Tuweep Area - Grand Canyon National Park

[Off_Pavement]

To get to the Tuweep Area of Grand Canyon National Park, be prepared for 90 miles of gravel road. Much of the trip was washboard but we were in Jeeps with lowered tire pressure so the trip wasn't bad. A vehicle with full tire pressure would be a long rough ride in my opinion.

There is a primitive 9 space campground near Toroweap overlook suitable for tents and adventurous small RVs or Truck Campers that might venture this far. Free backcountry camping permit required and available online. GCNP Backcountry Camping Permit Information

[was_butnotnow]

In Oct 2005 we made it to Tuweep... See our post at http://fulltime.hitchitch.com/AZ2005oct.html
Scroll down to the Oct. 11 post.
The link to the scary story is broke. But the gist of the story was I had camped several years with two friends right on the edge next to the picnic table and tree in our pop up camper. We were on a vacation the year after we had done the river in a raft with others and wanted to see it from above. (Can't camp that close anymore) About dusk a old pickup truck pulled and a guy gets out with his dog. A bad of ice and a bottle of gin. Sat on the edge and came over to us, eating a can of spinach and told us he planned kidnap the rangers daughter and bring her to the edge. What could we do, nothing. We thought we were dead. One scary dude. He had no tent, or cooler just gin and pot. To think he drove 50 miles or more down this bad road and now it was just us and him. I at one time went into the canvas trailer and laid on the bed like I could hide from him or something. Later he went back to his truck and in the morning he was gone. If you have ever been to Tuweep and look down 2000 ft straight down and have a nut case suggesting throwing the ranger over the edge so he can has his daughter. Now that is scary.

[jefe_4x4]

Pavement, you've introduced us to another bucket trip. Thanks for the tip. The XTC is 20 feet long. Plenty of traction and clearance for this road. I'm not sure how gutsy you would have to be doing this by yourself.
Also, a rental Buick minivan full of nuns? I like it. Nothing off roads like a rental car. Nothing corners or brakes or hauls stuff like a rental car. 8<)
jefe

[curly5759]

We went out there in May of 2014, 3 Jeeps and a rental Buick minivan. The ladies in the van were retired nuns visiting friends in the West and had no offroad experience. They had no problems negotiating the ledges with a good spotter.



Curly

[LenSatic]

profdant139 wrote:
Never mind. The Park Service webpage says that the total permissible vehicle length is 22 feet, including any towed vehicle. Even with a tiny trailer, I am at 33 feet (truck and trailer), so it's no go for me. Oh, well.

This is interesting. We met a St. George couple at the Walmart who also owned a Casita and the wife worked for BLM. They said that they had been out there a couple of times with the trailer. She also said that their rangers carry extra spare tires when they go so they did too.

I wonder if this is another effort by the BLM to limit visits to the area.

LS

[c_traveler2]

Off Pavement, we took the very route out of St.George as you did, it's than excellent route to take to the Tuweep area. How was the dust bog part of the road inside the NP area?

[profdant139]

B J, I am not even sure the Crazy Jug or Rainbow Rim areas are technically open during the winter -- I think they close the roads and lock the gates. I have heard of folks on back-country skis going out there to camp -- way too rugged for me.

[B-J1]

We like Crazy Jug Point which is not in the GCNP but in Kiabab NF. But it is at higher elevation.... 7400ft, so may not be suitable in the winter. We go in the summer.

[Off_Pavement]

There is great boondocking locations outside the park you might want to consider. As far as where you can go, though I think the guy was a lunatic, a minivan with 5 people was attempting to make it's way the last 3 miles to Toroweap overlook with a NPS ranger (on foot) watching. There are rock steps and boulders to negotiate and the road is marked for high clearance vehicles only. I queried the ranger and his response is classic as far as I'm concerned... "Determination of the human spirit".

The main roads are washboard at worst with no water crossings. Observing the road surface in numerous spots, it is obvious that if wet, it might be difficult getting out until things dried up some.

[Mello_Mike]

profdant139 wrote:
Never mind. The Park Service webpage says that the total permissible vehicle length is 22 feet, including any towed vehicle. Even with a tiny trailer, I am at 33 feet (truck and trailer), so it's no go for me. Oh, well.

This might be a good time to get that truck camper, Dan! 🙂

[profdant139]

Never mind. The Park Service webpage says that the total permissible vehicle length is 22 feet, including any towed vehicle. Even with a tiny trailer, I am at 33 feet (truck and trailer), so it's no go for me. Oh, well.

[profdant139]

Off Pavement, this looks like an interesting area during the winter, when the North Rim is closed due to snow. (Kind of hot in the summer, though.) Do you think that road would be passable with a properly-equipped trailer (high clearance, good suspension)? We have done some off-road camping, but we have never towed for such a long distance on dirt and rock. How were the stream crossings? Were there any major boulder fields? Dirt and gravel are one thing, but really big rocks are another.

[cruiserjs]

Tuweep -- does anyone here remember John Riffey - ranger/keepr at Tuweep when the North Rim area was not part of the national Park - separate story that I will put on sometime. met him in 1967, stayed overnight. Adventure!!

[johnna]

Mount Trumbull Loop Rd (County Rd 5) is our preferred route to the Toroweap Overlook. This is one of our favorite places on the north rim. Another north rim overlook worth the trip is Kanab Point.

[Off_Pavement]

We were there Jan 2. Snow at the highest elevations around 5000ft.