The canyon is an exciting and adventurous experience. You’ll be mesmerized to see the sight of such a huge Canyon. There are a number of RV parks and campgrounds in and near Grand Canyon National Park. RV camping is one of the best ways to enjoy the scenic landscape of Grand Canyon. Some of the best RV campgrounds in Grand Canyon National Park are:
1. Grand Canyon/Desert View:

This campground has a lot to offer to its tourists. Some of its striking features are 50 pull-thrus, pets on leash, tenting facility, restrooms, payphones and Waste dump. This campground is nearby Grand Canyon Village.

2. Grand Canyon/North Rim:

This is one of the best campgrounds of this place. It features 83 pull-thrus, rooms for slide-outs and Bryce Canyon National Park is located just a few minutes away. Some of the basic amenities they provide are restrooms, payphones, tenting services, waste dump, laundry, restaurant and showers.

3. Grand Canyon Railway RV Park:

These RV parks are the most popular destinations in Arizona. They have all state-of-the-art facilities to offer to its visitors. Whether you are in a couple or in a family this Park offers you everything you need for an unforgettable experience.

4. Bright Angel Campground:

This campground is located on the River Colorado’s north shore. The three trails the River trail, the South Kaibab trail and the North Kaibab trail all converge below this campground. The phantom ranch is just half-mile to the north. This place boasts of its lovely surroundings and the presence of Colorado River makes this place absolute paradise to visit. The campground entails a washroom and a ranger station.

5. Kaibab Camper Village:

The place is just 1 mile south west of Jacob Lake Inn. This is the closest full hook-up campground to the Grand Canyon National Park. Horseback riding and great hiking are some of the great features of this place. There is a newly restored Ranger Cabin that offers various interpretive programs, arranged by the Forest Service. People here enjoy calmness of pine trees. The camper store has a huge selection of grocery items, souvenirs and RV parts.

These are some of the best RV campgrounds in Grand Canyon National Park. Make sure you visit them on your next trip to Arizona!

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Camping manners are more than just “please and thank you. ” Having camping manners is a combination of following the rules of the specific campground and also respecting the privacy of any other visitors who share the campground with you. Keep in mind that the campground rules vary whether you are staying in a State or National Park or if you are staying in a private RV or tent campground.

Regardless of where you are staying, first impressions are the most important. If you arrive at a camp site during the evening, keep in mind that it is often very rude to have music blaring or headlights blazing in the eyes of your fellow campers. If arriving late at night, without jeopardizing anyone’s safety, dim the lights a little to make things easier on your neighbors.
Selecting a Campsite: When choosing your spot from among available camp sites, you must first ensure that the spot you are trying to occupy is indeed vacant. Often times when a family goes on vacation, they will head off on day-long excursions thus giving the appearance that the RV campsite is vacant when it is in fact not. Often times, if a family has left the RV campground for the day, they will leave behind some sort of indicator that the space is still theirs such as a couple of chairs or an awning.

Even if the site appears vacant, you might want to ask some of the nearby campers if the spot is available.

Respect Your Neighbors: Be respectful of your neighbors and pick up your trash. Not only can it be unsightly to have napkins and soda bottles blowing around a campground, it can also be dangerous in some places. Depending on where you camp, there might be bears in the area. Bears love it when campers leave food out or trash blowing around, therefore making the tent campground their own personal playground.

Even if you are camping in an area where there is no risk of bears, it is simple common courtesy to pick up after you and your family. Camping is more fun when you can enjoy nature in its purest most pristine form.

If you are camping with rambunctious youngsters, please keep in mind that you are sharing camp sites with strangers who might have come on their camping trip to escape the noise and bustle of the city.   Most campsites have separate areas for children to play in so make sure that you respect your neighbors and make good use of these play areas.

The same principles apply to your pets. There are often more smells, sights and small animals for your pets to chase at a campsite than in your backyard. With this in mind, it is in the best interests of your fellow campers as well as yourself to keep your pet on a leash and always…clean up after your pets!

Obey Campground Rules: Please keep in mind that every campground has specific rules regarding things like fires, smoking, quiet areas and so on. It might be a good idea to be prepared by bringing a small supply of your own firewood. Camp sites frown upon chopping down trees for firewood or kindling; plus, you do not want to bother your neighbors in the middle of the night by inquiring if you can have some wood from their supply, should you happen to run out of firewood during your late night marshmallow roast.

Before loading up your trailer with firewood, however, check with the local laws in the area you will be visiting since some states prohibit the carrying of firewood across state lines.

Furthermore, when quiet hours are posted, make sure that you turn your radio down and keep your voices to a minimum. You would be surprised how well sound can travel in any campsite!  The same principles apply early in the morning. If you are planning to get an early start before you head off to the next RV campground on your tour, try to get your belongings packed up the night before.

This includes any chairs, tables and trash that you might have left lying around. Before you leave, make sure that your fire from the evening before has been fully extinguished and that the ashes around the fire pit have been cleaned up.

Respecting nature around you, as well as your fellow campers is a big part of what can make camping such a great experience. Following the rules makes the whole experience enjoyable for everyone, not to mention ensuring that the RV or tent campground is as safe as possible for everyone staying there.

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Whether you are interested in going camping alone, with your family, with a loved one, or with a group of your friends, you will need to find a campground to camp at. While many individuals just choose to go camping at the nearest campground, you may want to consider doing a little research to find one.

Given the vast number of sites that are available in the US, you want to make sure you choose the best one for you, and your needs. If you are interested in taking the time to find the “perfect” campground, you may be wondering exactly how you can go about doing so.   In all honesty, it will depend on your own wants and needs, as well as the wants and needs of the rest of your camping party.

Although not everyone wants to get the same thing out of their camping trip, there are a number of important factors that you may want to think about, when looking for a campground to camp at.

One of the many things that you will want to take into consideration, when looking for a campground, is the cost of doing so. In the United States, you will find that most campgrounds require the payment of an admission fee or a camping fee, and occasionally even both. The cost of the admission fee or camping fee will all depend on the campground in question. For instance, many smaller campgrounds charge smaller fees. You will likely find larger fees for campgrounds that have more on site activities (like fishing, boating and hiking).

Speaking of onsite activities, activities are something else that you may want to take into consideration, when choosing a campground.

When it comes to the onsite activities of a campground, you may want to take a look at the scenery.   If a campground has an onsite lake or pond, there is a good chance that swimming, boating, and fishing are activities that you may be able to enjoy. Campgrounds are often home to hiking trails, biking trails, playgrounds for children, and much more.

How reservations are taken, is another factor that you may want to think about when planning your camping trip. For instance, there are some campgrounds in the United States that randomly assign you a camping spot.   On the other hand, there are campgrounds that allow you to handpick your camping spot out of all the available locations.   Many campers prefer choosing their own camping spot, as it tends to give them some freedom over their camping trip and how much fun they have.   If you are picky about where you would like to camp, you may want to find a campground that allows you to choose your own camping spot.

Although it is nice to know what you should look for in a campground, it is also important that you know how to find them.

If you are interested in camping locally, you may already know of a number of local campgrounds.   If not, you should be able to use your local phone book, or ask those that you know for recommendations (optimal).   As for campgrounds that are located a ways away from your home, try using Recreation. gov  – “Recreation One-Stop is one of the E-Government initiatives in the President’s Management Agenda to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and customer service of the recreation programs. ”

You may also want to check out Camping Sites Online and Trails. com As a reminder, you may want to think about taking the time to research a number of different campground parks. It is important that you remember that no two campground parks are the same.

To ensure that your next camping adventure is as memorable as possible, you want to make sure that your intended destination is perfect for you and the rest of your camping party. Remember, check our myroadtotravel for all your travel needs.

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Please list the name of the camp and the city.
Thanks!

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There are plenty of opportunities to see wild animals and to enjoy the fragrant and beautiful flora that decorates the mountainsides. Skyline Drive offers bed and breakfast inns and other nearby lodging, as well as numerous camping opportunities, including backcountry camping in the Shenandoah National Forest and family campgrounds along Skyline Drive.

Whether you’re filling up the Coleman chest cooler for an afternoon picnic at one of the picnic areas along Skyline Drive or planning a backpacking trip through the more than 500 miles of hiking trails through the Shenandoah National Forest, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy along the way, not to mention the beautiful vistas and many nearby attractions.

This guide to Skyline Drive will help you plan your visit to this popular scenic roadway. Skyline Drive’s northern end is in Front Royal, VA, off US 340 and just 500 feet above sea level. Both automobiles and bicyclists share the curvy mountain drive, so it is important to obey the 35 mph speed limit along the parkway.

Backcountry camping is allowed throughout the Shenandoah National Forest and a free camping permit can be obtained by mail in advance or at a ranger station after you arrive. A small entrance fee is charged for entrance to Skyline Drive and the pass is good for seven days. Shortly after entering Skyline Drive from the northern end, you will come to the Dickey Ridge visitor center and picnic area at MP 4. 6. The visitor center offers a variety of information as well as exhibits of the surrounding area.

The first campground on Skyline Drive, Mathews Arm, is located at MP 22. 1. Campers can enjoy hiking to Shenandoah National Forest’s tallest waterfall or stroll through a relaxing nature trail near the campground. Nearby, at MP 24. 1 is Elkwallow Wayside for groceries and camping supplies and the Elkwallow picnic area. The Wayside also features a grill serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to carry out to the picnic area or outdoor patio.

At MP 31. 5, you can exit Skyline Drive via Rt. 211 to visit beautiful Luray, VA in the peaceful Shenandoah valley. Luray is home to the amazing Luray Caverns where you can take a guided tour of the magnificent cave formations, including the famous singing rocks. Luray also offers a variety of bed and breakfast lodges, as well as secluded cabin rentals.

Just ahead, at MP 32, you will pass through Mary’s Rock Tunnel, the only tunnel on Skyline Drive. There is an overlook shortly after the tunnel that offers great picture opportunities of the structure.

The Pinnacles picnic area is located at MP 36. 7 on Skyline Drive and offers a peaceful, picturesque spot to enjoy a picnic lunch or cook on one of the available charcoal grills. Restrooms are available here as well.

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Special Value-Added Package!  The 2009 North American Directory with CD-ROM features all of the same information as the directory, but also includes a complete, searchable CD-ROM of the Woodall Campground Directory.  The Woodall’s 2009 CD-ROM is only available with select copies of the printed directory, is completely searchable, and features the entire Woodall’s database of campgrounds, service centers, and attractions.   Special features and editorial exclusive to Woodall’s Campgr…
Buy Woodall’s North American Campground Directory with CD, 2008 at Amazon

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Camping could be done on high mountains, river valleys, forests, natural parks, or other places closely related to Mother Nature. Even though camping is usually done with tents or other make-shift shelters, primitive structures like caves could also be used for camping.

A few people prefer to spend their camping time in the open, without the help of any kind of shelter. Most of the time, camping is combined with another recreational activity like hill climbing, trekking, canoeing, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, whitewater rafting, etc. Here are a few ideas to enjoy camping as a great hobby and also have terrific fun at the same time.

Camping Amenities:

Before setting out on a camping trip, decide on the level of the amenities that you wish to have. This would normally depend on the people who participate in the camp, if others are also involved. If the camping area is a rugged one, then all the participants should be healthy enough to withstand the rigors of the camp.

However, certain basic amenities are available to all backpackers nowadays, like comfortable beds or mattresses, folding chairs, solar powered heater, lanterns, and satellite phones, etc. If you wish to have more amenities, then recreational vehicles that are provided with bathrooms, showers, kitchen, air conditioning, television and home theatre, etc. are also available.

The camping gear also comes in several ranges that suit all kinds of budgets and amenities. These could be ascertained from the various websites of camping gear suppliers on the Internet.

Mobile Camping:

Bicycle camping trips, motorcycle camping tours, canoe camping, recreational vehicles, etc. offer easier mobility, compared to backpacking. Backpacking generally involves trekking and hiking, while the other mobile camping arrangements help in moving around without any difficulty. On the other hand, the amount of materials that could be carried in a bicycle or a motorcycle is somewhat limited, compared to canoes or recreational vehicles.

Still, the technological advancements in camping materials do allow present day campers to carry adequate stuff even on bicycles and motorcycles.

Camping Equipment:

The normal camping equipment consists of the following items.

Tent material for making a proper tent or a lean-to shelter, according to taste and the area of camping
Hammer and tent stakes, along with ropes for securing the tent material and also for clothesline
Sleeping bags with air mattresses or pads, along with blankets
First aid kits
Flashlights or lanterns or solar lamps
Axe or hatchet for cutting firewood, if you plan to have campfire
Hiking boots, insect repellants, sunscreens, sun tan lotions, raincoats, etc. , to protect from the vagaries of nature
Folding chairs, trash bags, towels, solar heaters, etc. as per your personal preferences and tastes
Sustainable food items like dried fruits, nuts, etc. that last for a longer period

Apart from the above ideas, there are several more that you could think of on your own and implement easily with less cost. The fundamental rule is to enjoy camping as a great hobby and terrific fun.

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Bog Springs Campground

Bog Springs is the only campground in Madera Canyon – a world-class birding area with over 200 species of birds. Hawks, Quail, Doves, Road Runners, Owls, Woodpeckers, Hummingbirds, Jays, Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Thrashers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Bridled Titmice, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and many more bird species can all be seen in the Madera Canyon area.

The campground is at an elevation of 5,200 feet and is small (only 13 camp sites). Once the birds arrive in early spring, it fills up fast. Weekdays are best for finding a camp site during the peak bird watching season.

It’s also a great base camp for hiking, biking and stargazing. Three trails leave from the campground to nearby springs and the campground is just a short walk away from Madera Picnic Area, where there is access to a nature trail. Within driving distance are over 65 miles of Forest trails that lead into the Mt. Wrightson Wilderness, a mountain bike ride around spectacular Elephant Head Rock, and three scenic drives, one of which visits the Smithsonian’s Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory.

If you’re not a bird watcher and don’t like to hike, Bog Springs is still a great campground to visit with beautiful views of the Santa Rita Mountains and surrounding desert/arid landscape. The campground is open all year. We visited the campground in Late November (not many birds that time of year). The weather and scenery were gorgeous.

Most of the camp sites had beautiful views of the mountains and desert landscape. There were only 2 other campers in the campground at the time. Most of the camp sites are shaded and well spaced with boulders, trees and other vegetation providing good separation between sites. Some of the sites are terraced which also provides separation. The campground has a rustic feel but is very easy to get to with paved roads almost all the way to the entrance.

Getting to the campground is easy. From Tuscon, go toward Green Valley (about 25 miles). Off Interstate 19, take the Continental Road/Madera Canyon Exit. Turn east and follow the Madera Canyon signs 12. 5 miles to the campground.

For more information on this campground, call the District National Forest office at 520-281-2296.

Lakeview Campground

Lakeview campground is located on a hill overlooking Parker Canyon Lake. Many of the campsites are well shaded and are spread among a stand of oaks and junipers. Although the campground is just a short walk to the lakeshore, only the tent sites have views of the beautiful clear waters of Parker Canyon Lake.

Lakeview Campground is more remote and less accessible than other campgrounds which is a plus if you don’t like crowds. There is a five mile trail hugging the shoreline that leads around Parker Canyon Lake. The lake is great for watching ducks and other waterfowl as well as bald eagles, osprey and even hummingbirds in season. The trail has several viewing areas with benches and interpretive signs.
Parker Canyon Lake is also great for fishing. It offers both cold and warm water species, including stocked rainbow trout and resident bass, sunfish, and catfish. There is a fishing pier and a paved boat ramp at the lake. There is also a small concessionaire-operated store at the lakeshore for boating, fishing and other supplies.

Getting there from Tucson isn’t quite as easy as Bog Springs. A good bit of the access roads are not paved. From Tucson, travel east on Interstate 10 to State Route 83 (exit 281) and turn south 50 miles through Sonoita to Parker Canyon Lake.
For more information on Lakeview campground call the District National Forest office at 520-378-0311.

If you like bird watching, hiking, fishing or boating and appreciate beautiful views from your camp site, try Bog Springs or Lakeview campgrounds.

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