How to Camp in The Grand Canyon Part 2: Campgrounds Below the Rim

There are three campgrounds below the rim of the Grand Canyon: Indian Gardens, Bright Angel Campground, and Cottonwood Campground. These campgrounds are located in what is known as 'the corridor', the section of the Grand Canyon surrounding the Bright Angel, South Kaibab, and North Kaibab trails. The corridor gets the most hiking/camping use, so At Large and Designated Site camping is not available. To camp in the corridor, you must camp in one of these three campgrounds.

Indian Gardens is located 7.5km (4.5 miles) down the Bright Angel Trail. This is a great campground for inexperienced hikers who would like to get below the rim. Indian Gardens offers drinking water, toilets, an emergency telephone, and a ranger station. There are no shower facilities available.

Bright Angel Campground is at the bottom of the Grand Canyon where the Bright Angel, South Kaibab and North Kaibab meet. It is 14.9km (9.3 miles) via the Bright Angel Trail, 10.9km (6.8 miles) via the South Kaibab Trail, or 22.7km (14.1 miles) via the North Kaibab Trail. This is a great campground for beginner hikers who would like to camp at the bottom of the canyon, just a few minutes from the mighty Colorado River. Bright Angel Campground offers drinking water, toilets, an emergency telephone, and a ranger station. It is also very close to Phantom ranch, which has a rustic dining hall. There are no shower facilities available.

Cottonwood Campground is located 6.8km (10.9 miles) down the North Kaibab Trail. This is a great campground for hikers starting on the North Rim, or for those doing a Rim To Rim hike. Cottonwood Campground offers drinking water(from May to September), toilets, an emergency telephone, and a ranger station. There are no shower facilities available.

All campgrounds below the rim require permits from the Grand Canyon's Backcountry Office. These permits can be very difficult to obtain in the busiest times of the year. For whichever month you wish to camp, permits are available on the first of the month four months earlier. For example, a permit for any date in October is available on June 1st, and a permit for any date in June is available February 1st.

Permits cost $10, plus $5 per person per night. For example, two people wanting to spend three nights at Bright Angel Campground would pay $40 ($10 + $15 per person).

In Part 3 we'll cover campgrounds located on the South and North Rims.