Trailer Village RV Park – Grand Canyon, AZ
The first time I saw the Grand Canyon I was about 8 years old so I barely remember what it looked like and Kandace had never been, so this stop was a must do as we mapped out our itinerary.
When you see the Grand Canyon for the first time (or the second time without really remembering the first time), you are simply blown away by the depth, breadth and beauty that this big hole in the ground has to offer. If you didn’t do this before you booked your trip, you are probably asking the person in the passenger seat to Google: How deep is the Grand Canyon, How was the Grand Canyon formed, How many people have fallen into the Grand Canyon, How long is the Grand Canyon, How wide in the Grand Canyon, What hikes can you do in the Grand Canyon, Is there anywhere on Earth similar to the Grand Canyon along with countless other trivia questions that have peaked your new found curiosity. We certainly asked many of these questions as we meandered along the canyon rim on the way to our campsite and gained a deeper understanding of our new surroundings.
We pulled into the Trailer Village RV Park that was filled with rows and rows of campers from all over the country seeking some sort of canyon adventure whether it be a mule ride, hike, helicopter ride to the canyon floor or simply stopping for a night or two as we did to gaze into the canyon and check the visit off the bucket list.
The thing about the Grand Canyon is that it is so freaking big that you can walk along the rim for miles and the scenery barely changes so unless you are planning on an excursion into the canyon itself, all the time you really need there is a day or two. It’s also one of those places where pictures just don’t do it justice but here are a few from our trip anyway 😉
We had heard from friends who had done mule rides to the bottom, others at camp who took a helicopter tour and went kayaking on the Colorado River and others who hiked into the canyon from Bright Angel Trail. We found that two days was sufficient enough for us as we didn’t have any big excursions planned and we decided to hike along the rim with Sato versus boarding him and hiking into the canyon.
We did stop at several of the viewpoints along the canyon rim to take in the view including visiting Mather Point which is one of most popular spots for catching sunset. We visited Mather Point twice and both instances the viewing area was packed with people watching in awe and capturing the moment with their cell phones, GoPros and DSLRs.
All of the viewpoints are equally spectacular with slightly different views of the canyon and after a hike along the rim, a visit to the village and an ice cream at the Desert View Watchtower (pictured below), we had had our fill. If we do return one day however, we both agreed that we would like to get down to the bottom for a day of kayaking on the Colorado river.
All that said, here are some takeaways from our Grand Canyon experience.
- The Village RV park is very close to the Grand Canyon Village and Mather Point. It’s a short drive to these points and you can certainly hike to them if you are up for it.
- Elk are common in the area and are often found grazing on the grass or resting in the shade at the campsites.
- There are no showers at the Village RV Park – bathrooms only
- There are no laundry services either however there is a laundry facility at Mather Campground which is adjacent to Village RV Park.
- Village RV Park is a bit overpriced so we recommend booking Mather Campground if you can get in.
- Tusayan is a cool little town near the south entrance if you are looking for easy access to gas, groceries or a place to eat.
- Lastly, for the record – yes people do fall into the Grand Canyon but more people die from heat exhaustion and dehydration. So, if you are planning a hiking trip, make sure you have plenty of water and food. Temps are typically 10 to 20 degrees higher at the bottom of the canyon than at the top and it takes 2 to 3 times longer to hike up than it does to hike down, so it is important to know your limits and be prepared!
If you have any Grand Canyon tips for our readers, please feel free to drop them in the comments section.
Cheers!