torepool.blogg.se - Boondocking in arizona

#Boondocking in arizona for free#

Just over a mile south of Desert View Drive is the Grandview Fire Lookout Tower where there’s also a vault toilet at the trailhead for the Arizona Trail.

On our last visit we had to pass pass through a small fire-scarred section but we soon came to a healthy inviting forest.

Immediately and for the next mile, dispersed camping is permitted and you’ll see previously-used sites, most of them on the west (right) side of the road.

Another sign announces you’re entering the forest and, therefore, have exited the park. The road soon crosses a cattle guard that marks the Kaibab National Forest boundary. These refer to the land within the park boundary.

Heading south on the gravel road you’ll soon see some “No Camping” signs.

A good gravel road quickly leaves the park at this unofficial, unmanned entrance, although, when returning to the park, there is a sign that reads: Grandview Entrance – Entrance Fees Payable at South or East Entrance.

There’s a dumpster and an old picnic table at the corner.

A sign on Desert View Drive indicates a road coming in from the south, but there’s no other signage for this turn.

From Hwy 64 (Desert View Drive) in the park, between Grandview Point and Moran Point, 1.2 miles west of Buggeln Picnic Area and approximately halfway between mile markers 253 and 254, turn south onto an unmarked road.

#Boondocking in arizona for free#

N35.96948º W112.12043º (geographic coordinates at our campsite)Īn unadvertised entrance to the park on a gravel road lets us camp for free in Kaibab National Forest just south of the park boundary.It’s on Forest Rd 302 to the east of Hwy 64 at the south end of the town of Tusayan. It’s suitable for all RVs and tents, but only if you can navigate a dip in the road at the entrance to most sites.Īnother nearby dispersed camping area is suggested on the National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map and provides easier access for RVs up to 40' long. You’ll surely have neighbors because these sites are popular. The rules state that you must be at least ¼ mile from highway 64 to camp legally. Dispersed campsites line both sides of this good dirt road.

On Hwy 64 approximately 1 mile south of the park’s south entrance gate, just beyond the Tusayan District Forest Ranger Station, turn west (right) on North Long Jim Loop Rd.These directions are for an area that’s central and closest to Grand Canyon Village: They’re close to the park, on good roads, and free. We have two camping areas we regularly use in the Kaibab National Forest just south of the park. The fee is only $10.00 per night ($5.00 with a Senior or Access Interagency Pass). There aren’t hookups but drinking water is available. It’s open from May 1st through September 30th with 70 well-spaced reservable sites in a pine forest, including some for large RVs. Ten-X Campground, operated by the National Forest Service, is just 4.3 miles outside the park’s southern entrance and 2 miles south of the village of Tusayan. Desert View offers rustic camping without hook-ups from mid-May to mid-October for RVs no more than 30' long. Avoid weekends, arrive early and look for sites where people are packing up to leave. It operates solely on a first-come, first-served basis.

Desert View Campground at the east entrance and 26 miles east of Grand Canyon Village is your best option if you arrive without a reservation. If you want hookups, Trailer Village is the only option. Campground reservations are essential at both Mather Campground (for RVs up to 30 feet long) and Trailer Village (for larger RVs). Most visitors end up in Grand Canyon Village in the south rim section of the park. If you prefer a campground your options will be limited by the size of your RV and whether you have made reservations. We always boondock for free in the national forest just outside the park’s boundaries. On day three we started fresh, carrying our big packs and camping gear this shorter distance to the top. We spent the hottest part of the day lingering in the shade by the river before hiking back up to Indian Garden for a second night. On the second day, we took our lighter waist packs and hiked the rest of the way to the bottom of the canyon. Here, we spent the first night and sat out at nearby Plateau Point for sunset. It allowed us to carry our big packs and camping equipment only as far as the Indian Garden Campground. Our plan was well thought out and we would recommend it to anyone. We spent two nights at the Indian Garden Campground, which is approximately halfway down.

Our hike to the bottom was on Bright Angel Trail from the South Rim, the most popular route.