Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Grand Canyon National Park and stay off the beaten path. You're sure to find glamping for your Arizona camping excursion.
Mather Campground is located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. Grand Canyon is one of the most inspiring landscapes on Earth and draws over five million visitors per year to its spectacular scenery. The campground is large and can accommodate a variety of needs and comfort levels. It is the only campground within Grand Canyon Village. Scenic overlooks, the park's free shuttle bus system, the Visitor Center, the general store and hiking and biking trails are all within a few miles from the facility. The campground is at an elevation of approximately 7,000 ft. Summers are sunny with high temperatures generally in the 80s. Thunderstorms frequently occur in July, August, and early September. Fall and spring are mostly sunny and cool with the occasional snow. Weather is variable; visitors should come prepared.
From the campground, campers can access the Greenway, a paved walking and biking trail that leads to scenic overlooks and the Visitor Center. The Rim Trail, a paved walking trail, is one mile away and runs for 14 miles along the edge of the canyon. Leashed pets are allowed on both trails, but are not permitted below the rim. Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails descend into the canyon. Their trailheads are a short shuttle bus ride from the campground. The park's concessionaire also offers day and overnight mule riding trips into the canyon and along the rim.
Mather Campground lies beneath a mixture of a tall canopy of Ponderosa pine, Pinyon, and Juniper trees, providing most campsites with ample shade. The campground is one mile from the rim of the canyon. A visit to the canyon during sunrise and sunset yields spectacular views of yellow, orange, red and violet hues in the canyon walls. Layers of rock display billions of years of geologic history. Campers can take a short shuttle bus ride from the campground to the Visitors Center. Visitors can also visit Yavapai Geology Museum, where they learn about the forces that formed the canyon. Below, visitors can see the mighty Colorado River, which flows 277 miles through the bottom of the canyon. Wildlife abounds on the South Rim, including elk, mule deer, coyotes, lizards, songbirds and the endangered California condor. Although condors nest below the rim, they can be seen soaring several thousand feet above the canyon in search for carrion.
Numerous visitor centers, restaurants, museums and shops are within a shuttle bus ride from the campground. Beyond the village, Desert View provides one of the widest views of Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert. The Desert View Watchtower displays the talent of architect Mary Jane Colter. Tusayan Ruin and Museum provide glimpses into the life of a small Ancestral Puebloan village 800 years ago. Both are within 25 miles from the campground.
$25 / night
The North Rim Campground is located on the remote and rustic North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona, approximately 210 miles (338 km) from Grand Canyon Village, AZ on the South Rim. It is nestled in a thick ponderosa and aspen forest just on the canyon's edge at an elevation of 8,200 feet. This facility is perfect for tent camping and smaller RVs. Due to its heavily forested location, large and/or high-profile RVs cannot be accommodated. The maximum length in each site description is the combined length of both the RV/trailer and tow vehicle. Many sites are not level and have obstacles such as tight curves and narrow passages through trees. Some sites may not accommodate trailer pop-outs or awnings. The maximum vehicle length permitted on the Cape Royal Scenic Road, Widforss Trailhead, and North Kiabab Trailhead is 22 feet; plan accordingly if renting an RV if you wish to explore these other areas of the park.
North Rim Campground is shaded by large ponderosa pines interspersed with aspens which turn golden in the autumn as it is situated at over 8,000 feet in elevation; however, it only takes a short walk to peer over the canyon rim to see millions of years of geologic history. The North Rim lies on the Kaibab Plateau, an area that has been uplifted by geologic processes. Many species of wildlife call the Kaibab Plateau home including the tassel-eared Kaibab squirrel which is found nowhere else in the world.
Between 05/15/2024 and 10/15/2024 this location is staffed. Please call (928) 638-7814 to speak with local staff. From 11/13/2023 to 05/14/2024 this location is unstaffed. Please call (877) 444-6777 for general information.
$50 / night
COMMERCIAL TOUR GROUPS ARE NOT ALLOWED AT TEN-X CAMPGROUND Commercial operators MUST obtain a special use permit to operate on National Forest System lands, including Ten-X Campground. Due to high public demand, Kaibab National Forest will not be issuing any special use permits for Ten-X Camground until further notice. Therefore, no commercial tour groups are allowed at Ten-X Campground. All violators will be removed from the campground immediately and given a fine for violating the Code of Federal Regulations. Perhaps the biggest draw to Ten-X Campground in northern Arizona is its proximity to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Located just 4 miles south of the park entrance in beautiful Kaibab National Forest, Ten-X is a quiet, peaceful campground that generally has open camping sites. A nature trail weaves its way through the pine forest, and many more hiking opportunities are within a short drive. The facility can accommodate individual and family visitors, as well as large groups up to 75 people.
The campground The campground has a 3 mile loop trail as well as a shorter hikes that allow visitors to observe local flora and fauna. Elsewhere, the nearby town of Tusayan offers horseback riding, helicopter rides and other tours. Many hiking, sightseeing, cultural history and outdoor recreation opportunities lie just a few miles away in Grand Canyon National Park.
Ten-X is situated in a pleasant Ponderosa pine and Gambel oak forest at an elevation of 6,600 ft. The forest is nestled on the Colorado Plateau, an area of land that was uplifted by geologic processes. Summer temperatures range from 50 degrees at night to 80-90 degrees during the day. Summer thunderstorms, known as the monsoon, can build up quickly, especially during July and August. Snow is common from December through March.
Grand Canyon National Park's South Rim, just 4 miles away, is a must-see for Ten-X campers. The adjacent town of Tusayan has a wide array of amenities, such as a gas station, restaurants, small grocery store, banks, hotels, internet access, mountain biking trails and many different tours.
$20 - $40 / night
Phantom Ranch is a historic oasis nestled at the bottom of Grand Canyon. It is on the north side of the Colorado River tucked in beside Bright Angel Creek. Make sure to put in your Phantom Ranch reservations, as its the only lodging below the canyon rim, and can only be reached by mule, on foot or by rafting the Colorado River.
The rustic cabins and main lodge are built of wood and native stone blending with the natural beauty of the setting.
Our cabins and dorms do not have phones or televisions, but a pay phone is available at Phantom Ranch (credit card or phone card ONLY).
The Phantom Ranch Canteen serves breakfast and dinner, which must be reserved in advance. If you have special dietary needs, such as glucose intolerance or food allergies, please advise the reservation agent at the time of booking. Phantom Ranch will do their best to accommodate all special requests.
You must hike out your own trash.
$52 - $253 / night
$25 - $75 / night
Guide
Eight minutes from GCNP entrance, off the road with beautiful trees and stars. The camp host was so friendly and shared that many sites are reservable ahead of time but also there are always first come first serve sites set aside. Clean roads, easy access sites, level spots for tenting and even easier for RV. Would recommend to anyone wanting quieter setting with park/town convenience!
Guide
We spent two nights back in end of May in our campervan and it was the perfect camping experience. Bathrooms were scattered around the campsite and close by. Showers were hot located at the main office with laundry, all coin operated. Elk were at the water station which was so cool! We had our own fire pit and picnic table. FYI if you travel in May- pack warm clothes for nighttime. It dropped into the 40s at night outside and we were very cold. Also the general store was a couple min drive away, great selection of merch and groceries. The butcher has great quality meat for sale, the burgers were amazing. Starbucks is in the lodge next door for a special treat :) There’s also a free shuttle service from the camp to different lookouts/trails around the Grand Canyon
Ranger
Great dispersed sites if you get about 1/2 -1 mi from 89a. The pines offer shade. Great cell service for some weird reason (verizon 4 bars?!) 80F summer temps are wonderful with the breeze and shade. Peaceful.
Legend
North Rim Grand Canyon: Lodge area is spectacular. Greatest views from there. Drive the scenic drive! (71 yr olds in 17’ trailer.)
Overall Rating: 4
Price 2024: $ 9 w interagency pass
Security: Patrolled
Usage during visit: Almost full every day.
Site Privacy: Sites on outside of loop much better
Site Spacing: Pretty good - see below
Pad surface: Blacktop
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Quiet
Outside Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: No reason for there to be.
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes
Potable Water Available: Yes
Generators: Allowed during very restricted hours.
Bathroom: Flush toilets and kept clean.
Showers: Yes, pay showers.
Cell Service (AT&T): Not at the campground.
Setting: Forest.
Solar: In our site and with the long days, we were able to stay charged w 440w panels.
Insects: None during our stay
Host: Yes.
Rig Size: 30’ RVs were I the campground .
Sites: Fitered View of Canyon: 11,14,15,16
Other favs:18, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32
ScoutWe arrived in the evening without booking and found many opportunities as first comes first serve. The price for the single size RV was 20$ (double size 40$). Toilets are new and clean. Very nice host. As the camping ground is very close to the Grand Canyon NP, I can fully recommend staying there.
TravelerIf you're looking for something that is more scenic rather than amenities then this is for you. This felt more "off the grid" style and was great!
GuideSpots are a little close but quiet and clean. Fire pit and picnic table included. Flush toilets nearby. Showers and laundry mat at the entrance.
GuideLOTS of tree coverage. Can hang a hammock. Sites are big and not on top of each other. Central to everything on the south rim. And friendly to people on big trips that are wandering.. they always seem to have a site for you, the rangers are exceptional. And don’t feed the fat squirrel at the visitor center… he lies, he can find his own food.
Traveler
Right by the roadside but en route to Grand Canyon, staff are super helpful and emailed bathroom code quickly despite my late arrival.
The Fred Flintstone park behind is a fun extra that they don’t charge campers for. And the goats are super cute
TravelerThe initial camping trip and fell in love with it
LegendAfter spending three nights at Trailer Village, we moved to this campground for the next two nights. It is so much better and affordable so if you don’t need hookups, this is the better choice! (but be aware there is a 30-foot limit).
Sites are all paved, some are pull-thru and some back-in. Not all are completely level, but we made it work in Site 5.
The bathroom was basic but clean and had an ADA-accessible stall. Certainly in better shape than the one in Trailer Village! If you need showers or laundry, both are close by in Camper Services. Didn’t use either during our stay but nice to know they are there.
You can catch the shuttle bus to various points in the park at the entrance to the campground. Shout out to Ranger Diego at the check-in window – had a great conversation with him!
Wherever you decide to stay in the park, make sure you make reservations in advance– it was completely full on a weekday in early April (and we woke up to snow!).
GuideStayed in Mather proper for two nights and Trailer Village for one. Both require reservations well in advance even in late October. Both were full. It was cold (24 degrees in the morning) and lots of campfires were burning. Nice shower and laundry facilities. Centrally located and within easy access to the shuttle buses. Pretty close quarters for my style of camping but tolerable.
TravelerWe love this area and would come again. We loved the forest feel and the trail riding as we typically come with ATVs. There is a gas station 5 minutes from the site
ScoutVerizon does not have good signal here I get 1 bar. But they advertise that it does overall it's really good it was the only campground you could get in the park that's not in advance
GuideThis is a pleasant, out of the way campground. There is water on site, but you are NOT ALLOWED to fill your RV from it, as water has to be trucked in. There is no dump station either. You have to travel a good 10 miles into Grand Canyon National Park to dump your load.
The sites are gravel, and they have a mix of pull through and back in sites. A good number of them are first-come, first-served. The roads are dirt and are VERY DUSTY. Don't be surprised to see a film of brown dust inside your rig if you leave the windows open.
The hosts in the Black Bear Loop were very friendly and helpful, but not nosy like some hosts can be.
I should also mention that, during my September stay at least, the place was absolutely SWARMED with yellow jackets. I never got stung (they aren't very aggressive) but they constantly buzz you and land on you. Gets annoying.
Overall, this is a decent campground but I would probably not stay here again due to the extreme hassle of having to drive 20 miles to get to water and a dump station.
GuideGenerally the spots are pretty close together and you can see the road in many places (definitely from our spot!). Bathrooms are nice, including a water spigot and dish area. There’s a shower and laundry spot at the front of the campground and the check-in/out process was easy!
The no generation loop (juniper) was pretty quiet, and it was surprisingly rainy and cool during our visit. Close to the visitor center, shuttles, market area, and a short drive to the Grand Canyon village
ScoutPros: bathrooms with flushing toilets are pretty close to all sites and always had soap and TP; washing sink for dishes right outside the bathrooms to cut down on disposable product waste; drinking water stations at multiple locations; had showers & laundry available; check in was easy and staff was incredibly friendly & helpful with finding us a level campground for our rooftop tent; plenty of trees for hammocks and hanging shower bags if you have one; campsite located within the park and you can get multiple good views of the canyon from under an hour away. they also had a free shuttle; campfire rings with grates to cook food and SMORES!!
Cons: campsites pretty close together; showers cost $2.50 for 5 mins run time (quarters only, change machine on site); only ~20 showers (10 mens room, 10 womens room) in 1 location (could be 1+ mile round trip to walk to them depending on site location) for the whole park, we didn't have any problems but it could be; showers weren't as clean as other facilities considering they're paid for; showers also not 24/7 which sucks for night owls like my husband and I who prefer to shower right before bed
RangerThe north rim may be less “grand” than the south rim, but it’s way quieter with less tourist. Our site (19), was pull thru, no hookups. Not very level & you may have trouble getting a bigger rig into this campground. Very nice camp store. Lots of trail heads w/in walking distance. Bath rooms were just OK. Books up fast of course, be ready 6 months(to the minute) to reserve a site.
TravelerWe arrived here on a road trip through AZ to find that the sign said full. When we asked though the host checked some things and found a spot for us thank God.
It is a massive campsite right in Grand Canyon park. There are multiple loops and each site has a nice little campsite with a pull in, table, fire pit, etc. Bathrooms and showers here as well.
The sites are close together but you can't beat the proximity to the rim and village. There is a bus stop out front of the campsite that can take you wherever you need in the Grand Canyon village as well. Super convenient.
On my next road trip I will definitely book this site ahead of time. 9/10 recommend
GuideWe did group camping at site 6 in the Sage Loop. Site was spacious with great stone picnic tables and plenty of room. Adjacent to horse site but wasn’t an issue. Bathrooms with toilets were close but showers were very far and pricey at $2.50 for 5 min. The campground is very dark which is great for star gazing but tricky for getting around at night.
GuideIf you want to camp relatively close to the rim of the Grand Canyon, this is the spot. For “car camping” these are very spacious sites, all close proximity to a nearby restroom with flushing toilets, and also drinking water. Near the main entrance to the campground is a shower and laundry facility, should you need them. And a roughly 15-20 min walk to the rim. Or catch one of the frequent free shuttles. Also frequent elk wander the area and often pass right through your site.
TravelerI was traveling to The Grand Canyon to meet up with some friends from High School (We're 72 now) and they were staying at El Tovar so I drove my 2005 Born Free towing my JEEP from Tucson. I originally booked at a KOA in Williams, but found out it was an hour to the park, so I looked for something else. Found Raptor Ranch - only 1/2 hour to El Tovar so I booked it. The place is pretty cool. Just off of 64. There is an attraction here called Bedrock City. It's an homage to The Flintstones. Kids today have no idea about how the Flintstones were part of our childhood. It's great that they are preserving this memory. The Ranch also does demonstrations of Birds of Prey three times a day. Another educational opportunity. The sites are pretty close together, but I wasn't bothered by my neighbors. The sites are pull throughs and some back in. Only about 40 sites. There is a general store and a restaurant on the premises. I'd recommend this campground if you're going to spend time at The Grand Canyon and have a tow vehicle.
ScoutCampin
TravelerBeautiful campground inside GC park. Quite and clean. No hookups. Easy access to sites inside park. Sites spread out nicely.
LegendStayed 4 nights at juniper loop ADA site 130. Primitive and cold! Some camp sites open into the road to be careful choosing. Lots to do here, hiking and sightseeing. Elk come right into your campsite! Laundry facilities were spacious. Opted out of the pay showers as heard lots of complaints on people paying and getting no water. Overall I highly recommend camping here.
LegendWell treed, nice benches and fire rings. Pavement looks new and perfect. Tight navigation for bigger rigs.
Sites are packed in tight, but they all seem to have tree barriers surrounding them, which helps.
Convenient to the village which has a full supermarket. Bus routes close by, too.
Lots of Elk!
GuideGreat park, friendly service, and right where we needed to be for us to be ready to go explore the Grand Canyon. We visit in January and it snowed. It was stunning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Grand Canyon National Park?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Grand Canyon National Park is Mather Campground — Grand Canyon National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 187 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Grand Canyon National Park?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 glamping camping locations near Grand Canyon National Park, with real photos and reviews from campers.
