Being the second most popular national park in the United States, finding a great place to stay within easy reach can be a little intimidating. Luckily, as we’ve experienced with nearly every other national park we’ve stayed near, they are almost always surrounded by accessible public land.
Because Grand Canyon National Park is best described as two unique experiences, we’ll split this post up into the BLM camping on the south rim and BLM camping on the north rim.
BLM Camping on the Grand Canyon South Rim
There are vast expanses of the Kaibab National Forest between I-40 and the gates to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. We took many trips into the park while we stayed by the South Rim. However, we chose a spot a little farther away than we typically do. We chose a stretch of prairie just off of Garland Prairie Road.
The turn to get to this spot doesn’t have a dedicated lane, and it can sneak up on you. In fact, we missed it while looking for it the first time! Driving down the dirt road, there are a few twists and turns through the woods with lots of smaller sites. Eventually, the trees open up to the prairie itself.
While we were there, we noticed a couple of great spots to the right of the road and quickly set up camp. It wasn’t until about a week in when we spoke with a ranger that we learned they were trying to close off that side of the road for rehabilitation. The ranger was upset. Not because we were parked there or the several other rigs were with us. But at the ineffectiveness of the signage, which from the road looked only like “buried line” markers. I sympathized with the ranger, explained my logic, and helped them brainstorm some ideas to more effectively close the area. All they asked was that we alert other campers while we were there, but they let us finish our stay.
I’m certain that if we were defensive, offensive, or otherwise difficult, we would have been immediately served with a move order and a fine. If we come back to this area, we’ll definitely keep a lookout for signs. Or just find a spot on the left side of the road.
Amenities Near Garland Prairie Road
Garland Prairie Road is a scenic hour south of Grand Canyon National Park, but it’s only 10 minutes north of Williams, Arizona. In Arizona, it’s been a little difficult to get fresh water on a budget. Many locations charge upwards of 50 cents a gallon. When you can tote 200 gallons, that can cost $100! When we called the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, they let us pull into an empty RV slip, dump our waste, and fill up our water for only $12. Other than that, there is a Safeway in town and a lot of adorable Route 66 storefronts one can explore.
On the way out of town, we tried to stop into the Maverick gas station to dump. However, their maintenance man had locked it out due to “freezing temperatures.” None of the on-site staff had the combination to unlock it. The Loves just up the road had a $10 dump station, but the angles were horrible for our rig. Despite these inconveniences, this was still one of our favorite towns to pass through.
BLM Camping on the Grand Canyon North Rim
Staying at the North Rim, we found our FAVORITE, by far, camping spot ever! Originally we had set a pin for a spot much closer to the park, but wanted to scout it out first. In fact, we almost always drop the toad and scout for camping spots in it. The toad can get out of areas that the bus should never go a lot easier than the bus. The toad is also much easier and economical to drive, so there’s less guilt or stress poking it in and out of potential spots.
When Dad went to scout the pin, which was only 27 minutes north of the North Rim Lodge, he found a spot that would work … kind of. However, he did notice several forest service roads peeling off either side of the Grand Canyon Highway. Poking down this one we found an amazing clearing with an established fire pit, mostly level spot, and a clear view of the sky for solar!
The area had tons of deadfall, and The Boy took delight in collecting firewood and doing his “lumberjack thing”–definitely one of the many benefits of trusting your kids with tools and fostering open communications about them.
This spot was also a scenic 1-hour drive to the lodge, but so worth it for the serenity, solitude, and communion with nature.
Amenities Near North Rim Camping
Unfortunately, with the North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park being the far less popular one, there aren’t any nearby facilities. While passing through Fredonia, Arizona, we were able to get water at Country Rose RV Park for free. The station had a sign stating that there was a fee, but the owner said he only collects that if a rig is dumping. The owner also said we could use their showers, laundry facilities, or dumpsters while we were there, but we only took them up on the dumpsters. We even stopped back there on our way north again to dump. It’s not much to look at for an RV park, but the owner has a heart of gold.
As for shopping, the only really decent shopping is across the border in Kanab, Utah. Honey’s Marketplace had a decent selection of goods at ok prices. The town also has a couple of hardware stores if you need parts for repairs. One thing we noticed was a little place called Lotsa Motsa Pizza that hosted an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. Even with an unfortunate power outage, we were able to get our money’s worth and scratch our perpetual pizza itch!
Whether you’re looking to camp on the north rim or the south rim, there are many opportunities for you to park and explore this natural wonder! Happy camping!
