Grand Canyon National Park in a Campervan
Grand Canyon National Park is a diverse destination with a variety of options from the more popular South Rim to the less visited North Rim.
South Rim
If you have never been to the Grand Canyon then visiting the South Rim is a must do to get your visit started. The main village area can be intimidating with all of the activity, but there are many ways to get away from the crowds. Within the main village area, you will find Mather Campground for campervan camping which offers the best sites and closest access to the South Rim area using the bus system. Once you have setup camp there is no reason to drive around, simply walk down to one of the many bus stops. There are usually bike racks for 2 to 3 bikes on most buses if you want to go that route.
One of the most popular areas on the South Rim is the The Hermits Rest Area. Since this route gets so much traffic, there is a bus route that takes you to all of the stops along the way. Only buses can drive on the Hermits Rest route which means that it is a perfect route to ride a bike. We recommend boarding the bus with your bike, ride the bus all the way to the end of the road and then ride your bike back to the start. This allows you to go to each viewpoint at your own speed and enjoy the canyon when it is less crowded since most people don't go any further than the bus stops. There is also a rim trail along the canyon for hiking that connects each viewpoint. This trail is rarely traveled and is a great option to get an up close and personal view of the canyon without the crowds.
If you are looking to get down into the Canyon then your two main options from the South Rim are the South Kaibab Trail and the Bright Angel Trail. The South Kaibab Trail is your more direct option down into the canyon, but your knees might not be liking you by the time you get down to the bottom of canyon. The Bright Angel trail is definitely the more popular trail, but it is longer. With both trails you will tend to find crowds within the first 1/2 mile and then the crowds really start to thin out. By the time you have dropped into the canyon about a mile on these two trails you will only be seeing the most adventurous people and you won't have to dodge around folks.
Operating Hours and Season:
The South Rim of the park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The North Rim of the park closes for Winter. Be sure to check the NPS website for more information.
