First time visitor to Grand Canyon
 

Hello, I am traveling on my own to the Grand Canyon - probably in September. What is the closest airport to fly in to? I also plan to camp to save money. Does anyone have experience tent camping in the campgrounds there? Any other advice you can give would be great. I probably have about a week. Thanks

The closest airport for regular commercial flights would be Flagstaff, but it is much easier to get flights to either Phoenix or Las Vegas. Each of those is about a 4.5-hour drive from the South Rim. However, if you want to visit both the North and South Rims, which you could easily do in a week, Las Vegas is the best choice. If you rent a car, you can do a nice loop to include both (and Zion, if you like, as it is one the way from the North Rim to Las Vegas).

There are nice campgrounds inside the national park at both the North and South Rims. You can reserve a tent space if you like at www.recreation.gov.
We have not camped at these campgrounds; only at the one at the bottom of the canyon. but you need a permit and strong hiking legs to do that. And I believe the permits for September are all gone (we tried to get one and did not succeed).

Mather Campground at the South Rim is a forested campground but the campsites are pretty close together. It's a nice campground as far as National Parks go. There's a laundry mat & pay showers at the campground entrance and you can walk to the shuttle stop so you can leave your vehicle in the campground and not have to worry about parking.

It's been years since we camped at the N. Rim, but it's about the same from what I remember.

If you know your dates I'd make reservations. September should be nice weather. If you decide to check out Bryce and Zion National Parks, both have two campgrounds each.

Bryce is high elevation wooded forest. There are pay showers here. North Campground takes reservations and Sunset is first come first serve and will fill up fast.

Both campgrounds in Zion are nice and on the Virgin River. South campground is first come first serve and fill up fast. You can make reservations at Watchman Campground. There are no showers in Zion, but you can pay for them just outside the park at the private campground.

Utahtea

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Thank you all for your help. I'll talk with the airlines first to see where I can fly into. Since I'm on my own, I'd just as soon not have to drive too much. But if I feel adventurous, I just might check out the other parks. As for hiking down, I think my legs are past that point.

I'm pretty wide open as to my dates. I just have to pick a week. Is Mather the only campground, or is it just the closest?

Mather Campground is the closest to the Grand Canyon Village and many of the most spectacular overlooks. You are within walking distance of the rim or you can pick up the free shuttle buses. There is another campground at Desert View, but I've never camped there.

One of our favorite things to do is walk along the rim till we get tired, then pick up the free shuttle buses to take us back.

Utahtea

we camped at Desert View and love it ...real quiet....nice restrooms and picnic tables at each site...be sure to take flash light cause it sure gets dark walking back from the restrooms....you can travel by car to the main camp ground Mather for hot showers and laundry if need be....really nice place to camp as are most NP camp grounds

Hi beej,

Just returned from another trip to the Grand Canyon. We camped this time at Desert View and really liked it. I think it is only about 45 sites compared to the MUCH larger, and more hectic, Mather. Desert View sites are very level and well-spaced. Nice restrooms and a short walk to the rim. First come, first served at Desert View-no reservations. It is also self-service, so you can choose your own site from those available. Mather does take reservations, and in season, assigns sites.

North Rim campground is okay, but sites are relatively close together and it is about 1 mile from the lodge and other facilities.

Always lots of tents in all GC campgrounds.

I'd fly into Phoenix and stop by Sedona on the way up.