Rim, take a shuttle around to the North Rim, spending the night at the Lodge at the North Rim. Early morning departure from the Lodge, hiking down into the canyon, and staying overnight at the Phantom Ranch. Meanwhile, I was moving the trailer around from North to South Rim, as I didn't join the hike. Early morning the following day and hiking out of the canyon to the South Rim. This would take up 2 of the days of your time there. IIRC, you would need reservations for the overnighter at the Phantom Ranch.

Alternatively, there are rafting trips that can be taken through the canyon, starting in the area of the Navajo Bridge just below the Lake Powell Dam. There's also camping that can be combined with these trips, but again IIRC reservations need to be attempted (there's some sort of lottery system used for camping reservations - perhaps others can clarify).

If any of your group is adventurous, there's also helicopter trips that one can take. And I believe there are trips that can be taken over to the west side of the Grand Canyon to the Skywalk. If that's of interest be prepared to pay a lot for the privilege.

In October, the weather was very pleasant...on the tops, North and South. At the Phantom Ranch, the temperature was about 20 degrees warmer, since one is dropping significantly in elevation. In July, the temps down in the canyon will likely be in the 100s easily. That could be discouraging, depending on how much of a challenge your group is willing to take on. One word of advice wherever you are during your stay...HYDRATE!!! Keep copious amounts of water available.

[BB_TX]

As beautiful as the canyon is, my opinion 3-4 days is enough. One day checking the east side from the camping and hotel areas. And another on the west side. A couple days for everything else. The overlooks are amazing. But really they are all very similar, but from different perspectives.

And I agree. Getting spaces for four trailers in prime tourist season you better do it ASAP.

[jk31668]

we were there last year in mid july. very high altitude. days needed ac and nites needed heater.

[mxdad777]

We definitely aren’t the type of family that hangs out at the RV all day. We like to be out doing things and site seeing. We do enjoy camp fires and playing games in the evening. I’m not sure AZ in July will warrant a campfire, but A/C and games might be in order. We just don’t want to book someplace for a week and after 3 days we’ve done and seen everything there is to do within 30 miles of our camp site. Thanks again for the feedback.