Coming from the stark heat near White Sands, it is pretty remarkable that just 40 minutes away you can find a cool, windy, shady oasis. I give this campsite good remarks due to the fact it’s the only one open in the area (all the others marked on this app nearby are closed), it is the only campground I’ve seen in the past 30 days on the road that has only ever other site opened to ensure social distancing, a clean vault toilet (and 3 toilets on site), beautiful sites full of shade equipped with picnic tables, ample space and parking, and fire rings. Perhaps this site is usually cheaper (I don’t know) and maybe it’s only this much due to COVID and lack of other options, but $23 seems remarkably high for the type of site it is. I’ve been through 8 states in the past month and stayed in much more “expensive” camping areas (i.e. primitive sites that know they can charge an arm and a leg due to being close to parks like the Tetons or Yellowstone or glacier) and I have not found any other sites expecting $23 for this type of space. If they were not doing every other site being open, you would be veryyyy close to your neighbors. That being said, it’s a great spot and if you can afford it, go for it.

I was worried that this place wasn’t open due to the fact there were only two reviews and it had been a while since a review. I can happily share that they are open and thriving. I was driving from Gila Cliff Dwellings towards White Sands NP and needed a place to camp. I passed some dispersed camping along the way, but most of the cultivated sites were closed, I’m guessing due to COVID as New Mexico has really cracked down on their camping and I ran into lots of sites that were either closed or only open to residents. Anyway, this place was a STEAL. For only $21 (the typical price of most regular vault toilet and picnic table camp sites), you get heaven on earth. You wouldn’t expect it driving in from either direction, but the sites themselves are extremely shaded and surrounded by trees and as private as possible given the close proximity to neighbors. I stayed at site #47 and even though I was right next to the pools and bathhouse, I couldn’t be seen at all from those places. There’s a potable water tap at EACH campsite, free showers, unlimited 24/7 access to hot springs (clothing required & clothing optional pools), a clubhouse to wash dishes or cook or simply hang out inside in a comfortable chair to read or play games at a table), several bathrooms, phone service (and I didn’t have any driving in or out), peacocks and other wildlife to admire, friendly staff, firewood for sale, labyrinth maze, short scenic trails to watch the sunset and rise, inside facilities, amazing cabins (cheapest one is only $60 and comes with an hour long soak in a private pool which is otherwise $28 for one hour), etc. I could go on and on about this place. The best $21 I have ever spent to spend the night anywhere in my entire life and I am always camping and traveling. A literal oasis. I soaked from 7pm-11pm and had the pools to myself several times on a Sunday evening. Everyone was respectful and there was no sense of party / loud groups as so common is seen at hot springs. Alcohol allowed.

I usually avoid campgrounds inside of National Parks at all costs. They are overcrowded and overpriced and often undermine the true nature of camping. When traveling with others, I tend to opt for dispersed camping or more rustic camping outside of parks. This road trip I am traveling alone and decided to stay inside the park for more peace of mind. If you are into staying inside of national parks, this is a great spot.

All of the "cons" are cons that I would apply to any major national park campground: you are on top of your neighbor, car traffic and noise all night for people arriving late, people pulling in with RV's at 1130pm, line for the bathroom, etc. These are specific gripes with Grant campground, just national park campsites in general. If you are okay with that, this is truly a great spot.

I was kind of hating it, my spot was on an end cap where the road turns and I have never felt so exposed at a campspot, but there was such a huge redeeming factor that I would actually stay here again happily.

That redeeming factor is the access to Yellowstone Lake. This was something I truly didn't realize going into it. Luckily my spot was about ten feet from a trailhead leading down to the shore. Less than a one minute walk and I felt like I was transported to a different planet. It felt like sitting on the coast in the Pacific Northwest. I enjoyed a drink down there in the evening and a hot breakfast down there in the morning. It was so vast and open and given that it was less than a one minute walk away, there was only one other person on the entire visible shoreline. Crazy. Such a gem and for that reason alone, I would return always.

I'm sorry, I have to be the voice of reason here y'all. Or at least the realistic one.

If you are sleeping in your car, camper, van, etc, then this could totally work for you. 

If you are camping alone, using a tent, looking for enough space to camp (cook, sleep, etc), this is most likely not for you.

The road itself is fine.

As a young woman traveling alone in a Subaru Outback, sleeping in a tent, this was such a huge hell no for me.

Some of the pullouts have graffiti with extremely offensive language and a crapload of shotgun shells. I could tell local people use the space as a party ground quite often. I know this all sounds like I have a stick up my butt, but I'm not some conservative person. I am all for foul language and partying in the mountains. This wasn't that. This was sketchy. Maybe that's just because I am traveling alone.

A few years back I traveled in a converted Toyota Sequoia with a sleeping dock in the back with my partner and this spot would be good for a situation like that, but not my current situation. 

I do not think there's really any reasonable place up there to set up a tent between the exposure, wind, noise, space, and threat of danger.

The overlook spot is awesome… its also only about 10 feet of sand on the side of the dirt road with steep drops on all sides. Might be cool for a small van or if you are sleeping in your car. You will still be dealing with noise all night. I saw people going up the road all through the late evening and coming back down.

If I could give this site 10 stars I would. 

I lucked out and got spot 12 (if it is available, go for it). The spot was the perfect mix of public and private. Meaning that I felt totally comfortable changing without people seeing me and didn't overhear anyone else, but didn't feel so isolated that if a bear attacked me no one would know. Right next to the trailhead. A personal path down to the river. The sound of water flowing at night. SO MUCH FIREWOOD. I had three bundles of wood I had bought and literally didn't have to use a single log of my own- there's so much wood around that burns amazingly. I had the best fire of my entire road trip so far there and didn't even have to use my own wood. Each site has a firepit and picnic table. Some sites have bear boxes. The main loop has about six sites that are more exposed and on top of each other, but sites 11 and 12 are heaven. If you have horses, definitely go for site 11 or 12. There's one vault toilet. No frills. Only $10 and you are located directly between the parks. It was a great landing spot as I transitioned from the tetons to Yellowstone. Neighbors were all extremely friendly.

Cons:

- road in is very short and relatively safe, but there is one river crossing that if there was a heavy rain or snowmelt, I am not sure how passable it would be. I crossed in my subaru outback without issue but was slightly nervous and had to take it slow.

- my neighbors told me that people tend to arrive later in the day and kind of push it when it comes to the ethics and boundaries of camping. I had set up camp (tent, chair, etc) around 11am and then headed into Yellowstone. When I returned back around 7pm, my neighbors told me they had to tell multiple people not to try and camp in my spot, even though my stuff was clearly visible and my name was marked on the signpost. They had a similar issue with a campervan literally pulling up between their RV and their Horse trailer and try to park and camp there late at night. They had to put up a rope blocking off the entry to their site due to this. They had been camping there for 30 years and explained that the sites further back (11, 12) are relatively new, but since there are such few sites and they often serve as overflow for people who couldn't get a spot in the parks, people try and park and camp where they shouldn't.

I am so in love with this campground. As someone who has stayed inside and outside of many national parks, I have never found a steal of a deal like this. For $30 bucks you get access to clean water, dishwashing stations, unlimited hot water showers, flush toilets, fire pits, trash service once a day, cell service (and I have Sprint… if  I can get service, you probably will lol), wifi (at the front office), amazing customer service, a cute cafe in the summer season, and the list goes on. They even have huge piles of wood for only $6. usually at places right by national parks, wood goes for 8-10 bucks per pile or box. I haven't found wood cheaper nearby. this camp is Off of the highway so little to no road noise.

It truly feels like you are at summercamp, and even though it is literally only one mile from the park entrance, it does not have that bizarrely ignorant and touristy vibe that most major campgrounds inside national parks has. 

I am here in September. The smoke over Glacier NP is terrible and I have not seen even an inch of a single mountain, that is how bad it is. That being said, I am so in love with the campground, I already paid to stay another night. That is how good it is.

Cons:

The sites are close together, you will hear your neighbor. There is not a lot of privacy, but the trees are dense and it didn't feel like I was on top of my neighbor or anything. 

There is a train that goes by… frequently. I personally do not mind this as my home and workplace back home are both on a train route and I am used to the sound. I even find it quite comforting. But, I can see how this would bother some people. It is loud and frequent, but I can't really see it being much better at any other nearby campground so that is a general area con, not one specific to this campground.