Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Grand Canyon National Park

Requires permit from Grand Canyon National Park. Popular site, hard to reserve. Two night maximum. Must backpack in to site.

Just a short distance from the overlook there are five campsites. Primitive. No tables. Fires are not allowed. Requires permit from Grand Canyon National Park to camp. Long dirt roads to access may be impassable during rainy weather. Also watch for flash flooding. Also known as Tuweep.

We stayed here four nights while visiting Grand Canyon National Park. The site was spacious, well separated from other sites, level, and directly adjacent to a network of easy hiking trails that we took our dog on every day. Water nearby, clean vault toilets, and a very short hop across the highway for gas, food, and essentials. Hosts were very friendly.

Perfect little spot right outside of the Grand Canyon National Park. Picnic tables, fire rings, charcoal grill, and bathrooms. Everything you need right here.

This was a fabulous place to set up camp. We love this spot it's 10m to Grand Canyon National Park a short drive. Nice and clean.

Good campground in the Grand Canyon National Park. Great bike trails to get around. Bathrooms could use update but clean. Elk right in the campground… And I mean right in the campground!

NFS dispersed campsite just south of the entrance of the Grand Canyon National Park. There may be 6 other parties back here with everyone quietly enjoying the evening. Some wild ponies are grazing nearby.

This was a really nice and surprisingly affordable campground inside Grand Canyon National Park. Amazing location for distance. There’s showers and laundry (paid, unfortunately, but I won’t complain too much). Friendly staff and easy access.

This is a nice campground just outside Grand Canyon National Park. It has lots of nature pine trees and some good space between campsites. Lots of yellow jackets in July so those with allergies beware.

Great location outside of Grand Canyon National Park. Site 51 on the loop has no clear area of where to park. Campsite is very out in the open next to the camp road. Close to bathrooms. Facility seemed a little dated.

site: wooded. pretty large site.
amenities: quieter than Mather. fills fast. clean facilities. attractions: wildlife around campground. close to Grand Canyon National Park. bus to Canyon stop near. I would go camping here (just drove through the campground since the campground we chose was ok, not great).

Great secluded spots with privacy that are just outside the Grand Canyon National Park. Took a 28’ trailer in with no problems at all. Everything was great. The only downside is that during certain portions of the day, this camp was in the direct flight path of tourist helicopters going back and forth.

I feel like this is a park that you give up privacy and a 'back to nature' experience, so you can be in the heart of Grand Canyon National Park. This campground is near the rim of the canyon, hiking, and other convinces. It's a great, close, place to spend the nights at during your park stay.

US forestry service road off of 180 right before Grand Canyon National Park entrance. The main forestry road is gravel/dirt and there are many spots available, but make sure you drive past the horse farm. You will see horses and all sorts of wildlife. Sites are clean, but there are not amenities so pack in and pack out.

You turn off for this site in the Grand Canyon national park. The road then takes you just off the national park onto national forest land - make sure you go through the gates and see the forest signs. Room in the trees for a few vehicles, it was just us for the night and silently quiet.

The camp ground was not very well Maintained but check in was easy. All AMPs are 50 so they give you a converter if you have a 30 amp RV. If you do you end up having a converter the circuit may trip. You would still need to pay the entrance fee into Grand Canyon National Park. Our site was 62 and we were close to the bus stop for the free shuttle bus around the park. If your RV does not have a shower when you check in they will provide you shower tokens which is about 1/4 mile away from the site. The weather is cold and can be as low as 20 degrees at night.

Drive down road. No camping in Grand Canyon National Park, but about half a mile down the road you cross a cattle grid. You’re now in Kaibab Forest and can camp here. We drive 2WD F250 with 30ft fifth wheel

Two ways in. We came thru Grand Canyon Village, so only 0.7 mile on dirt road - but you need to pay for GCNP access ( or use America the Beautiful)

T-Mobile, Verizon and Visible and Cricket all excellent in this area-so good that I don’t see the need to unpack Starlink. But between here and the village we had no cell coverage

Filled water bladder at Mather campground. Looks like I can use their dump station also

This is a great campground in the Grand Canyon National Park it is close to the village, you can bike and hike fom this location. There is also a bus stop at the entrance to this campground that will take you all around the canyon to see all of the sites. All of the spots are pull through and have water electricity sewer and cable. The cell service is ok depending on where you are at. There are a lot of people from other countries that stay at this campground so you meet a lot of nice people. The campground is very close to the rim and many amenities. There is also elk that will come through and graze. We stayed for seven days in August during the rainy season very pleasant.

• Great boondocking campground 5 miles from the entrance of Grand Canyon National Park! First come first serve.
• Super convenient to the town of Tasayan for supplies and food.
• A great alternative if you couldn't get reservations for campgrounds in the area. It's hard to believe this place is FREE!
• North of the Tusayan Ranger District and under a mile from the South Entrance Ranger Station. Walking distance from lots of things
• You can see the campgrounds from the main highway so it can get a little noisy and headlights can be a little distracting in the evenings
• It's a dirt road getting in and can be super muddy during wetter seasons. A lot of people have gotten stuck in the mud. 4 wheel drive is highly recommended.
• Because it was so muddy when we were here, it was a little difficult finding a flat/dry/level spot to pitch a tent. This place is ideal for RV/trailer camping
• Warning: Lots of generators running throughout the evening. Bring earbuds
• Fires are allowed and some sites have firepits. Lots of found wood lying around that can be used as well.
• There are plenty of areas to camp (definitely can accommodate at least 20 different groups) and you'll even have space to spread your legs. 
• There are lots of trees in the area so I'd imagine there'd be nice shade during hotter weather.
• Not as secluded as other boondock sites we've been to, but you can't beat the close proximity to the Park.
• No showers, toilets, running water.
• Practice LNT and pack in pack out. This place had some trash lying around and you can definitely tell it's heavily used. Help pick up trash if you see any and leave the place better than you found it.
• Great cell service with AT&T

We absolutely LOVED camping here. We were able to enter Grand Canyon National Park super early before the crowds and enjoy the views uninterrrupted. This is such a great spot to camp for anyone on a budget who is just looking for a place to rest their head. We couldn't believe how close this was to the Park and that it was completely free. It's also quite beautiful if you can get past the mud and loud humming of generators. If you're in an RV, this place is the dream. We woke up the next morning to the entire campground covered in snow. It was absolutely stunning! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

During my recent stay at Mather Campground in Grand Canyon National Park, I was impressed by the spacious campsites and well-maintained facilities. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and fire ring, providing a comfortable setting for meals and evening gatherings. The restrooms were clean and conveniently located, and the availability of drinking water stations throughout the campground was a notable convenience. The presence of elk wandering through the area added a unique and memorable touch to the experience. The campground's proximity to shuttle services made it easy to explore various parts of the park without the need to drive. While some sites are closer together than others, the overall atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. For families traveling with children, it's worth noting that the nearby general store offers a variety of supplies, including snacks and games, which can be useful for keeping young ones entertained during downtime. For instance, bringing along an iPad with engaging apps like Getting Over it can provide children with creative and educational activities during quiet moments at the campsite. Overall, Mather Campground serves as an excellent base for exploring the Grand Canyon.

Just outside of the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park, Ten-X is tops. This place is undergoing significant expansion with new infrastructure. It looks like by 2022, there will be electric and water at the new sites (I counted at least 120 more). Right now, there is only one fill point for water and it is only for toting away water not filling RVs. I was concerned because the USFS website did not accurately describe this campground. There is indeed room for a 43 foot rig in maybe 8 spots. The expansion will include more as well. The sites are nicely spaced for privacy. I hate vault toilets but these are brand new and very clean. No dump site here but I saw indications there may be one with the expansion. This was an extraordinarily clean campground and well laid out. There are some walking trails and that was a nice touch. Big elk walking through camp! Update September 2022: expansion occurred, decent sites, no water expansion to new loops, still same set up, no hookups. Still very well maintained although they could maintain the walking trails better. Yes, yellowjackets.

This 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.

 recently visited Mather Campground at Grand Canyon National Park, and I had an amazing experience! This campground is the perfect place to stay if you're looking to explore the Grand Canyon. It’s very close to the South Rim, so getting to the viewpoints and trails is super easy. The campground itself is spacious and surrounded by beautiful trees, which gives it a peaceful and relaxing vibe. There are picnic tables at each site, and I loved having a fire ring to enjoy a cozy campfire in the evenings. The restrooms were clean, and there’s fresh water available, which made things very convenient. I also appreciated how easy it was to make a reservation ahead of time. Since Mather Campground can get busy, especially during peak seasons, booking early is a great idea. It was nice knowing I had a spot waiting for me when I arrived. Although it can get a little crowded during the busy months, the atmosphere was still calm, and I met some friendly fellow campers. I would definitely recommend Mather Campground to anyone visiting the Grand Canyon. It’s a great place to stay, and the location couldn’t be better for accessing the park’s attractions. I'll definitely return on my next trip!

The road in says no camping but that’s referring to the immediate drive for about 2 mins in as there is a horse/mule ranch for tourists. Follow the road down and you’ll start to see pull offs where you can camp

The road down is a little rough, we have a 24 ft van that weighs a fair amount and it was fine. Just a good amount if washboards down

The road goes down for why seems like a few miles and the further back the further secluded it is

I would recommend a higher clearance van if going way back but again, mine did fine going down around 1 mile in

The little driveways where you can park can be rough depending on what you choose, and it is fairly rocky so chose your path wisely to not hurt your tires. We found a few spots that would work perfect for my type of van, but if you have a higher clearance you could def. go down a driveway pretty far

It’s very close to the entrance to the Grand Canyon national park so that made it super easy to get there for sunrise!

Felt pretty safe too

At the second-most visited national park, getting away from the hustle and bustle takes a little more work. But the rewards of sleeping at Cottonwood Campground, deep inside the Grand Canyon, are worth the work.

When we visited in early September, we aimed to complete a rim-to-rim-to-rim hike along the Corridor Trail. I had never hiked inside the canyon before, and this trail was a great, well-maintained and well-traveled introduction. People complete this hike in a wide time range, but for our intended four-day hike, Cottonwood provided the perfect first night accommodations.

Our rim-to-rim-to-rim itinerary looked like this:

• Day 1: South Rim → Cottonwood Campground via the South Kaibab Trail (around 14 miles, but mostly downhill)
• Day 2: Cottonwood Campground → North Rim Campground (around 8 miles, all uphill)
• Day 3: North Rim Campground → Bright Angel Campground (around 14 miles, but mostly downhill)
• Day 4: Bright Angel Campground → South Rim, via the Bright Angel Trail (around 9 miles, all uphill)

It was a great, fast-paced itinerary for our group of 3 above-average hikers. Of course, there are a few barriers to hiking inside the canyon. We were able to snag last-minute permits the day before we left on our hike by arriving at the Backcountry Office about 30 minutes before it opened. Cottonwood is much less popular than Bright Angel campground, so your odds are better here.

The campground itself was comfy, with picnic tables, pit toilets, and potable water. It was very quiet, as I’m sure most hikers were more than ready to get a good night’s sleep before continuing their hike in the canyon. Don’t forget to shake out your clothes and shoes for small scorpions, who are not aggressive but defensive if you step on them.

Only about 1% of visitors to the Grand Canyon ever sleep inside the canyon, and it’s a magical experience.

For more about our rim-to-rim-to-rim hike, and our other two days at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, read more on our blog: Switchback Kids (Grand Canyon)