Why RVers stay here
Desert View Campground is a small, no-hookup National Park Service campground on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, about 25 miles east of Grand Canyon Village along the East Rim Drive. It is the quieter alternative to the village campgrounds, with views toward the Painted Desert and the Colorado River, and the Desert View Watchtower within walking distance. It suits self-contained campers in rigs to about 30 feet who want a low-cost, low-crowd rim camp during the shoulder season.
The practical picture is minimal: 50 sites, no hookups, no water at the campground, so fill up in Grand Canyon Village before driving out. Our snowbird guide lists $12 a night and a season of roughly May through mid-October, which means it is not an option for deep-winter snowbirding. Our guide covers it briefly, so check the NPS for current reservation procedures and exact dates. The trade-off is services: the Grand Canyon is a must-see, not a must-base, and Desert View is best treated as a three-to-five-night stop rather than a long stay.
- ✓The cheapest and quietest developed option on the South Rim at $12 a night
- ✓Views toward the Painted Desert and the Colorado River, with the Watchtower a walk away
- ✓Well away from the Grand Canyon Village crowds
- ✓Works for the shoulder season if your timing lands in early October or late April
- !No hookups and no water at the campground; fill tanks in Grand Canyon Village first
- !Generally limited to rigs around 30 feet
- !Seasonal, roughly May through mid-October, so unavailable for winter