Desert View Campground (Reservations Required)
The Quick Take
Desert View is the Grand Canyon's quieter alternative to the circus at Mather Campground, and that alone makes it worth the 23-mile drive east from the Village. With fewer than fifty sites tucked near the park's East Entrance, it trades convenience for breathing room -- you won't hear your neighbor's generator playlist here (generators get just four hours a day). The trade-off is real: no showers, no flush toilets, no dump station, and cell service is effectively nonexistent. What you get instead is proximity to the stunning Desert View Watchtower, noticeably thinner crowds on nearby rim trails, and some of the South Rim's best sunrise views without fighting for a parking spot. This is the campground for people who came to see the canyon, not the gift shops. Choose Desert View if you're self-sufficient, don't need hookups, and want the South Rim experience without the South Rim mob scene.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 49 sites are reservable.
Book at Grand Canyon LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. Maximum length: 20 feet. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
2 ADA-accessible campsites. Accessible restrooms available. The 2 sites within Desert View Campground, that are closest to the restrooms, are identified as ADA campsites. A number of picnic tables within the campground are wheelchair accessible. Desert View Campground is now on a reservation basis through recreation.gov. on line, or by phone 877-444-6777. It is possible to do a same day-call and/or online reservation. With an Access Pass or Golden Access pass, the cost per site is $9. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Generators:•Generator Hours are from 7-9 am and 6-8 pm ONLY.
- Occupancy:total is the maximum length for RVs or vehicles pulling travel trailers.
- Stay Limit:•All sites have a continuous 14-day limit and 30 day per year limit.
Pro Tips
Reservations open on a rolling six-month window and this campground has zero first-come, first-served sites -- not one. Book exactly six months out for peak summer weekends, especially July Fourth week. Same-day reservations do occasionally appear from cancellations, so check recreation.gov early in the morning if you're feeling lucky.
The Desert View Watchtower is a five-minute drive from your tent, and it's one of the best sunrise spots on the entire South Rim with a fraction of the crowd you'd face at Mather Point. Walk over before the tour buses arrive from Flagstaff -- by 9 AM the parking lot fills up.
There's no dump station and the water spigots explicitly cannot fill RV tanks, so arrive with full fresh water and a plan for gray water. The camp store sells firewood and ice but stock up on real groceries in Flagstaff or Cameron before you get here -- options at the East Entrance are extremely limited.
Photos
NPS Photo
NPS Photo
NPS PhotoGetting There
Directions
Desert View Campground is located within the Desert View Settlement at the East Entrance to Grand Canyon National Park. 36°02'24"N - 111°49'20"W (36.040000, -111.822222) Altitude 7,463 ft./ 2,275 m. The entrance road to the campground is the first right past the gas station. Desert View is located 23 miles/ 37 km east of Grand Canyon Village, on SR 64/Desert View Drive, on the South Rim of the park.
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