Explore Arizona | Arizona Highways

The Perfect Week in Grand Canyon National Park

There’s no wrong way to spend time at the Grand Canyon. It is, after all, one of the world’s most famous natural wonders and the pride of the Grand Canyon State. The problem is that most people don’t spend nearly enough time appreciating this 1.2 million-acre crown jewel. Park statistics show that the average visitor spends less than six hours at Grand Canyon National Park.

Mather Campground

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South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park

You won’t find a landscape more spectacular than the Grand Canyon anywhere in Arizona. Anywhere in the world, perhaps. Carved over millions of years, its cliffs have long been the subject of photographers, essayists and regular joes who flock to marvel at its grandeur.

DeMotte Campground

Kaibab National Forest, North Rim, Grand Canyon

It’s cold on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and at an elevation of 8,700 feet, DeMotte Campground can be chilly, too. That’s why it doesn’t open until mid-May, or later if seasonal snowfall has been heavy.

When the snow melts, this campground is worth a trip. Moderately sized with 38 campsites, DeMotte isn’t too crowded. Pine trees and meadows make up the immediate scenery, and those meadows are popular among wildlife — elk, squirrels, chipmunks and more.