North Rim GC camping - am I too big?

If you're still driving near, you might want to consider the forest service campground at Jacob Lake. No problems with size, and the North Rim is an experience you shouldn't pass up.

You'll love Ridgway -- one of our favorite campgrounds in Colorado.

Unfortunately, the CG personal that you spoke to, likely doesn't know anything about RV's and was sticking to a script.

Flapper wrote:
I panicked in the other direction! While I had looked at the site photos, both on recreation.gov, and the other sites noted, it was still hard to tell for sure. A call to the Park office, and they said firmly "Campsites are listed by total length of the tow vehicle plus the trailer". Sounded fishy, a 27' RV site is really small! But, I decided that it was better to not take the chance, and canceled.

While I will miss not seeing the GC, the trip will be packed with other places (Buena Vista CO, Ridgway SP, CO, Durango, CO, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce). And gives me an excuse to head that direction again, and give it more time than just an overnight.

Now if I can just find 4 nights in Moab for mid-Oct., which is looking kind of hard to do......

I don't know why you panicked, I took a quick look at the photos on Rec.gov, for four sites, #25 which listed a max vehicle length 27 ft.,looking at the first photo, I'll bet that you & I both could fit in that site, # 27, listed at 27 ft, there is a Ford F250 or 350 with a TC mounted, behind that is what looks like a Ford Escape, there is a short distance between them, I could still get my MH in front of the TC and more room behind the Escape., #31 is listed at 15 ft., there is an SUV parked in it, which I'll guarantee is more than 15 ft, there is also room enough for my entire outfit., site #36, listed at 15 ft.,shows an F150 parked in it, my old '99 F150 is roughly 20' +/- a couple inches, the photo shows enough room in front of the truck, for another vehicle of the same size, as well as enough room for my Focus behind it.
I'll never understand WHY they post these ridiculous limits, obviously too **** lazy or ignorant to walk out there with a measuring wheel. :S

Did you try to get a site at DeMotte NFS CG just outside the park boundary? That's usually where we end up.

I panicked in the other direction! While I had looked at the site photos, both on recreation.gov, and the other sites noted, it was still hard to tell for sure. A call to the Park office, and they said firmly "Campsites are listed by total length of the tow vehicle plus the trailer". Sounded fishy, a 27' RV site is really small! But, I decided that it was better to not take the chance, and canceled.

While I will miss not seeing the GC, the trip will be packed with other places (Buena Vista CO, Ridgway SP, CO, Durango, CO, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Zion, Bryce). And gives me an excuse to head that direction again, and give it more time than just an overnight.

Now if I can just find 4 nights in Moab for mid-Oct., which is looking kind of hard to do......

There are pictures of the sites on the recreation.gov site. You should be able to tell from those.

The site given is for your RV. You'll fit.

Check out your site photo on the above links that ReneeG gave.

When are you going? There's a fire going on right now on the eastern side of the highway you'll be driving in. They've kept the fire from the immediate fire area and it's not near the campground and the immediate canyon area. However, you may have some smoke depending on the wind direction. Keep a watch on this fire site:

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4845/

If you can navigate in tight spots you should be fine. Length is only for the trailer, not the entire rig length. As an option, you can park the truck in the over flow parking lot.

By the way, with a 35' FW I was often put into sites with a 30' length site by the campground personnel. Their reasoning was the back 8' could be extended over the back of the site since there weren't any trees. I have also reserved and fit in some 25' sites because I knew the site I was reserving. These sites were 80' long so had plenty of room but it was the road getting to the site was the problem. But I knew I could navigate the road due to my skill level.

But you always need a plan B just in case when you get there and can't fit. For the north rim, that is the forest with dispersed camping. You will see it on your way into the park.

Have fun.

Boy, we sure love our Truck Camper - might be short, but it has everything in it and we never get 'short-sited' ... :) We're 22' total.

Definitely call especially since there is the warning. Better to be safe than sorry at the last minute. Backup options would be to get a spot at Kaibab Camper Village at Jacob Lake. We've been there several times and love it. Another option is DeMotte Campground - a FS CG between Jacob Lake and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We've driven through there and sites are plenty long. Also, for the ultimate last option would be Jacob Lake Campground off 89A at the Jacob Lake and North Rim GC intersection. It's a nice campground too, but maybe not as scenic as the others listed.

Campendium has photos, as seen here. Campgroundviewsalso has photos.