Route 66 by RV With Kids: An Arizona Centennial Plan (and the Grand Canyon RV Park Closure)

Route 66 turns 100 on November 11, 2026. That is the day in 1926 when the American Association of State Highway Officials adopted the new numbered US highway system, and "66" became official (Federal Highway Administration). Plenty of families want to mark the birthday the way the road was meant to be enjoyed: slowly, with snacks, in something that rolls. For a lot of families this fall, that means the RV, the travel trailer or a rented motorhome.

Arizona is one of the best states for it. The weather is mild in late fall, the old road runs right past a national park and the gateway to the Grand Canyon, and the stops are close enough together for kid-sized driving days. But this year there is one big catch RV families need to know about before they book anything. The Grand Canyon's only in-park RV park with full hookups is closed.

This guide covers what changed at the Grand Canyon, where a big rig can and cannot go on Arizona's stretch of Route 66, and how to set up the days so the kids (and the driver) still like each other by Kingman.

First, the Grand Canyon news RV families need

On August 29, 2026, flash flooding in Bright Angel Canyon damaged the Transcanyon Waterline, the pipe that supplies water to the South Rim. In its news release, the National Park Service said every park concession would stop overnight stays starting August 31. The list included the lodges and Trailer Village, the RV park run by Delaware North. Under Stage 4 water restrictions, only dry camping is allowed, spigot water at South Rim campgrounds is turned off, and wood and charcoal fires are banned. The park itself stays open for day visits, and hotels in Tusayan, outside the park, were not part of the order.

There is a recovery plan, but it is not a promise. As of early October, KNAU reported that trucked water deliveries had begun, that the park aims to start pumping from a new Bright Angel Creek intake by November 16, and that if the timeline holds, concessionaires could start a phased reopening of overnight lodging around Thanksgiving. Park officials warned the dates could change.

What that means for an RV trip right now (as of October 2026):

• No full hookups inside the park. The NPS campground page lists Trailer Village as closed because of the water shortage. Its operator's booking page also says camper services are closed under Stage 4 restrictions. Call them before you count on a site.
• Mather Campground is open all year, has no hookups, and takes reservations up to six months ahead on Recreation.gov, according to the NPS. Right now that means true dry camping: arrive with full fresh-water tanks.
• Desert View Campground was scheduled to be open only through October 18, 2026, so it is done for the season.

Our Grand Canyon with kids in fall and winter guide covers the rim walks and viewpoints. Just plan to sleep outside the park.

The easy fix: park the rig in Williams and take the train

Williams sits right on Route 66, and it is the cleanest base camp for an RV family this fall. The Grand Canyon Railway RV Park lists 124 extra-wide paved spaces with water and sewer hookups and 30- and 50-amp service. It says pull-through and buddy sites fit rigs up to 65 feet and back-in sites up to 55 feet. Guests can use the indoor pool and hot tub at the hotel next door, and the park sits beside the historic depot, two blocks from Route 66 and downtown Williams.

From there, the Grand Canyon Railway leaves for the South Rim every day. The railway says the train departs at 9:30 a.m., except in November and December, when it leaves at 8:30 a.m. It reaches the canyon about two hours and fifteen minutes later and gives you over three hours at the rim before the trip back. For a family with a 35-foot motorhome, that is a gift: nobody has to hunt for big-rig parking at a busy viewpoint, and the kids get a train ride out of it.

Where a big rig fits on Arizona's Route 66, and where it doesn't

Most of Arizona's old road is easy RV driving: long, straight and open. Two places need a plan.

Petrified Forest National Park: day trip only

The NPS says Petrified Forest is the only national park that contains a segment of Route 66, with an old Studebaker marking the alignment. It is a great stop, but it is a day stop. The park's camping page says plainly that there is no RV, car or front-country camping, and you cannot just pull into a parking area for the night. Park roads are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the park is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas (hours). Plan to drive through in the morning and reach your campground well before dark.

Sitgreaves Pass to Oatman: check your length first

West of Kingman, Route 66 climbs over the Black Mountains to the old mining town of Oatman. The Bureau of Land Management, which manages the Route 66 Historic Back Country Byway, describes the 42-mile route as two-lane paved road with hairpin curves and steep grades. It sets a 40-foot length limit over Sitgreaves Pass between Golden Valley and Oatman, with signs in Golden Valley. The BLM also recommends an automatic transmission and asks wider vehicles such as RVs to use caution.

Measure the whole setup, not just the camper. A 25-foot trailer behind a crew-cab pickup can easily pass 40 feet. If you are over the limit, or if anyone in the family gets carsick on curves, leave the rig at camp and drive the pass in the tow car, or skip it.

A five-day Arizona plan for RV families

This route runs east to west, with short driving days and one night parked in the same spot twice. Adjust it to your kids' ages and nap times. Our original Route 66 centennial road trip guide has more on the history and each stop.

In Kingman, the Arizona Route 66 Museum is a good indoor break on a windy afternoon. Check its hours on the day you go.

Making RV days work with kids

An RV changes the rhythm of a road trip. The bathroom and the snacks come with you, which is wonderful. But setup and breakdown add time at both ends of every day. A few habits help.

• Drive short, arrive early. Aim to pull into camp with daylight to spare. Backing into a site, leveling and hooking up in the dark with tired kids is nobody's favorite moment. Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time all year (NPS), so after other states set their clocks back on November 1, sunset still comes early.
• Everyone sits buckled while moving. Walking around a moving motorhome is tempting for kids. Make the rule before the first mile: seat belts and car seats in a forward-facing seat, every time.
• Give each kid a camp job. One spots the driver while backing up (from a safe place the driver can see), one unrolls the welcome mat, one is in charge of the snack drawer. Keep kids away from the sewer hose and the electrical pedestal.
• Fill up on water when you can. With the Grand Canyon on dry camping and long gaps between towns, top off fresh water, empty the tanks and fill fuel or propane at each full-hookup stop.
• Bring shade. Paved high-desert sites can be sunny even in fall. Our family store in Mesa has a 10x10 pop-up screen house with mosquito mesh and UPF 50+ fabric that makes a shady outdoor "room" for the picnic table, where campground rules allow canopies.
• Plan one zero-drive day. The train day in Williams is perfect for it: no hitching, no leveling, just a ride.

Our family road trip survival guide has the full car kit and snack plan, and most of it works in a motorhome too.

Fee-free days on the calendar

Two National Park Service fee-free days land right in this trip window: October 27 (Theodore Roosevelt's birthday) and November 11, Veterans Day and the Route 66 centennial itself. Starting in 2026, the NPS says free entrance on these days is for US citizens and residents only. Nonresidents pay the regular fee plus any nonresident fees. Petrified Forest on November 11 is a fun way to spend the road's birthday on the road itself. The Route 66 Centennial Commission's Arizona calendar also lists free online talks for the week of the birthday, which can make a good campground movie night.

The RV family checklist for this trip

• Total length measured (tow vehicle plus trailer, or motorhome plus towed car)
• Grand Canyon status checked on the NPS campground page the week you leave
• Campgrounds booked for every night (none inside Petrified Forest)
• Fresh water full, holding tanks empty, propane checked before Williams
• Train tickets booked if you are using the railway day
• Car seats installed in forward-facing, belted seats
• Shade, camp chairs and a warm layer for chilly high-desert nights
• Kid camp jobs assigned
• Paper map or downloaded maps for the gaps between towns

If you want the whole plan in one place, Vacation Hub keeps every campground confirmation together, shows drive times and leave-by times for each day, builds a packing list for every person, and has the weather for each stop. You can tap around a sample family's trip first, or watch the 60-second look. We're a real family business in Mesa, Arizona, and questions get real-person support from the owner, Johnathon Lawson: [email protected]. Happy 100th, Route 66. See you on the road.