Grand Canyon and Zion

[judi]

Has anyone camped near these areas? The camps inside the parks are not yet open for the season.
Thanks!

[mtngal]

Hi Judi, Zion campgrounds are open in park. Not sure about Grand Canyon; check out the Forest Service nearby. There is a good Passport park in Williams. (Also love Snow Canyon near St George).

[JudyJB]

Are you sure about the Grand Canyon? My son stayed last March in Trailer Village, so I know it was open then. Or are you looking at North Rim campgrounds? Trailer Village on the South Rim is run by a concession, but is very close to the shuttles and the only place inside the park where you can camp with a vehicle over30 feet. If you are under 30 feet, the Mather Campground is very nice, but with no hookups and no showers, other than the ones at the entrance to the campground, which is really driving distance because of the size of the facility.

I stayed at the Watchman Campground a couple of years ago inside Zion. There are only electrical hookups, but a good dump station and fresh water fill area. The view from the campsite is incredible, and the visitor center and shuttles are within easy walking distance from most sites. I had site 11 right along the river, which was very nice and very close to the visitor center. It is open right now, according to Recreation.gov.

Small warning for both of those national parks: Bring all your food because the closest real grocery store to ZION is 35 miles and the camp store in Grand Canyon is extremely expensive.

[judi]

The campgrounds inside the parks are not yet open. I had hoped to stay at Mather but it's closed. I check constantly just in case they open early. I have reservations at The Canyon Motel and RV Park because they take Passport America. I may do Zion on another trip.

[mtngal]

Hi Judi, could you post a link to info that Zion campgrounds are closed? Both Park website and Recreation.gov are telling me they are open year round. I always go in the Fall so haven't researched spring availability, until now.

(P.S. Watchman B27 is my favorite site!)

[Bethers]

I just went to reserve America and show campsites available for reservations for tomorrow for Mather (earliest date I could check). Friends were just at Zion, but I didn't ask they were in the park. Where/who is telling you they are closed?

[judi]

I'm going to check Zion again -