I just got a letter from the Park Service denying my permit request for overnighting in the Grand Canyon in May. What have others done in this circumstance? Can you go from south rim to north in one day without camping? How easy is it to get a permit at the park service office when you get there? Thanks.
Fireweed
Yes, you can hike rim to rim in a day. Presuming you’re thru hiking the AZT, it might be a snap by then. Lots of folks even do a rim to rim to rim in a day, mostly runners though. It’s nice trail with good water, usually.
GCNP does not reserve any sites for walk-ins, as far as I’ve seen.
You might be able to get a less-desirable site, not at the bottom. There’s also something about legal stealth camping somewhere near trail on the way up the North Kaibab, I think. Call the backcountry office about that, or hopefully someone more knowledgeable will speak up.
Garlic
Just show up to the backcountry office and get a permit. There is a waiting list for the next day, and spots that they sell only to walk ins. I never got denied a permit at the backcountry office as a walk in. Or just go to the bottom and make a friend and share thier site.
Guino
You might stay at Phantom Ranch, bottom of the canyon near the river. They’re private and kind of pricey ($50) but you get a hot shower and a cold beer out of it.
When I hiked thru, all the campsites were “full” yet I didn’t see a single tent set up at Cottonwood Camp, just north of Phantom Ranch.
bowlegs
Thanks, everyone, I feel more reassured about this–I did put in a reservation for Phantom Ranch. If I don’t get that–I think I will be in good enough shape to do the whole thing in one day by the time I get there walking from Tucson. Or get a walk-in permit.
Fireweed
While a conditioned thru-hiker can make it Rim to Rim in a day, we’re talking about THE Grand Canyon here, so why rush it? (Or so a hiker may conclude upon getting there. Having done R-R as well as the R-R-R one day stunt-a-thon, and several overnights, my conclusion is that anything less than spending the night in the Canyon is giving the experience short shrift. YMMV, especially if GC isn’t new to you.)
Walk-in permits for Clear Creek were pretty easy to come by at last check (admittedly… years ago for me). The side trail to Clear Creek is accessed just north of Phantom Ranch; IIRC, it’s about 3 miles off-route for an AZT’er. Otherwise, there’s Cottonwood Camp, with availability more likely if the North Rim is still closed, I’d imagine.
Stealth camping is patently illegal, but certainly feasible. Frankly the biggest threat is choosing a safe site away from the sheer cliffs of Bright Angel Canyon. Camping among big colorful cliffside boulders is entirely at your own risk, geologically speaking.
Sirena is our resident Grand Canyon permit guru. Maybe check with her over at the new Arizona Trail forum: www.hikearizona.com/azt
PS - Most thru-hikers find it impossible to maintain a schedule down-to-the-day, especially hundreds upon hundreds of miles out from the starting point. So no sweat about not being able to nail down an advanced reservation; possibly even a mixed blessing.
blisterfree
Don’t feel alone at not getting a permit. Grand Canyon received over 1000 permit requests for May on the first day of January. Unfortunately, most of the requests involved corridor trail campgrounds so requests were chosen at random from all the requests submitted.
The North Rim opens on May 15. If you are crossing before that date it will probably be easy to get a site at Cottonwood Camp (half-way up to the North Rim). If you are after that date, it would be more difficult because you are competing with lots of rim-to-rim hikers.
Do not attempt to stealth camp in the Grand Canyon, the chance of meeting a ranger on patrol is great and the fine is at least $150. You can not join someone and share their site once you get to the bottom. That would mean too many people on their permit and you both would be in trouble - rangers check permits at least once a day.
A few sites at Indian Garden (half-way down from the South Rim) and Bright Angel Campground (at the bottom adjacent to Phantom Ranch) and Cottonwood Camp (half way up to the North Rim) are always set aside for walk-ins. However, there is a system for getting those spots. You go to the Backcountry Office as soon as you arrive and are given a number. The next morning at precisely 8:00AM, numbers are called and those with low numbers are given the available spots (usually for the following day). Then the numbers are re-issued so you will get a lower number. You then show up at precisely 8:00AM the next morning and it goes on as you move up. You almost always will get a spot by the third day.
Other choices - be sure you tell the Backcountry Office ranger that you are an AZT thru-hiker. They do try to accomodate thru-hikers if possible. Also, be sure you tell them you are able and willing to camp outside of the corridor trails if it does not mean walking too much farther. Here are some options:
Camp at Horn Creek - 1.5 miles west of Indian Garden on the Bright Angel Trail
Camp in the Clear Creek use area - 2.5 miles east of Phantom Ranch
Camp in Cremation Canyon - 1.5 miles east of the South Kaibab Trail
The Backcountry ranger may think of some other options.
Yes, you can cross in one day, but I would try to get a permit or at least talk with a Backcountry Ranger first to see if there are other options. If you cross in one day you will want to start very early in the morning.
Turtle Walking
Persistance pays off when trying to get meals or lodging at PR. Start calling every day to see if they’ve had any cancellations. This has always worked for me and I’ve been in that area at least five times in the past ten years.
Masterhiker