WHERE TO STAY a classic railway passenger car for a scenic day trip to the Grand Canyon. CAMPING, GLAMPING & RVS Just a mile from the entrance of Grand Canyon West at Grand Canyon Glamping Resort , stay close to nature — though quite comfortably — when you sleep in a glamping tent, tipi, covered wagon or even a geodesic stargazer dome. Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins HOTELS & LODGING Choose from numerous hotels and lodging options, both inside and outside the park. Located at the top of Bright Angel Trailhead, the historic Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins provides rustic accommodations close to outdoor adventure. Take your pick from budget-friendly lodge rooms with shared bathrooms, standard lodge rooms with private bathrooms or private cabins (one of which was home to one of President Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders”). Thunderbird Lodge and Kachina Lodge are popular choices for families, due to their convenient location within walking distance to many of the park’s attractions, while Maswik Lodge is a remodeled historical lodging option nearby. Perched on the edge of the South Rim, the European chalet-style El Tovar Hotel , which opened in 1905, offers spectacular views, one-of-a-kind rooms and suites, and fine dining in the famous El Tovar Dining Room. Just a mile from the entrance of the park in nearby Tusayan, The Grand Hotel at The Grand Canyon is the area’s only AAA Three Diamond hotel. The rustic chalet-style hotel offers an indoor swimming pool, plus a steakhouse and saloon. In Williams, about 60 miles south of the South Rim, stay in historical luxury at the Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel , a 2024 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winner with an indoor pool and hot tub. At the train depot next door, hop aboard Want to bring your tent or RV? Enjoy the great outdoors at one of the many campsites in the park. Plan ahead and make a reservation at one of the National Park Service campgrounds on the South Rim: Mather Campground or Desert View Campground . For full RV hook-ups, Trailer Village is a concessioner-run RV park. For backpackers and rafters looking to camp in the park anywhere other than in designated campgrounds (or any site in Tuweep Campground ), a backcountry permit is required. Permits must be obtained prior to the start of the trip, and travelers must have a printed permit in their possession. Learn more at nps.gov/ grca/planyourvisit/ backcountry-permit.htm . Grand Canyon National Park Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) is the closest commercial airport to Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim, though Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) offers more frequent flights and route options. (The airport near the entrance of the park is for scenic tours and charter flights only.) Once you’re here, enjoy free shuttle buses that operate on set routes throughout the park. For a $120 fee (per person, one way), the Trans-Canyon Shuttle takes visitors between the North and South rims in under five hours. 8 VISITARIZONA.COM TOP TO BOTTOM: XANTERRA TRAVEL COLLECTION; SAM FAIT ROULER GETTING HERE & AROUND
Arizona Official State Travel Guide Arizona 2025-26: Page 8
