Utah and North Rim Grand Canyon

We were in that area this past early November. We stayed at Kanab and took a day trip to the North Rim. None of the facilities were open. (Take that back, there was a little store/gas station open). The roads were fine. It was a long day trip but totally worth it. It was awesome!
We then stayed at Zion's Watchman campground. Took another day trip to Bryce. Zion and Bryce are beautiful!
It was cold but you can dress accordingly and Enjoy!

I understand that but the OP was asking about the North Rim and campgrounds...not boondocking.

2gypsies wrote:
You don't have to drive rough roads to get to the North Rim. It's paved.

Also, snow in Sept/Oct is rare. We've been there multiple times.

Dan is talking about the roads into the Kaibab National Forest where the picture he posted was taken. You're talking about the Grand Canyon National Park.

LS

You don't have to drive rough roads to get to the North Rim. It's paved.

Also, snow in Sept/Oct is rare. We've been there multiple times.

Forum won't post the rest of the message -- will try again later.

(The website is having trouble with long messages today, so I will break this up into two bites.)

It can be a long drive over rough roads to get to the North Rim out in the Kaibab National Forest, but there is some spectacular boondocking out there. This was the view from our campsite at 5 AM in late May, 2008:

At over 8,000' elevation, you can expect a lot of snow. They did plow one year, as it was early in the fall, and they would have had dozens of stranded campers there if they had not plowed the main road.

Most took their advice and got out quickly. I would say watch the weather, and plan on going someplace else once the snows are predicted in a few days. Usually you will have 2 days notice that a storm is going through California and is on the way. Moving to Jacob Lake will at least get you to a place where the roads will be plowed, and that is only 67 miles away. Personally I would be staying in a meadow in the forest for free, not the campground at the rim with excellent views, it it to crowded for my liking.

And I would be moving on to Zion if snow becomes a problem. It is not to far away, an easy day drive.

At 3,000' elevation, I was in Zion on November, 2006 and while it did reach 35 overnight, and the campground water was shut off for the season, it was not unbearable, and my nephew hiked into the slot canyons, while I was out sightseeing in my car.

Good luck!

Fred.

The North Rim doesn't close down Oct 15. The facilities do. You can still drive there. There are plenty of nice, easy-to-get-to boondocking spots just before the entrance of the park and DeMotte national forest campground is nice.

For the southern Utah national parks (Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands) mid-Sept through October are excellent times to be there. We've done it often. Bryce is the highest in elevation so plan on that first then move around.

OP, as you can see in the above pictures there are plenty of places to boondock outside the N Rim in your TC. There is a USFS CG at the entrance which would have plenty of sites and then you are only 15 miles from the rim, not 40 from J Lake if you cannot get in with your short rig.

North Rim, NFS, no hookups, 9,000' elevation. Not crowded in fact you will need to drive some to see people