Do you need a permit to sleep in Grand Canyon?

Permits for all overnight backcountry use must be obtained through the Backcountry Information Center at Grand Canyon National Park. Reservations for overnight tent or RV camping in developed use areas on the canyon rims (Mather, Desert View, North Rim) are not obtained through the Backcountry Information Center.



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To camp overnight anywhere inside Grand Canyon you must first obtain a permit from the Backcountry Information Center. Restaurants and groceries are available on the South Rim in Grand Canyon Village and Desert View —and on the North Rim during their season.

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Can You Camp in Your Car in the Grand Canyon? Yes, the National Park Service allows you to sleep in your car inside the park, but you still need to reserve a campsite. You cannot just sleep in your car in a parking lot, for example.

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Nestled at the Bottom of Grand Canyon Phantom Ranch is the only lodging below the canyon rim, and can only be reached by mule, on foot, or by rafting the Colorado River. Have questions about the lottery process? Click here for the lottery schedule, additional information and/or FAQs regarding the Phantom Ranch Lottery.

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If you want to spend your nights on the South Rim inside Grand Canyon National Park, choose from six different lodging experiences, including the historic El Tovar Hotel, Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins, Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Maswik Lodge or Yavapai Lodge.

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The South Rim is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including all holidays. Also available year round are most visitor services such as camping, lodging, and restaurants.

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Reservations/permits Camping below the rim in the Grand Canyon requires a backcountry permit, which you can get up to four months in advance of your trip. The park receives about 30,000 requests for backcountry permits each year but issues around 13,000 permits — the earlier you start planning, the better!

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Camping in Grand Canyon National Park will cost you at least the entrance fee to the park. You can, however, find free camping along the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Kaibab National Forest if you would rather skip the entrance fee.

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Overnight lows can still drop near to below freezing occasionally on the North Rim, although typically low temperatures range from the 40s and 50s (4-15°C) at the South Rim to the 60s and 70s (16-26°C) at Phantom Ranch.

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If you want to be close to the best hikes and viewpoints in the park, try to stay in the Grand Canyon Village area. If you're looking for something outside of the park, the town of Tusayan is a great option.

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Though you can't actually drive through the Grand Canyon as each part of the structure has to be conserved, you can drive to and around the region, as well as to the entrances to the North and South Rims.

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If you are mostly concerned about weather, the Grand Canyon's climate has cooler weather and less rainfall between April and June. July and August are the worst months to visit the Grand Canyon due to larger crowds and hotter, wetter weather.

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Prefer coming mid-week or at the beginning of the week: not surprisingly, weekends are the busiest at the Grand Canyon. Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the least busy days, followed by Wednesdays.

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The best times to visit the Grand Canyon are March through May and September through November, when daytime temperatures are cool and crowds are thin. If you decide to visit during the summer (the park's peak season), be prepared for hordes of tourists and very limited lodging availability.

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With just one day at the Grand Canyon South Rim, you can see several viewpoints and even hike into the canyon. Unless you want a super relaxed Grand Canyon vacation on the rim or an adventurous rafting trip down below, one to three days at the Grand Canyon is usually enough time for the highlights.

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Falling Deaths at the Grand Canyon: 198 60 people have fallen off the ledge. 63 people have fallen from inside the canyon. 75 people in this category purposefully jumped or fell to commit suicide.

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Grand Canyon National Park tends to be the most crowded from late May to early September, when children are out of school and families are more apt to take summer vacations.

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Grand Canyon National Park does not require reservations to enter the park, nor do we have timed entry. The parking lots around the Visitor Center usually fill by 12 noon. It's a good idea to arrive early (before 9 am) to find a parking spot and be able to make the most of your time here.

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