Busy Campsites
 

My girlfriend & I are planning a self-drive trip around the SW National Parks (Bryce, GC, Zion, Page, etc.). It will be late May/early June. We'll be camping mostly and have read warnings about the campsites in the Parks becoming full from June on. We have the option of having our trip 20 May - 4 June or 27 May - 11 June. We'd appreciate any advice on how busy the sites get; and when it happens. Is it a gradual build up or a certain date after which they are full daily? We're coming over from England and don't know when US school holidays start? Many thanks.

It's more of a gradual build-up. US school holidays start at different times, they are set by the individual communities. Kids from the southern states tend to start and finish the school year earlier; here in Massachusetts, summer vacation starts around June 20, but my niece in Florida starts in mid-May. In general, the longer you wait, the more crowded it will be.

There are many private and public campgrounds where you can book reservations in advance, this would be the safest strategy for you.

Both of those set of dates hit the Memorial Day Weekend which is May 27th, 28th & 29th this year. YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE AT LAKE POWELL (boating ZOO) OR GRAND CANYON (I hear the shuttle buses are packed!) over this 3 day weekend.

If you know the dates you are going to be in each location then you can make reservations for Mather Campground at the Grand Canyon, Wahweap RV campground at (Glen Canyon National Recreational Area) Lake Powell, Watchman Campground at Zion National Park and North Campground in Bryce.

There are also first come, first serve campgrounds at Bryce, Zion and Lake Powell. You will want to reach these campgrounds before noon to get a site and earlier if it's over the Memorial Day weekend. You are probably going to want to make reservations at Mather Campground either way. There is a national forest campground called Ten-X just 10 miles south of the S. Rim village but you would want to get there early in the day to get a spot.

One year we were camping at Lake Powell near Page, AZ just before Memorial Day weekend and it was fine. On the Friday of Memorial Day weekend we left Lake Powell and it was bumper to bumper boat trailers coming into the lake area. We had thought about going to the Grand Canyon and at the last minute changed our minds and went to Canyon de Chelly National Monument at the last minute. The campground didn't fill up. There was hardly anyone at the park. It was great. In October that year we went to the Grand Canyon and asked one of the shuttle bus drivers how the Memorial Day weekend was and he said a mad house! Glad we skipped it over the holiday weekend!!!!

Utahtea

If they are going to Bryce and Zion, wouldn't they be better off staying at the North Rim instead of Mather campground? It's not only closer, but less crowded.

Hi Stodge,

I would definitely make reservations in advance if you want to camp in the parks. The campgrounds will be full by mid-morning each day, with the possible exception of Bryce. It's a little early for the 8,000 ft. altitude. If you want to get a first-come-first served campsite - you better be there by 9am.

Don't forget or rule out the Forest Service CG's, Many times when visiting the National Parks we will find a FS CG close and use it. They do not fill up near as fast if at all and most are very nice and will equal the NP.
http://www.fs.fed.us/

Good thought on the FS campgrounds. However, if they want to reserve in the National Park campgrounds, the link is here: http://reservations.nps.gov/index.cfm

National forest campgrounds are definitely a good choice. In addition to being generally less crowded than national park campgrounds, they are also less restrictive.