Jacob Lake Recreation Area

Grand Canyon

JACOB LAKE RECREATION AREA in Grand Canyon — photo 4

Jacob Lake Recreation Area

Grand Canyon

About this campsite

Overview

Jacob Lake Recreation Area is conveniently located in Jacob Lake, Arizona, the gateway to the Grand Canyon's North Rim. The campground is nestled among the towering Ponderosa Pine trees of the North Kaibab National Forest, where ample opportunities to enjoy nature abound, from hiking and mountain biking to birding. Summer temperatures are pleasant during the day and nights are cool, while several feet of snow cover the landscape in winter. The campground is open on a seasonal basis, though the national forest remains open year 'round.

Recreation

Grand Canyon National Park is a popular destination for campers staying at Jacob Lake Recreation Area. But from the campground itself, visitors can walk a pleasant one-mile loop trail, or take a 10 minute drive to the Kaibab Plateau Trail a section of the Arizona Trail, which runs north-to-south across the entire length of the state. The national forest also has a variety of mountain biking trails ranging from beginner to advanced levels. There is no fishing at Jacob Lake.

Reservations for horseback riding and chuck wagon rides, as well as bike rentals, are available at Jacob Lake Inn across the street.

Facilities

The group campground is adjacent to Jacob Lake Campground and features two group sites that can accommodate up to 100 people each. While perfect for weddings, family reunions and other large group events, this campground is not intended for traditional camping with small groups of people. The facility offers ramadas, grills, tables, toilets and water.

Jacob Lake Recreation Area is very accessible. It is located on 89A, a paved U.S. highway, yet set far enough back from the road to provide privacy. The roads within the campground are gravel.

The facility is across the street from Jacob Lake Inn, which has a restaurant, gas station, gift shop and limited groceries, and the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center. The nearest full facilities are 30 to 40 miles away in Fredonia, Arizona and Kanab, Utah.

Natural Features

Jacob Lake is at an elevation of 7,920 feet. The Kaibab Plateau is an area uplifted by geologic processes, making it higher in elevation than the surrounding deserts (the closest town of Fredonia, Arizona is 28 miles away and nearly 4,700 feet).

Many species of wildlife call the Kaibab home, including the tassel-eared Kaibab squirrel, found nowhere else in the world, and numerous species of birds. The nearby lake only fills up with water occasionally, but marsh areas along the edges of the lake are great bird habitats.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888.

Nearby Attractions

The campground is 44 miles north of Grand Canyon National Park's rustic and less populated North Rim - home to abundant wildlife, hiking trails, spruce-fir and Ponderosa pine forests and unparalleled views of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Enjoy a visit to the North Rim from mid-May through mid-October; the road is closed during winter.

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Location

JACOB LAKE RECREATION AREA•AZ

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Weather Forecast

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26° / 13°

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THU☁️

26° / 15°

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FRI🌦️

25° / 17°

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SAT☁️

25° / 15°

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SUN🌤️

23° / 14°

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Nearby Campsites

within 50km

1.5 km away

Jacob Lake Group Campground & Picnic Site

Jacob Lake Picnic Site is located in the Jacob Lake Group Campground, 44 miles north of the Grand Canyon. The Jacob Lake area offers excellent opportunities for hiking, sightseeing, and wildlife viewing. The site is located 30 miles south and east of Fredonia at the intersection of US 89A and AZ 67. For additional information on Jacob Lake Campground, please contact the North Kaibab Ranger District at (928) 643-7395. Jacob Lake Campground and Picnic Site Access Map "Jacob Lake Campground" Images Album

16.6 km away

BIG SPRINGS CABIN SITE

Overview Big Springs is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been used since the 1800s, first by homesteaders and later the Forest Service. The complex consists of seven rental cabins, dining hall, shower house, group kitchen, a historic office, and several administrative structures. Recreation Big Springs Cabins are located on Forest Road 22. This road provides easy access to scenic overlooks of the Grand Canyon and other points of interest on the forest. The site is a perfect base camp for day hikes or drives on the Kaibab Plateau and for group retreats in the cool pines. Facilities While Big Springs serves as an active administrative site for the U.S. Forest Service, the rental cabins available to the public are in a discrete location separated from the administrative structures. Individual cabins vary in occupancy from two to four people per cabin and include use of the shared shower house, fully furnished kitchen, dining room, and living room. There are toilets and showers on site, but not in the cabins. There are no laundry facilities. There are seven cabins. Cabins 1 - 6 each have two twin-size beds and one full-size bed. Cabin 7 has one queen-sized bed only. Please bring your own linens, blankets, pillows, towels, toiletries and food. An on-site host is present. Administrative buildings are not open to the public. Natural Features Big Springs is the most abundant water source on the Kaibab Plateau. Water from the springs runs down a limestone cliff and pools near the cabins. Nestled among lush vegetation and several ponds, the area is surrounded by ponderosa pine and rolling hills. A visit to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is an easy day trip from the cabins. Nearby Attractions The Big Springs Cabins Site is located approximately 30 minutes from the Fredonia, AZ/Kanab, UT area and is within a one-hour drive of several scenic overlooks on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (928) 643-7395.

32.7 km away

JUMPUP CABIN

Overview Since the 1900s, Jumpup cabin has been used by ranchers as well as the Forest Service, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site consists of a historic two-room cabin, shed and composting toilet. Recreation Jumpup cabin is located at the trailhead for the Ranger trail, a 17-mile wilderness trail that winds through Kanab Creek. Hiking this area is very popular in the spring and fall months, but is discouraged during the hottest summer months. Water is scarce and some route-finding is required. Facilities Jumpup cabin is a rustic log structure with an open concept, divided into two distinct areas. A main living and cooking area which has a table and chairs, wood burning stove (the sole source of heat) and a small kitchenette with a wash tub. There is no electricity, running water or propane. Lanterns and cooking supplies are provided. The second room is a bunk room with two sets of double-over-double bunk beds. Guests will need to bring their own linens or sleeping bags. Guests must also provide their own water and fire wood. Outside there is an open air composting toilet, a fire ring and a picnic table. This site is a pack-it-out site. Guests should be prepared to do light cleaning prior to leaving to help prevent rodent issues. Natural Features With a panoramic view of Kanab Creek Wilderness, the cabin sits on the edge of Jumpup canyon. From the front door you take in a wide open expanse of red rock descending into canyon walls below, lined with juniper, pinyon, yuccas, sage and cliffrose. With an elevation of 5,500 feet and a predominantly southern exposure, this site is hotter and drier than many other areas in the forest. There is no water at the cabin site, but a short .25-mile hike down the Ranger trail will take you to Lower Jumpup spring, a perennial spring configured to a holding tank. Nearby Attractions Located 2 hours from the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, 2.5 hours from Zion National Park, and 2 hours from the scenic gateway community of Kanab, Utah, the Kaibab National Forest is situated ideally for traveling throughout the grand circle. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (928) 643-7395.

32.9 km away

DEMOTTE

Overview The DeMotte Campground is located within the North Kaibab Ranger District just seven miles north of the entrance to the Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim. This is about 25 miles south of the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center on Arizona’s Highway 67. Recreation Visitors to the DeMotte Campground enjoy camping and picnicking, sight-seeing and wildlife viewing. Enjoy a visit to the North Rim from mid-May through mid-October; the road is closed during winter. Hiking trails, spruce-fir and Ponderosa pine forests and unparalleled views of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Facilities The campground offers 38 single-family campsites with tables and cooking grills. DeMotte's campsites can accommodate tents, trailers and small motor homes. No utility hookups are available at this campground. Drinking water is available. Natural Features Many species of wildlife call the Kaibab home, including the tassel-eared Kaibab squirrel, found nowhere else in the world, and numerous species of birds. Contact Info For facility specific information, please call (928) 537-8888. Nearby Attractions The North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.