Best Dispersed Camping near North Rim, AZ

As a former GCNP employee, I wanted to add a few tips for dispersed camping at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is no dispersed camping inside the park but the park is bordered by the Kaibab National Forest and you can dispersed camp on several of the surrounding forest service roads between the park and the Jacob Lake area. 

The most popular roads for dispersed camping are FS633 on the East side of 67 north of DeMotte Campground and a cluster of FS roads off FS22 on the west side of 67 south of DeMotte Campground.  

As of Summer 2022, dispersed camping was also allowed along FS610, 611, and 219 which are closer to the National Park. This is where the park rangers and staff at the Visitor Center would direct campers when the campgrounds were full. However, these roads are not designated as dispersed camping areas on the new MVUM (motor vehicle use map) that was printed Feb 2023, so you may want to call ahead or stop by the USFS office and doublecheck before dispersed camping there as illegal camping is subject to a $5000 fine and/or up to 18 months in jail. 

If it is still allowed, some of the sites on FS611 are right on the rim overlooking the Saddleback Mountain Wilderness. If you head south on FS610 (towards the park boundary) there are only a couple of dispersed sites which could accomodate small to mid-sized travel trailers/RVs. I would not advise going down this road with a Class A unless you scout ahead first as there are limited places to turn around. 

If you continue down FS610 south, you will have the national forest on your left and the National Park on your right. The road starts to narrow here and you will eventually come to Saddle Mountain which is a popular spot for tents, truck campers, and small travel trailers (GoPro sized or smaller) and also serves as a parking area for the Nankoweap Trailhead. 

If you have a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle, you can continue past the Saddle Mountain area on 610 or 219 which both dead end at a bluff, but these roads are very narrow with large ruts and jutting rocks at the end. We parked our vehicle near the bottom of the incline and walked up to the bluff where there is nice flat open area with a view of the Saddleback Mountain Wilderness. There are also a few smaller dispersed camping areas along the road leading up to the bluff that would be perfect for tent camping. 

If you don't mind a longer drive to the park, there are a lot more dispersed camping otpions for larger rigs around Jacob Lake. Our favorite spot is off FS257 on the north side of 89A. We boondocked here for 10 days in May before the park opened. There are only a handful of sites here but if you are lucky enough to get one, they are great!

Just be aware that as of Summer 2022, much of the dispersed area on the south side of 89A around Jacob Lake was closed due to damage from a recent forest fire. Again, it's always a good idea to call or stop in the USFS to get the most up to date information. Their office is located at the intersection of 67 and 89A at Jacob lake. The number is (928) 643-7298. They're super helpful!

Here is a link to the Motor Vehicle Use Map for the area.

Turn left onto forest road 611 as you head towards the north rim on 67. Stay with 611 and ignore Google Maps. About 5 arduous miles in you’ll see a parking lot and put toilet for Kaibab trailhead. Go another mile or so and you’ll start seeing spots. Spots on the right have a view overlooking the GC. Incredibly beautiful!

Negatives: rough gravel and dirt road (about 6 miles took us about 30-40 min in our converted ambulance and was rough going on the motorcycle too); mosquitos were treacherous starting at about 4:30 until dark. Positives: super private, stunningly beautiful. We stayed four nights and loved it. Attaching a photo of a forest service map with marked spots that was shared with us. Fewer spaces for big rigs but definitely plenty for everyone. We moved after the first night to a less shady spot for solar & Starlink but most spots were shady.

We decided to disperse camp for the weekend of Halloween. Weather was beautiful, but cold during the evening due to the moisture in the air. The location is literally a few minutes off the 89A, not too hard to miss the service road turn off. We checked out the other sites about a mile in and everything was a little wet/muddy, so we decided to set camp at this location. According to Kaibab NF MVUM, dispersed camping is allowed along open FS roads (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/kaibab/maps-pubs/?cid=fseprd490027)..)

Space is very open with trees surrounding the area. This spot has a trail nearby, so we had seen a few hikers throughout the weekend. Previous campers created a firepit, but make sure to check with the North Kaibab rangers on fire restrictions (https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kaibab/alerts-notices)..). Surprisingly decent cell service(Tmobile/AT&T).

About an hour and half to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Along our trip there, we also went to Vermillion Cliffs/Marble Canyon. Very beautiful, must see places.

Stayed to the right due to driving a Solis. The ground was manageable to get through with 2 wheel drive. The spot is absolutely sick. Amazing sunset and rise, stars, and a really cool hike to the rim. The site was very clean and in mid November there were only 3 other camper vans pretty far off. We pulled in to the 4th camp spot, had to put the van on blocks to level it. The next site up on the right (only spot on the right) was level and large. There were some dips that we wouldn't have been able to drive over passed that spot. If you have a higher clearance vehicle, you will be able to make it to the cul-de-sac like end. That's where you'll find the trail head. Make sure when you come and go you close the gate. You'll have to give it a lift and pull to get it to actually shut. The ground is clearly shifting around the gate. Just be mindful. Remember, it's public land. Don't be a degenerate, clean up after yourself.

I tried looking for this site but never found it. Instead I was able to find dispersed camping right near the Evans for the north rim of the grand canyon.
Coordinates: 36.4017930, -112.1290934 There aren't any street names but I will post a photo of a sign that is present once you turn into the street. If your driving towards the entrance of the park, it will be past the gas station and you turn left onto the street. There was alot of options for camping. The further back you go is where you find the great view sites. The road is a bit bumpy. The last site which is where we stayed is the most beautiful with 180 degrees view of the canyon and vermillion cliffs but it will need a medium to high clearance vehicle to get to that site only but it's worth it.