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locster
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015

Grand Canyon in early April, RV safe?

We want to camp there inthe 1st week of April. The weather is expected to be in the low 30s or high 20s at night. Do I need to worry about piping freezing issue?
  • Like has been said - could be one extreme to the other on the South Rim (NR will still be closed I think and you want to be at the SR anyhow). We have had it both ways being there in April - had snow in May once and got a white out and snowed in one March (but fantastic photographs which is why we went anyhow!).
  • We did it in Mid April in a pop up. Weather called for 60's. Why was it snowing when we got out of the truck? The pop up did not have heat either. It was a long night, but great memories.
  • The weather is highly variable the first week of April. But I wouldn't hesitate to do that trip. You may want to request cold weather tips for your particular rig. Generally-keep furnace on at night, doors to cabinets open around plumbing areas and outside shower, disconnect fresh water hose and run off tank, use of RV antifreeze in exposed traps and waste plumbing, etc.

    If the low is actually in high 20s to 30 or above you don't have to do much special.
  • As you probably know, you can't count on weather forecasts, especially that far out. We visited the Canyon in April one year and had gorgeous weather - not freezing. Hope you do, too.
  • We were there many many years ago in April. I just made sure the fresh water hose was disconnected, drained and put away each night to keep it from freezing.

    All my tanks are heated so no worry about freezing.

    The cold was very cold due to wind chill.

    Unfortunately, I had the bright idea to go to Sunrise Point one morning to watch the sunrise over the canyon. We were joined by several other die hards. Even with layers of clothes, jackets and wrapped in sleeping bags...as soon as the sun was up we jumped in the truck to head back to the warm trailer. It was well worth putting up with the cold. The colors are fantastic.

    A couple of years ago again in April we were there in a van (train trip & motel tour) in April. As we were about 50 miles from Williams, AZ. it began to snow. We made it to Williams, but over night a foot of snow fell. We took the train the next morning to the canyon. It was beautiful, strange to see no tracks in front of the train because they were covered in a foot of snow.

    The canyon is spectacular when speckled with snow.

    Hope you enjoy.
  • Have you checked with the park to see if the roads will be open then?

    Bill

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