Going to spend about a month around the Grand Canyon/Zion and Bryce Canyon areas. Looking for any suggested campgrounds. I'm thinking one park towards the south rim and another park up toward Zion and Bryce. Driving out from Michigan around first of May.

The wife and I went to Grand Cayon many years ago, back when you drive and park inside the patk at the south side, now things have changed. I think you have to park in an outside area parking area and ride a bus in to the park. Might be wrong. A few weeks ago I was out in Pahrump, NV. visiting my brother and his family. We took a day drive up to Zion Nat Park. I was very impressed, alot more then the Grand Canyon. Both are a most see.

We like Zion River, www.zionriverresort.com/, and we also like Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in Williams, www.thetrain.com/lodging/rv-park/.

There are two campgrounds in the park at the south rim. Trailer Village, with full hook ups.Mather, which has no hook ups. Both will require reservations.Camper village is in Tusayan, 6 miles south of the park entrance, full hook ups.Reservations recommened.There are five rv parks in and around Williams with full hook ups, about 60 miles south of the park entrance.There is a campground just north of Tusayan called Ten-X. It is dry camping.

X2 for Zion River Resort in Virgin, Ut. There is a lot to see in Utah and it will take at least a month. Don't forget Arches NP. The North Rim of Grand Canyon is very nice. You can do a day trip from Virgin, Ut.

There is a nice USFS CG located at the junction of 89A and 67. The Jacob Lake CG makes a good spot from which to day trip down to the north rim, 47 miles on 67. You can drive to Zion from Jacob Lake in just a couple of hours. Bryce is a couple of hours northeast of Zion. Your best bet by far for Zion is to go on line and make a reservation for the Watchman CG which is actually inside the park. For just $18 a day ($9 with our Geezer pass), you get nice sites adjacent (and some right on), the Virgin River and they come with 30 amp electrical service. the restrooms have flush toilets and there is a good two lane dump station. Best of all you are just a short walk from the visitors center and the free trams run throughout the park from there every few minutes.We are leaving tomorrow morning for Zion, have reservations for the entire Thanksgiving week but will of course make the obligatory stop in Vegas on the way up. :B

Arizona/Utah | Good Sam Community

meatwagon
Explorer
Nov 24, 2013

Wahweap rv campground at lake Powell has an amazing view and a tour boat ride is just as stunning as Brice, Zion or the Grand Caynon in my opion
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Nov 23, 2013
We love the North Rim of the Grand Canyon because of the quietness and more of an intimate feeling but if this is your first visit, go to the South Rim and stay at Trailer Village, F/H/U right in the park near the rim's edge and the free shuttle bus stops at the c.g. entrance - an excellent way to see the park.

Don't try to do Zion and Bryce from one campground - too much driving.

Zion - stay in the park at Watchman c.g. Electric and dump and water fill. Easy access for the free shuttle bus and visitor center.

Bryce - in the park - dry campground or for F/H/U - Ruby's right outside the park entrance. We love Red Canyon forest service campground and some of the sites have electric. It's about 5 miles from the park entrance.

Have a good trip!
vermilye
Explorer
Nov 23, 2013
You might want to consider some of the beautiful Utah State Parks. Goblin Valley, Kodachrome Basin & Dead Horse Point all have campgrounds, none with full hookups, but well worth a night or two.
Allworth
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2013
Sand Creek in Tory.

Wagon Wheel in Panguich.
Limit4
Explorer
Nov 22, 2013
I know you can't do everything but I would hate to travel that far and not see Arches National Park.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Nov 22, 2013
X3 on Trailer Village for the South Rim. Full hookups and the shuttle bus stops at the CG entrance.

From South Rim to Bryce/Zion, my suggested route is route 67, 89 then 89A to rejoin 89 at Kanab. For the North Rim, the RV Park with FHU at Jacob Lake is Kaibab Camper Village. Good food at the Jacob Lake Inn.

At the North Rim, Point Imperial and Cape Royal are well worth the drive. IMO much better views than from the North Rim Lodge area.

At Bryce Canyon, Rubys is FHU and right at the park entrance. While in the Bryce area, just a few miles away is Kodachrome State Park.

X2 on driving route 12 to Torrey. A few miles from Torrey on route 24 is Capital Reef National Park.
Lauren
Explorer
Nov 22, 2013
South Rim - stay at Trailer Village right near the Rim. Commuting from Williams is very time consuming and boring and then you have the lines at the entrance. You want to have the time at the S R itself.

Whereas Zion River is beautiful they are way overpriced and have ethics issues.
Stay in Springdale. For Zion stay in the Park or in Springdale. Ruby's for Bryce. We will do Zion from Kanab.
Desert_Captain
Explorer III
Nov 22, 2013
harley-dave wrote:
Everyone has the south rim covered already, North rim has no hook-ups but is much nicer IMHO. Not near as many people. If hooks are needed Jacob lake is closest hookups, then Kanab, UT. For Bryce and Zion we stayed in Panguitch at the hitch-n-post. Nice little town. They also have a KOA and the Panguitch Lake adventure resort. Be sure and drive Hiway 12 while you are there.

Dave

There are no hook ups at the USFS Jacob Lake CG, but there is a private CG/RV Park - I think the name is Kaibab (?) that is just a mile or so from the Jacob Lake CG and they have hook ups. The CG at the north rim is usually very crowded, as in be sure and make reservations but be advised it is tight. Large rigs will have one heck of a time getting in and out.

Lastly watch the weather (the OP will be fine in May), the North Rim is 9,200' and the Jacob Lake area right about 8,000' and the weather can get rat nasty in one big hurry November thru March and 89A is nothing you want to drive if it is cold enough for snow/ice.

With the huge storm that is roaring through California and marching into Arizona, Nevada and Utah as we speak anything above 6,000' is going to get slammed. We are rerouting our Zion trip this weekend through Vegas (oh darn), :R to avoid the higher elevations.
Be safe out there. :C
harley-dave
Explorer
Nov 22, 2013
Everyone has the south rim covered already, North rim has no hook-ups but is much nicer IMHO. Not near as many people. If hooks are needed Jacob lake is closest hookups, then Kanab, UT. For Bryce and Zion we stayed in Panguitch at the hitch-n-post. Nice little town. They also have a KOA and the Panguitch Lake adventure resort. Be sure and drive Hiway 12 while you are there.

Dave
naturist
Nomad
Nov 22, 2013
did just such a trip a couple years ago, and I second what Harold1946 said.

The South Rim is best viewed by taking the bus. If you camp in either of the campgrounds inside the park, there are bus stops within an easy walk.

The North Rim is an entirely different world. Even though most Canyon visitors go only to the South Rim, you will need a reservation for the North Rim campgrounds as well. When we went, we went east to the North Rim before going on to Bryce and then Zion. I highly recommend reservations at all of them.