Grand Canyon Trip

[rjansen518]

we plan on pulling our trailer from Minnesota to the Grand Canyon in mid June.

Any advice on route and things to see would be appriciated.

[djsamuel]

Lauren wrote:

For the grand canyon, I would stay in Flagstaff and day trip the area.

Ho boy, day trip to the Grand Canyon. Well, at least you can say you have been there. Guaranteed, you have not SEEN it.

Stay at Trailer Village.

Nuf said.

+++++1

[Lauren]

For the grand canyon, I would stay in Flagstaff and day trip the area.

Ho boy, day trip to the Grand Canyon. Well, at least you can say you have been there. Guaranteed, you have not SEEN it.

Stay at Trailer Village.

Nuf said.

[lakeside013104]

2gypsies wrote:
Staying in Flagstaff is a long drive the Grand Canyon. Why not stay IN the park at Trailer Village near the Rim and the free shuttle bus stops right there? You can get on and off whenever you want - all day long.

We just left Trailer Village in GC. Great park with easy walking access to the GC south rim. Lots of elk and mule deer visit the campground every evening. CAMPER VILLAGE in Tuscayan is a big campground four miles outside of the park. Shuttle buses travel regularly to the park. If Trailer Village CG was full you could stay at Camper Village CG and drive to the park with personal vehicle. Lots of parking at the south rim of GC visitor center.

Grand Canyon is truly an amazing place. We had four days there and should have had a few more. Much to do and see.

Enjoy.

Lakeside

[2gypsies1]

I guess I can't imagine traveling hundreds of miles for the main purpose of the Grand Canyon and staying in Flagstaff and day-tripping one day to the Canyon.

It would be so much more relaxing to stay right at the Canyon at Trailer Village if one wanted full hookups or at the lovely Mather campground if the RV is small enough and you didn't need hookups. Desert View on the East end of the Canyon is also a nice dry campground. I'd advise to spend at least 3 nights at the Canyon.

There is plenty to do without being rushed. Take advantage of some of the ranger programs, walk the wonderful trail at the top on the Rim Trail which is pretty flat. I'd also advise at least a 1/8 - 1/4 mile walk down the Bright Angel Trail to get a whole new perspective of the canyon from below. (Take water) Take the free shuttle and get off at various areas to explore the Rim Trail from those areas. Spend a day driving to the East section of the park. Attend a campfire program.

Yes, Flagstaff has some great Indian ruins to visit but there are RV parks in Flagstaff to explore those closer areas. Bonito Nat'l Forest campground at the entrance of Sunset Crater Volcano Nat'l Monument is our favorite. It's gorgeous. From there you could do the Volcano, Wupatki Nat'l Monument, Walnut Canyon Nat'l Monument, Meteor Crater.

If staying in Williams and taking the train to Grand Canyon, the train ride is through open scrub land and once at the Canyon you only have a couple hours at the Canyon to explore.

To tour the Sedona/Jerome area we always stay at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood.

There are many options.

[fireman93514]

If you have the time available try to see both the north and south rims. They are totally different. You do not get the expansive vistas at the north rim but it is not as crowded either. We stayed at Jacobs lake for north rim because we could not get reservations in the park. There are also large buffalo herds on the way into the park. One of the most awesome views of the canyon is from the air. If time and money permit take one of the flights around the canyon. We chose the smaller single engine Cessna's for this.

[Hank85713]

True but it all depends on how long you plan to stay. If a typical visitor its in out on same day. The drive to and thru will take a full day, but unless you just have to say you camped there? We parked at Ft Tuthill in Flag last time there and drove to the canyon and visited all the local views and went to the campground stores etc. Nothing really there to hold ya unless you are camoin in the park and really planning on hiking etc. The side trips out of flag are the best if just visiting the canyon. You can go to north rime stay at Jacobs lake fish the colo at lees ferry etc if that is what you plan to do and then not be bothered by all the 'visitors', but at Jacobs lake you are pretty isolated from everything else. It just depends on what the OP actually want to do. A full day trip will include all of the vistas and the visitors center etc. but he can get the same thing out of williams on the train can he not? And it is a day trip I believe also.

[fireman93514]

We stay in trailer village when we are there. We tried some of the camps outside the park. Trailer village is on the shuttle route and close to the shopping area. You can watch the sunset over the canyon and sunrise if you are so inclined. If you are tired just head back to camp for a nap and head out again. Just my opinion.

[djsamuel]

2gypsies wrote:
Staying in Flagstaff is a long drive the Grand Canyon. Why not stay IN the park at Trailer Village near the Rim and the free shuttle bus stops right there? You can get on and off whenever you want - all day long.

We spent 6 days at Trailer Village in September. We loved it.

[Veebyes]

2gypsies wrote:
Staying in Flagstaff is a long drive the Grand Canyon. Why not stay IN the park at Trailer Village near the Rim and the free shuttle bus stops right there? You can get on and off whenever you want - all day long.

Agree with this. Flagstaff is a long commute. Any savings from a cheaper CG are going to be gobbled up by fuel burned & inconvenience of extra time & hunting for a parking spot at the various viewing spots.

Trailer Village with the FHUs is nothing but carpark camping but you are not there for the camping experience so it does not matter.

[2gypsies1]

Staying in Flagstaff is a long drive the Grand Canyon. Why not stay IN the park at Trailer Village near the Rim and the free shuttle bus stops right there? You can get on and off whenever you want - all day long.

[Hank85713]

For the grand canyon, I would stay in Flagstaff and day trip the area. You can stay up in Mexican hat to take in the painted desert there is/was a decent campground up there. 4 Corners really has nothing to offer IMO except the picture of being able to straddle 4 states at 1 time.

If you stay in Flagstaff and day trip you can visit Williams AF museum, ride the train to GC. You can also go to Sedona, Jerome, visit Montezuma castle, see prescott all in day trips. You can also stop in page and camp there if you want to visit lake powell.

Just over from AZ in Nev is the Flaming Gorge I think it is State park. Very nice, dont know what they have for CG's in that area. If mil retired there are nice mil campgrounds (ft tuthill in flag, and one over in nev).

North of GC there is Zion, Bryce canyon, and the state of utah has a bunch of campgrounds for the southern area. Gobblin state park, Kadachrome (named after the FILM) SP, and several others (grand escalante). We are headed that way this summer. Most have been written up in the trailer/motorhome mags this past year. If ya really wnated to you can try Jacobs lake on the north rim, but it is more isolated and a little harder to get to. Also in SO utah is cedar breaks park, not much known but pretty nice for a day visit.

There really are a lot of areas to visit, and some are not the typical tourist stops that many go to. Utah will send info if you email them, as will the rest like Idaho and Utah. If you like/want to visit some Hot Springs send me a PM and Ill give ya some place/links to look at.

[Janss]

There is a plethora of sights to see between Minnesota and Grand Canyon. How much time do you have?

Just a few suggestions.....There's Rocky Mountain NP and the whole southwest quadrant of Colorado, including such places as Durango, Ouray, Black Gunnison NP, Mesa Verde NP, etc. Then there's 5 Nat'l Parks in southern Utah. Also Monument Valley and Page/Lake Powell.

I'd take one route out and a different route back.

[Two_Hands]

Make your reservations now for one of the campgrounds in the park. They fill up fast in the summer.

[Impkitti]

Thanks! We are heading out to the Grand Canyon from Washington State the first of May and I have made a copy of the information to add to my research for the trip.