Best Tent Camping near Grand Canyon National Park

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 common area for rafters to run the river and take a break. It's also a good place to witness the power of the Colorado River. There are only two ways to get to the Granite Rapids Primitive Campsite- ride a raft or hike a trail. We hiked from the Grand Canyon South Rim starting at the Hermit Trail trailhead, down the Hermit Trail, to the Granite Rapids campsite. The descent down the Hermit Trail requires hiking down a rocky trail with some rough dirt or stone steps. There are segments of the trail with exposure and steep drops.

Along the way, you'll see dramatic views of the Grand Canyon and a variety of rock formations and geological features. In the spring there were some beautiful flowers budding on the cacti. There are no real facilities at this site, the beauty of this site is that it is rustic with great views and there will likely be no one else around. There is no water available along the trail until you reach the bottom of the canyon and the Colorado River. It is possible to take a detour to collect water near the Monument Creek campsite. 

The NPS recommends that people do not try to day hike (in one day) to this location from the South Rim trailhead. The hike down is simple enough, but the hike up is steep, rocky, has no water and is not often traveled by other hikers or the rangers. The water and rapids are fast, so exercise caution if you enter the river.The site is a primitive campsite so you simply find a clear area and pitch your tent. Leave No Trace principles should be applied.

To get to this backcountry campsite one must hike along the Tonto Plateau to reach this primitive site. The site is nestled within a riparian zone. The site is a primitive campsite so you find a clear area and pitch your tent. There were some hard packed areas to pitch a tent on top of the flat rock and near the cottonwood tree. Leave No Trace principles should be applied. There is no water source at this site, so you must carry in your own water.

We hiked from the Grand Canyon South Rim starting at the Hermit Trail trailhead, down the Hermit Trail, across the Tonto Plateau to this campsite. The hike from Monument Creek is mostly at the same elevation with some ups and downs. Be sure to load up on water when you leave Monument Creek.

Along the way, you'll see dramatic views of the Grand Canyon and a variety of geological features such as copper shale and rock formations. In the spring there was some beautiful prairie grass along the plateau. There are no real facilities at this site, the beauty of this site is that it is rustic with great views and there will likely be no one else around.