Camping in the Kaibab

“Has anyone out there camped int he Kaibab Forest outside the North Rim of the Grand Canyon? I am going to be going out there alone and am wondering if it is (relatively) safe. I usually stay in regular campgrounds but want to do something different this time 'round. Any feedback on the North Rim/Kaibab camping experience? Thanks!”

“I heard there is alot of mass murderers, pikers and gypsies at Kaibab. Good luck!”

“Thanks for your thoughtful insight. I'll make sure to stay home. (and off of this board.)”

“Don't get sore! You need ...........thick skin. Don't leave home (or post) without it. No one will notice if you leave anyway

.”

“Buddah,
I don't think Apollonia is as impressed with you as we are.”

“So tell me, have any of you wise-acres camped at Kaibab?”

“You should probably try to talk w/ AZhiker or if you need a "wise-acre" talk to Violin.”

“Let me apologize for my fellow wise acres. It is part of the "charm" of this site. Also, car camping people happen to garner inordinate derision here. However, there are several people who frequent this board who are very familiar with the Grand Canyon. Being an easterner like yourself, I'm not one of them. Hopefully one of them will chime in. Give it a day or two, okay.”

“Mary Phyl ought to see this and know something. She lives out that way.”

“I haven't done any of the N rim but I have surveyed and camped in several areas on the S rim that skirt GCNP. I only saw locals on the back roads on the S rim. I never saw any campers. Things to look for when out there arrowheads, lithic flakes, quarry sites, pottery remains, FCR(fire cracked rock), rock shelters or outlooks, over all human impact. I don't condone theft or tampering of native artifacts. If you plan to drive some of the forestry roads in order to get out there have a car with good ground clearance”

“just kidding apollonia, good luck with your trip, and stick around, you may laugh reading some of the stuff here every once in a while.”

“You can safely camp in the national forest. We take a road that goes east maybe a quarter mile past a tiny gas station that is across the road from Kaibab Lodge. You have to go a quarter mile from the highway--there are fine spots to camp there and some trails too. We like North Canyon trail in particular.”

“Here is a link to someone who has camped there - click here”

“Thanks LyndyS. I have noticed the grief that car campers get on this site. I think its too bad that car campers are made to feel like "faux-campers" but I understand that people need to find ways to make themselves feel more "authentic" than the other guy. Predictably, I find myself sometimes looking down at RVers (my apologies to any RVers who happen to be hanging around these parts) Why is that? In my heart I think that getting outdoors should be the goal even if logistically one can't make it farther than popping a tent their own backyard. Anyway . . .”

“HAAAA!!!! Too bad i dont have sound on my computer!”

“I love backpackin' and car campin'. Iffin' nobody here likes that, I think I'll keep on doing both. I am also gonna put in a camp site back in our woods, kinda near the creek.”

“Here's a dirty little secret:I think most people do both.”

“I see car campers.”

“Buddha Bear,
Can you give some sort of rating on your -click here- links. I made the mistake of going there unaware that the volume of my speakers were turned up high. It blasted through my office and scared everyone here. I thought it was funny, but.........

Never mind, I should know better. LOL”

“I've done it. I even left at 4:00 in the AM and didn't see any shady charicters wandering about.”

“Sorry AZ - turn your speakers down everybody!”

“I see nothing wrong with car camping. I've done it maybe twice, and it was a great way to station yourself somewhere that you can do day hikes from.”

“the general's wife once made me car camp in the garage after a night with drinking bear ...”

“LOL general custard! Why am I not surprised?”

“Now that's funny gc”

“And you'd do it again too general! How bout' next weekend?”

“Although millions of people from all over the world visit the Grand Canyon yearly, most of them come to the South Rim. And among those that do make it to the North Rim, the majority of them go to the Lodge/Visiter Center area, look over the edge, ooohh and aaahhh, and then leave. So if you go to a little effort, you can not only lose yourself in the Kaibab, I don't think you'll have too many worries of unwholesome visiters. Enjoy your trip.”

“Car camping is better than no camping and it sure beats a motel.”

“I don't know what time of year you are going, but bring a few gallon jugs of water to keep in your car just in case. There is a thread here called "Sloopy" about heat exhaustion or heat stroke. A couple of canyon stories. Also check your shoes before you put them back on. My sister lives in Phoenix with five kids and a white carpeted house. I said "White carpet! Are you nuts?" And she said it made it easier to spot the scorpions.”

“unfortunately, the only time i have ever been able to go to canyon country or take any sort of vacation for that matter is in the middle of summer. i'm leaving in about 10 days. not the best time of year to go out there, i know. thank god i can fill my car with as many gallons of water as i want and not have to worry about how much i can carry.

also, i've heard great things about the no. rim in terms of both population and scenery. S.rim was such a zoo. The campground was like a dormatory. i'm looking forward to a nice relaxing time up north.”

“I`ll admit it,..I love car camping,.nothing wrong with it at all, if you pick the right spots and right times of the year.

I`ve had some awful times car camping and if any one of those had been my first time, it would have also been my last.

There are so many great places to car camp where I`m from that you can still be the only one there, or at least never know anyone else is around.

I hope it works out for you....”

“I would think there'd be plenty of places to camp in that forest. I don't think you need a permit and I do think you can camp anywhere (but check first!) I'd like to get closer to Jump Up (is that right?) Canyon sometime. Where Kanab Creek enters the canyon.

Or go to Toroweap!!! It's a lot farther west on the canyon rim. You drive down from either between Fredonia and Hurricane, or in the Colorado City/Hilldale vicinity. And from somewhere near St. George if coming from the west. Probably 3 hours of dirt roads. Toward the end 4 WD might help.

There are 11 campsites away from the rim and 2 right on the rim. I'm not sure on regulations for it, if you need a backcountry permit or what. We drove in in the middle of the night, luckily found a campsite at the small camping area and then left the next morn after watching the sunrise from the rim. If we were illegal, well, we didn't get caught!! hehehe

Great place! More of a desert experience, but there is a tree (or fir?)-covered mountain just as you almost get back into the national park proper.”

“Jumpup is pretty and the road in there is not too bad. I have hiked down it to Kanab Creek and there are nice side canyons too. It does not require a permit. North Canyon which I mentioned before is an especially pretty hike too. There is a small stream--I should not be telling this--these are my secret places!!!”

“LOL, Mary, I'm printing this to keep for the next time I get out that way. It's been six years!”

“Hello all”

“null”

“Hobbit-
You sound like you know the Canyon, where all have you been?”

“Hey Biz. Don't remember seeing ya here, tell us a little about yourself. Where ya from and where do you like to go hiking?”

“Nope, never been here before.
AZ-Grand Canyon

I don't remember all the trails I've been on”

“Appollonia-
Point Sublime on the N. Rim is my favorite spot in the G.C. (and I have been all over it).

While you're out there camping, check it out!

(p.s. I don't think you have to worry about weirdos out there)”

“Appollonia-
Also, there are no scorpions on the N. Rim

elv. 8000 ft (I think they're afraid of heights)

You might run into some nasty deer though that will EAT YOUR TENT (or convertible top, or whatever)”

“I was chased by Indians on the reservation one time (I think they were making moonshine under a Juniper tree).
They threw a beer can at us and cursed something like 'give us 5 bucks'

...but you will be miles from there.”

“Sorry if I'm violating some sort of backpacker.com etiquette by posting like 8 messages in a row...(it's only 11:20 pm in AZ)


sublime= awe inspiring, noble; exalted

you can see for miles in either direction, from Point Sublime. I mean W & E into the canyon

it's quite religious..


well I'm off to go fly fishing for 3 days LOL?”

“Yeah it is Sublime but the road in there is hellacious.”

“thanks for all of your input! i appreciate it. can you get to Sublime without 4WD?”

“yea, can you get there without 4WD?

Also, Biz, where was the reservation you were getting chased on? I understand there are maybe a couple trails on that reservation that is right by Pipe Spring N'tl Monument. Anyone been in there? They were listed in a small GC trails book I have.”

“lizs- it's not really PC to talk about the Indian Reservations in AZ in a bad way...
but the truth is, SOME of them are pretty bad (litter strewn everywhere, mostly beer cans, no organization, alcoholism abounds). (I was friends with a girl my first year in college who's Dad was President of the Navajo tribe-she drank a 12 pack of beer a day...at least she was in school)
Anyway, some of the really cool places to see in AZ are on the res's: Havasupi, Painted Desert, Canyon de Chelley, Antelope Canyon, water hole canyon (? never heard of it, but I'm assuming its on the Navajo res). It sucks when you can't get to them

Then again, maybe that's a good thing...

The particular incident I am talking about occured on the Hualapai Res. You're supposed to be able to access it for purposes of getting to the Grand Canyon (if it stands in your way). And you're NOT supposed to have to pay a permit fee (whatever they feel like charging you that day) if that's why you're there. Those drunk indians chased us because they knew they could probably get some money from us. Why should we pay them when we are only passing through on the way to National Park land (we don't have to according to rules)?

OK, OK, I'll get off my soap box now

I have never been to Pipe Spring Nat Monument and know you know why ..”

“oh, and Point Sublime-4WD?

Probably need it (or at least high clearance), it's been raining like hell the past few days..”

“Re: Pipe Spring Nat'l Mon
Also I'm afraid of getting that close to a known polygomist's colony (Colorado Springs is a Mormon polygomist community).

I might like it and stay Ü”

“I think you need really good clearance to get into Sublime. Some 4WD are not all that high up. If you plan to stay the night there you need a permit from the backcountry office.”