Campsite Recommendations At Mather- Grand Canyon

[ADKinLA]

I am already starting to plan for 2013 (Mayan's be damned) and want to go with the lads to the Grand Canyon. Obviously Mather pops up for the South Rim so if you have any specific campsites to recommend (looking for pine trees and relative quiet) please send them my way, thanks!

[ADKinLA]

Also, once you get to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, any recommendations on where to go, say starting from Bright Angel or Indian campgrounds? Are there trails leading to slot canyons, etc? Any insight would be appreciated!

[clydekilgore]

Hello,

Camping on the South Rim at any of the Mather campsites is fine. I usually try to camp in one of the sites in "loop A" or maybe it is called "Aspen Loop". It is sites 1 through 59. You can make reservations through recreation.gov.

Camping below the rim requires a backpacking permit, and those become available 4 months prior to the month you wish to hike. it is by a somewhat lottery, All reservations that are received on the first of the month are shuffled then doled out.

Deciding on which hikes you want to do below the rim is important. A "typical" first hike in the canyon is down to Bright Angel campground via the South Kaibab trail, with one or two nights there. This is right at Phantom Ranch and there are several hikes that can be taken if you spend an extra night there.

Hiking out is usually done via the Bright Angel Trail either with a stop along the way at Indian Gardens or not. Again, if you stop at IG, you can take an extra sight seeing hike to Plateau Point or not.

There are other good 1st hikes in the GC. Hiking down to Horseshoe Mesa for the night and back the next day is a very straightforward and short hike (It can be a dayhike as well). Horseshoe mesa is a dry campsite, so you have to carry water for as long as you will be there.

Depending on when you decide to go, and if you want company, let me know. I spend quite a lot of time at the GC, and it does not take much to get me to agree to a hike there. I would advise not going there in the summer. Way too hot at the bottom of the canyon. South Rim or North Rim is fine in the summer.

clyde

clydekilgore@cox.net