“come lie beneath tall canopies of Ponderosa PIne”
Overview Mather Campground is located on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona. Grand Canyon is one of the most inspiring landscapes on Earth and draws over five million visitors per year to its spectacular scenery. The campground is large and can accommodate a variety of needs and comfort levels. It is the only campground within Grand Canyon Village. Scenic overlooks, the park's free shuttle bus system, the Visitor Center, the general store and hiking and biking trails are all within a few miles from the facility. The campground is at an elevation of approximately 7,000 ft. Summers are sunny with high temperatures generally in the 80s. Thunderstorms frequently occur in July, August, and early September. Fall and spring are mostly sunny and cool with the occasional snow. Weather is variable; visitors should come prepared.Recreation From the campground, campers can access the Greenway, a paved walking and biking trail that leads to scenic overlooks and the Visitor Center. The Rim Trail, a paved walking trail, is one mile away and runs for 14 miles along the edge of the canyon. Leashed pets are allowed on both trails, but are not permitted below the rim. Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails descend into the canyon. Their trailheads are a short shuttle bus ride from the campground. The park's concessionaire also offers day and overnight mule riding trips into the canyon and along the rim.Facilities Mather Campground is a large facility with 327 campsites. Each site includes a campfire ring with a cooking grate, picnic table, parking space and room for up to three tents. There are flush toilets and drinking water spigots throughout the campground. There are no hookups available but there is a free dump station near by at Camper Services. Trailer Village, located next to Mather Campground, has hookups and can accommodate larger RVs. Almost all of the RV spaces are pull-through. Generators are NOT permitted in Pine Loop (sites 265-319).Natural Features Mather Campground lies beneath a mixture of a tall canopy of Ponderosa pine, Pinyon, and Juniper trees, providing most campsites with ample shade. The campground is one mile from the rim of the canyon. A visit to the canyon during sunrise and sunset yields spectacular views of yellow, orange, red and violet hues in the canyon walls. Layers of rock display billions of years of geologic history. Campers can take a short shuttle bus ride from the campground to the Visitors Center. Visitors can also visit Yavapai Geology Museum, where they learn about the forces that formed the canyon. Below, visitors can see the mighty Colorado River, which flows 277 miles through the bottom of the canyon. Wildlife abounds on the South Rim, including elk, mule deer, coyotes, lizards, songbirds and the endangered California condor. Although condors nest below the rim, they can be seen soaring several thousand feet above the canyon in search for carrion. Nearby Attractions Numerous visitor centers, restaurants, museums and shops are within a shuttle bus ride from the campground. Beyond the village, Desert View provides one of the widest views of Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert. The Desert View Watchtower displays the talent of architect Mary Jane Colter. Tusayan Ruin and Museum provide glimpses into the life of a small Ancestral Puebloan village 800 years ago. Both are within 25 miles from the campground.
Reviews of Mather Campground - South Rim
75 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
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$18
Stayed here two nights in a row. There seem to be regular cancellations around spring break, but make sure that the ranger actually checks the computer to see if there are any open spots.
We stopped by in the morning around 9am to see if we could get another night and were told to make reservations 6 months in advance, but when we visited later at 11 to check out (a different ranger helped us) we were asked if we wanted to stay another night. We stayed and were shocked at how many empty campgrounds were there the second night, especially after being told that there were no vacancies! We saw at least 5 on the Juniper loop alone!
Maybe the first ranger was having a bad day?
Either way the grounds are awesome, running water and clean facilities. Deer and elk welcomed us both mornings, great time.
Great basic campground close to everything you could need. No complaints! Make sure you book plenty ahead if you want a spot, especially in the busy months!
We stayed at the Mather Campground for 2 nights. It was a nice campsite overall. There were some downsides like the sites being very close together, having to pay to shower and the site not having a soft surface to pitch the tent (small pebbles and rocks had been put there). The distance from the rim of the Canyon is awesome though. It took us about 20 min from the campground to walk to the rim (Mather Point). A great place to stay if you want to be within walking distance to the canyon.
Stayed for a night in mid April. Very clean and well kept campground. Nice large spots and clean restrooms.
Stayed here twice (as a walk-in tent camper and with a Jucy Camper). Location is the main advantage of this Campground. Sites are fairly close to each other but in a pine forest. Restrooms get busy, not a lot of showers for such a large campground, be prepared to wait and step in right after another person. If you plan to do some real hiking in and out of canyon and don't want to splurge on a hotel, this is the place to be as it is centrally located and close to major points within the park.
Great spot with very friendly staff and cheap prices! I did not have reservations but was very lucky to have scored the last spot of someone who left early. So you may want to make reservations so you are not left out in the cold. The shuttles do not allow pets, which sux because I was disabled and my dog had heart problems, also make sure you have change for the showers, they are two bucks but it gives you plenty of time to get done what you need to get done.
We stayed here because the campground with hookups was full but ended up loving it. It's a beautiful area, and it's not far from Mather Point, which is a great lookout spot. The bathrooms were clean but there's no soap so bring your own.
Reserve your campsite up to 6 months ahead of time.
If you are looking for a spot near the South Rim this is a good choice for 30 and under rigs. The spots can be a little tricky to get into due to turns and trees. Some trees showed signs of damage from RVs. Popular with Cruise America RV renters who won't be getting a full deposit back. Very walkable to the Grand Canyon. The nearby RV trailer campground looked like a parking lot in comparison.
Nightly Rate: -
Days Stayed: 2
Site Number: -
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Mather Campground - South Rim
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Check In
- 12:00 PM
- Max Stay
- 7
- Check Out
- 11:00 AM
- Max Length
- 30 ft
- Sites Count
- 356
- Last Nightly Rate
- 9.0
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 8.0
- Back In RV Sites Count
- 15
- Equestrian Sites Count
- 2
- Group Tent Sites Count
- 7
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 50 ft
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Sites
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Laundry
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Propane
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Showers
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Big Rigs
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Boondock
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Firewood
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RV Sites
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Tent Sites
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Cabin Sites
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Full Hookup
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Paved Sites
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Dump Station
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Mobile Homes
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Public Water
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Pull Through
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Reservations
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Sewer Hookup
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Water Hookup
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Potable Water
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Age Restricted
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Dispersed Sites
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Open Seasonally
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Permit Required
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Back In RV Sites
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Equestrian Sites
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Group Tent Sites
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Trailer Permitted
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Fulltime Residents
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Standard Tent Sites
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Pull Through RV Sites
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Vehicle Wash Permitted
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Outdoor Seating
Campground, Parking, Dining, Restrooms
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