The South Rim has one full-hookup RV campground inside the park and a 30-foot limit at Mather, so choose where you will sleep before you plan the views.
The South Rim is the most visited part of Grand Canyon National Park. Grand Canyon Village is the activity center and transportation hub, free shuttles run year-round, and Desert View Drive (Arizona 64) runs 23 miles east to the Desert View area.
RV camping inside the park comes down to two places. Trailer Village RV Campground is the only in-park campground with full hookups (30 and 50 amp) and paved pull-through sites up to 50 feet. Mather Campground has no hookups and a 30-foot maximum vehicle length. Desert View Campground is seasonal with no hookups.
As of October 22, 2026, the National Park Service camping page lists Trailer Village as closed because of a water shortage. If you need hookups, check that page and call before you book anything else.
| Entrance fee | $35 per private vehicle, valid 7 days (America the Beautiful passes accepted) |
|---|---|
| Trailer Village | Full hookups, 30/50 amp, pull-through to 50 ft, open year-round, run by Delaware North. Listed as closed for a water shortage on October 22, 2026 |
| Mather Campground | Open all year, no hookups, 30 ft maximum vehicle length |
| Desert View Campground | No hookups, 23 miles east of the Village. Open April 11–October 18, 2026. Reservations required |
| Tusayan–Montane (Ten-X) | National Forest campground, no hookups, 9 miles south of the Village. Open May 15–October 10, 2026 |
| Reservations | Park campgrounds can be booked up to 6 months ahead on Recreation.gov or at 877-444-6777 |
Length limits are the main rig issue on the South Rim. Mather and Trailer Village are very different.
Mather and Trailer Village are open all year. The other campgrounds close by season, and the rim is high enough that weather matters.
| Time of year | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Spring (April–May) | Desert View opens April 11 in 2026 and Tusayan–Montane opens May 15. |
| Summer | All South Rim campgrounds are open and booked well ahead. Allow a full six months for the best choice. |
| Fall (September–October) | Desert View closes October 18 and Tusayan–Montane October 10 in 2026. The North Rim campground closes October 15. |
| Winter | Mather and Trailer Village stay open. Check the park for snow and road conditions before you travel. |
Park details come from the National Park Service. The Tusayan private campground is listed on the park’s camping page and has not been independently checked.
Best for: The only in-park full-hookup RV campground, close to the Village and shuttles.
Watch out: Listed as closed for a water shortage on October 22, 2026. Confirm before you plan around it.
Best for: Walking to the Village and a free shuttle stop. Dump station, water and pay showers nearby.
Watch out: Larger rigs do not fit. Generator hours are limited and Pine Loop bans generators.
Best for: A quieter eastern-rim base near the Desert View area.
Watch out: Seasonal and no hookups. We could not confirm a length limit, so ask before you book a long rig.
Best for: Dry camping near the south entrance with lower demand.
Watch out: No showers or hookups. Reservations are recommended.
Best for: Hookups outside the park if Trailer Village is closed.
Watch out: Listed with a phone number only: (928) 638-2887. Confirm site lengths and season directly.
Camping inside the canyon requires a backcountry permit and is not an RV option.
These plans assume you park the RV at camp and use the free shuttles. A rig that fits a Village lot is still easier to leave than to move.
First visit.
Photographers and families.
Anyone who wants spare days.
Where most visitors park for a first look at the canyon. Four large parking areas and the shuttle transit center are here.
A small settlement 23 miles east of Grand Canyon Village at the end of Desert View Drive.
Arizona 64 connects the Village to Desert View with overlooks along the way. Do this drive with the tow vehicle.
The park’s activity center and transportation hub. It is also the only place the railroad reaches the rim.
Shuttles run year-round to the Village and scenic overlooks, and the ride is included with your entrance fee.
The light is best early and late. Check the park’s site for times and bring a layer.
Use the shuttles. They are free with your entrance fee and avoid parking trouble at the busiest overlooks.
Park once. RV-friendly lots are marked with a green arrow on the Village parking map.
Carry your pass. Every visitor must have an entrance pass, and the park accepts cards only.
Tusayan, just outside the south entrance, is the nearest place for fuel and groceries. Plan your fill-ups there. Mather has a dump station and water fill-up near Camper Services.
Fees below are from the National Park Service.
| Item | What we found | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance fee | $35 per vehicle | Valid 7 days and covers everyone in the vehicle. |
| Annual pass | $70 Grand Canyon, $80 America the Beautiful | Seniors 62+ pay $20 annual or $80 lifetime for America the Beautiful. |
| Campground rates | Not listed on the pages we read | Check Recreation.gov for Mather and Desert View and Delaware North for Trailer Village. |
| Tusayan–Montane | $10 per night for one vehicle | Listed on an older park page. Confirm the current rate. |
Fees are the amounts listed by the managing agency when this guide was checked. Use the budget worksheet to add fuel, groceries and contingency.
Mather has a 30-foot maximum for any vehicle or trailer. Larger rigs should look at Trailer Village, where pull-through sites fit units up to 50 feet.
Trailer Village is the only one. The park’s camping page lists it as closed for a water shortage as of October 22, 2026, so check before you book.
Yes for most. Park campgrounds are booked well in advance and can be reserved up to six months ahead. Desert View requires reservations.
Yes. Shuttle rides are included with your park entrance fee and run year-round.
It was open through October 15, 2026, with no water or hookups, and the park lists limited fall day use through November 30 unless snow closes it earlier.
Tusayan–Montane is a National Forest campground without hookups, and Grand Canyon Camper Village in Tusayan lists hookups. Confirm both directly.
Rules were checked October 22, 2026. The park’s pages disagree in places, such as Tusayan–Montane season dates, so use the camping page as the starting point and confirm by phone.