Where to Camp for Free at the Grand Canyon
Here is a list of places to camp for free around Grand Canyon National Park.
Consistently among the top ten of the most popular national parks in the United States, there is actually a lot of free camping available within a 30-minute drive to the Grand Canyon’s main visitor center and viewing areas.
Grand Canyon National Park is completely surrounded by Kaibab National Forest, and this forest has a policy of allowing dispersed camping just about anywhere within its boundaries up to a maximum of 14 days, without cost, permits, or reservations.
Here is a list of the most popular dispersed camping area surrounding Grand Canyon National Park, all located within Kaibab National Forest…
[Click here to see a map of these locations]
South Rim
Long Jim Loop, (7.0 miles from Grand Canyon Village) – Located inside Tusayan Village, this is a small section of forest road with about a dozen previously-used campsites.
Forest Road 302, (7.7 miles from Grand Canyon Village) – Located next to Tusayan Village, there are dozens of previously-used campsites running for some 16 miles of this road.
Forest Road 688, (11.5 miles from Grand Canyon Village) – Located at the mid-part of the Tusayan Ranger District, also offers dozens of previously-used campsites.
Forest Road 310, (15.9 miles from Grand Canyon Village) – Located close to Grandview Lookout Tower, there are dozens of previously-used campsites along this road.
Forest Road 305, (16.0 miles from Grand Canyon Village) – Located at the southern part of the Tusayan Ranger District but offers dozens of previously-used campsites.
Old AZ 64, (32.0 miles from Grand Canyon Village), Located in the eastern section of the forest, this is better suited for campers wanting to explore the east portion of the park.
Forest Road 307, (35.7 miles from Grand Canyon Village), Located in the furthest south-east section of the forest, this places you equidistant from Grand Canyon Village and the town of Cameron.
North Rim
East Side of Highway 67, (17.6 miles from North Rim Visitor Center), There are dozens of previously-used campsites along the east side of Highway 67.
West Side of Highway 67, (17.7 miles from North Rim Visitor Center), There are also dozens of previously-used campsites along the west side of Highway 67 along numerous forest roads
Saddle Mountain Overlook, (30.8 miles from North Rim Visitor Center), Located furthest east in the North Kaibab Ranger District, this has only a few previously-used campsites, but offers amazing views of the North Rim.
Rules For Boondocking Inside Kaibab National Forest
There is a maximum stay of 14 days in any 30-day period. After exhausting your 14 days, you cannot camp anywhere in Kaibab National Forest until that 30-day period has expired. See Forest Order Number: 03-07-20-03-R
You cannot camp within one (1) mile of a developed campground. See Forest Order Number 03-07-01-23-02
You cannot block livestock or wild animals from accessing water within 1/4 mile of a body of water, or man-made watering container. This is a statewide law, see “Arizona Revised Statute § 17-308 Unlawful camping“.
Backcountry Camping Inside Grand Canyon National Park
The only way to legally camp in the backcountry areas of Grand Canyon National Park is with a backcountry camping permit.
These permits are issued to hikers who plan to tent camp. Vehicle-based camping is not allowed anywhere inside Grand Canyon National Park, except for developed campgrounds.
Backcountry camping permits are not free. They cost $15.00 per person.
However, these permits are very difficult to get. The park issues only 750 of these permits per year, and you have to enter a lottery to get one. Tens of thousands of people each year enter the lottery.
Grand Canyon National Park has a webpage about how to enter.
Boondocking Sites of the Week
[Visit our Boondocking Map for more Sites]
Hackberry Lake Campground South, Carlsbad, NM, (GPS: 32.6187, -103.9443), This is a developed campground offered for free by the Bureau of Land Management. Located about 50 miles west of Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center, and about 23 miles from the city center of Carlsbad, there are 8-9 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. On weekends its crowded with OHV riders, but during the week it remains quiet. See the map and details about this campground.
Brazoria County Beach Access #4, Galveston, TX, (GPS: 29.0270, -95.1868), The fourth beach access point is perhaps the most peaceful and idyllic of the five beach access areas managed by Brazoria County. The sand is well-packed and drivable by any vehicle, including full sized RVs, just don’t drive too close to the sand dunes. There’s a good mile of camping here and plenty of room to find an open space. See the map and details about this access area.
Forest Road 239, Victor, ID, (GPS: 43.5551, -111.0752), If you find yourself getting shut out of free camping around the Grand Tetons and Jackson, WY, you can drive another 30 minutes to the Idaho border and find plenty of free camping. This is a developed campground with a few campsites, offered for free by Caribou-Targhee National Forest. You may find the tiny town of Victor and its lone brewery and touristy restaurants to be a great replacement to the crowded Jackson. See the map and details about this campground.
Where to Take a Shower When You Live in a Van or Car?
There are numerous places to get a shower, most of which cost something, when you live in a car or van. Here is a list of the most popular options that many vehicle-dwellers choose…
Fitness Centers
All fitness centers have shower facilities. Fitness centers with locations across the country are the best option. Get a membership that allows you to visit any of their locations.
Choose a fitness center brand that has locations open 24 hours a day. This offers the most freedom, and you can often get away with parking at these locations overnight.
A fitness center membership is only good for one person, you. You will have to buy a membership for each person in your vehicle.
Campgrounds
Campgrounds operated by a government agency (county, state, BLM, USFS, ACOE, etc.) all operate developed campgrounds, and many of these have shower facilities.
Look for campgrounds that do not have manned entry gates, so that you can drive in freely and use their shower facilities.
Campgrounds run by U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers tend to have unmanned entry gates. Some state campgrounds (such as Oklahoma) also have unmanned entry gates too.
These shower facilities are typically coin-operated.
YMCA
Young Men’s Christian Association is a nationwide chain of gyms. They offer much lower rates than fitness centers, and you can purchase a national membership if you want. They all offer shower facilities. You typically only find YMCAs in large cities.
Truck Stops
Showers can be pretty expensive at truck stops like Love’s, Pilot, Flying J, T/A, etc. You can expect to pay between $12.00 to $15.00 for a shower. These facilities, however, are usually pretty clean and modern.
Many of these businesses offer discounts for frequent buyers, but it’s pretty steep. Most offer a free shower each day if you buy 1,000 gallons of diesel each month, which is way out of the range for most boondockers.
Community Swimming Pools
Most medium to large sized cities have municipally owned swimming pools open to the public. These all have shower facilities. You don’t have to swim in the pool, just shower and get out.
You’ll still have to pay the entrance fee, which usually costs between $5.00 to $10.00 per adult, and is usually discounted for children.
If you are not a resident of the city, there is often a non-resident surcharge, ranging anywhere from 20% to 50%.
Boat Marinas
If you’re close to the waterfront, there will be several boat marinas. Each marina is effectively a campground for boats. They offer restrooms, laundromat, showers, a store, a cafe, and some kind of common area where people can gather and hangout.
Most showers at boat marinas are coin-operated. But some are also paid at a front desk, then you are given a code to punch in.
You don’t have to have a boat. You can drive in and park in the marina parking lot.
Public Beaches
Most public beaches have an outdoor shower facility. They are meant to rinse off salt water. You’ll have to park in the beach parking lot, and you will likely have to pay to park. Otherwise, the shower is usually free.
Public beach showers are always cold water.
Homeless Shelters
Every city with at least 20,000 residents has a homeless shelter somewhere. They all have shower facilities, and are usually free…
Some will require you to sleep there at least one night to use the shower.
Many homeless shelters schedule their showers during certain hours (like between 8:00am to 11:00am).
A few will actually let anyone come in and shower and then leave.
Water Jug Shower
If all else fails, get a few jugs of water at a grocery store (usually $0.50 to $1.00 per one-gallon jug), then sit them under the sun for a few hours to warm up.
You can now shower outdoors, in some place with privacy.