Mather Campground Review: What to Know Before Camping at the Grand Canyon With Kids
We spent three nights at Mather Campground on the South Rim, and being able to roll out of the tent and be at the rim within minutes made the whole trip easier. Jackson even celebrated his birthday there.
Mather is the main campground on the South Rim, so it comes up in almost every Grand Canyon trip plan. But most of what you will find online is a list of amenities. This is what it is actually like to camp there with a kid: which loop we picked and what to know before you book.
If you are still deciding between camping and a hotel, start with Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon South Rim With Kids: In the Park, Nearby, or Camping. For how we spent our days, see our 3 Days at the Grand Canyon South Rim: Our Family Camping Itinerary.
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2026 update (as of October 18, 2026): after an August flash flood damaged the park's main waterline, Grand Canyon is under Stage 4 water restrictions. Mather Campground is still open, but for dry camping only: the water spigots, showers, and laundry are closed, portable toilets are in place, and wood fires are not allowed (gas stoves are fine). Bring all the water you will need for drinking, cooking, and cleaning up, and check the park's operations page before you go.
Mather Campground at a Glance
Where: Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, about a mile from the rim
Size: 327 sites, the largest campground in the National Park system
Open: year-round
Reservations: Recreation.gov, up to 6 months ahead
Each site has: a picnic table, a fire ring with a grate, and a parking spot
No hookups: no electricity, water, or sewer at the sites
Restrooms: flush toilets and drinking water spigots in each loop (in normal times)
Showers and laundry: pay showers and laundry at Camper Services, near the campground entrance
Elevation: about 7,000 feet
Best for: families who want to be as close to the rim as possible without paying lodge prices
What We Loved About Mather Campground
The location is the whole reason to stay here
You are not quite in the canyon, but you are so close it feels like you are. Every morning we could get up and be exactly where we wanted to be within minutes, whether that was sunrise at Mather Point or a short drive and walk to the South Kaibab trailhead for our sunrise hike to Ooh Aah Point. With a kid, cutting out a long drive before sunrise is a nice perk.
Read More: Hiking to Ooh Aah Point for Sunrise at the Grand Canyon (With Kids)
Our loop was quiet
We stayed in the Pine Loop, which doesn't allow generators from March through November. Even in a campground this big, our loop felt calm, and bedtime for Jackson was easy.
Our site, 292, had a few spots that worked for setting up the tent. It wasn't perfectly level, but it never caused us a problem. The ground is rocky (it is at every site), so be sure to bring something soft to sleep on. You can see our full sleeping setup in Our Grand Canyon Packing List: What We Packed for 3 Days of Family Camping.
The bathroom was just a short walk away. Our site was fairly close to the ones next to it, but not uncomfortably so. Honestly, all the sites at Mather sit pretty close together, so don't stress about finding a secluded one, because there aren't any. What we did like was the open space behind our site, which ran back to the road with no other campers behind us. That's the direction the elk came from.
Elk walked right through camp
This was a highlight for all three of us. Elk wandered right through the campground, and Jackson thought it was the coolest thing ever. Just remember they are wild animals. The park asks everyone to stay at least 100 feet away (about two bus lengths), and to be extra careful in late spring and early summer when mothers have calves, and from late summer into early winter during mating season.
The general store is close
Canyon Village Market (the general store) is a short trip from the campground and has just about everything you could forget, including plenty of gluten-free options, which was a big deal for us. It is also where you buy firewood, since gathering it in the park is not allowed. The deli inside the market also had gluten-free options, including pizza and sandwiches, though we’d be cautious eating there if you react to cross contamination. (The deli is closed during the 2026 water restrictions.)
Read More: What the Heck Did We Eat at the Grand Canyon for 3 Days? (Gluten-Free Edition)
What to Know Before You Camp at Mather
There is no electricity at the sites
Bring battery packs for phones and lanterns or headlamps for after dark. We slept on an air mattress instead of sleeping pads, so we brought an extension cord and a car inverter to inflate it from the car.
Water spigots are for filling up, not washing up
The spigots in each loop are meant for filling water bottles and jugs. You can't wash dishes, bathe, or do laundry at them, and you can't hook up a hose.
Showers are paid and quick
The camp loops don't have their own showers. There are pay showers at Camper Services near the campground entrance, along with laundry, and when we were there the showers were capped at 5 minutes. With a kid, plan who goes first and bring shower shoes. (Showers and laundry are closed during the 2026 water restrictions.)
Store every bit of food in your car
The park asks campers to store all food and trash in a vehicle or hard-sided container, and to toss trash in the dumpsters right away. Ravens and ground squirrels are bold here and will scatter anything left out, and elk wander through too. Make "nothing on the table" part of your routine before every hike.
Nights get cold, even in warm months
At about 7,000 feet, temperatures drop fast once the sun goes down, even when the afternoons are hot. Pack warm sleeping bags, a jacket for each of you, and a warm layer for early sunrise outings.
Plan around the heat during the day
A tent in the afternoon sun gets hot. We planned our biggest outings for mornings and evenings and used the middle of the day for downtime. We share more about heat and naps in Is the Grand Canyon Good for Kids? Our Honest Take.
Which Loop and Site to Pick With Kids
Mather is split into loops, all named after trees: Aspen (sites 1 to 59), Fir (60 to 106), Juniper (107 to 184), Maple (185 to 200), Oak (201 to 264), and Pine (265 to 319). Sage Loop holds the group sites.
Pine Loop is our pick for families that are tent camping. It is the only loop that is generator free from March 1 through November 30, so mornings and evenings stay quiet. (We stayed at site 292.)
Look at the site photos and map on Recreation.gov before you book. Each site listing shows the layout, shade, and how far it is from the restroom.
You get the exact site you book. Sites are assigned, and changing after you check in usually isn't possible, so choose carefully up front.
Each standard site fits up to 6 people, 3 tents, and 2 vehicles. If you are traveling with another family, book two sites, but know that groups larger than 6 can't take side-by-side standard sites.
We wouldn't overthink it. Every site is close to its neighbors, so focus on a quiet loop and a short walk to the restroom.
How to Book Mather Campground
Mather is very popular, and spring through fall dates can fill up within minutes of opening. Here is how we would approach it:
Know your opening date. Reservations open on Recreation.gov 6 months ahead on a rolling basis. For a July 15 arrival, your date opens on January 15.
Be online at release time. New dates typically open at 10 a.m. Eastern time. Be logged in to Recreation.gov a few minutes early.
Pick a few backup sites. Have three or four site numbers in mind (ideally in Pine Loop) so you can move fast if your first choice goes.
Book all your nights at once. Stays are limited to 7 nights in a row, which is plenty for most family trips.
If you miss out, you have options. A small number of first-come, first-served sites go on sale at the campground each morning at 8 a.m., and cancellations pop up on Recreation.gov. Desert View Campground and the hotels in Tusayan are good backups (see the box above).
Book it: Mather Campground on Recreation.gov
Checking In and Campground Rules
Check-in starts at noon, and check-out is 11 a.m. Everyone checks in at the kiosk at the entrance. If you arrive after 8:30 p.m., you check in the next morning.
Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generators are allowed only 7 to 9 a.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., and not at all in Pine Loop from March through November.
Fires stay in the fire ring at your site and must be fully put out before you leave, even for a short walk.
RVs and trailers can be up to 30 feet, and everything must park on the pavement.
Pets must stay leashed and can't be left alone at the site.
Take down hammocks and clotheslines when you're not using them, and don't nail or tie anything into the trees.
Bring firewood. Buy firewood at the general store. You aren’t allowed to collect it around your campsite, and wood fires are off during the 2026 water restrictions.
Getting Around From Mather Campground
Once you are parked at Mather, you don’t technically need your car to get around. The Mather Campground shuttle stop (on the free Village Route) is a short walk from Camper Services, and the paved Greenway Trail connects the campground area to the Visitor Center and Mather Point. One day we rented bikes and pulled Jackson in a bike trailer, which was one of our favorite ways to see the park. We did use our car to drive Desert View Drive, and one evening to get to the parking lot closest to Mather Point when sunset snuck up on us.
Read More: 3 Days at the Grand Canyon South Rim: Our Family Camping Itinerary
What We'd Do Differently
Honestly, it was a great trip. It was short, but there isn't much we would change. We camp a lot, and as campsites go, Mather was perfectly fine and did exactly what we needed it to. The location is what makes it stand out. Next time, we would:
Rent bikes again. Riding with Jackson in the bike trailer was one of our favorite ways to see the park.
Do another hike into the canyon. We loved our sunrise hike to Ooh Aah Point so much that we'd add a second one.
Skip the big grocery run before arriving. The general store had plenty of gluten-free options, so there's no need to haul everything in.
Camping Gear We Used
For everything else we packed, see Our Grand Canyon Packing List: What We Packed for 3 Days of Family Camping
Is Mather Campground Worth It?
For us, completely. If your family is comfortable with no electricity, shared restrooms, and quick showers, Mather puts you closer to the rim than any hotel outside the park, for a fraction of the price of the lodges. Book the moment your dates open, pick a quiet loop, keep your food in the car, and pack for cooler nights and mornings even in the summer. We would camp here again in a heartbeat.
Not sure camping is for you? Our Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon South Rim With Kids: In the Park, Nearby, or Camping guide covers the lodges inside the park and family-friendly hotels nearby.
More From Our Grand Canyon Trip
Where to Stay at the Grand Canyon South Rim With Kids: In the Park, Nearby, or Camping
3 Days at the Grand Canyon South Rim: Our Family Camping Itinerary
Hiking to Ooh Aah Point for Sunrise at the Grand Canyon (With Kids)
What the Heck Did We Eat at the Grand Canyon for 3 Days? (Gluten-Free Edition)
Our Grand Canyon Packing List: What We Packed for 3 Days of Family Camping
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