Grand Canyon National Park News
Showing the last 10 news releases. Click here to visit nps.gov's Grand Canyon National Park - News section for more.
Lower North Kaibab Trail Reopens March 4 Following Dragon Bravo Fire; Additional Areas Reopen in Kaibab National Forest
February 3, 2026 | 8:49 am
Grand Canyon National Park will reopen a portion of the North Kaibab Trail on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, marking an important step toward restoring inner canyon trail access following the Dragon Bravo Fire. Accessed from Phantom Ranch, the North Kaibab Trail from the Clear Creek Trail Junction to the Ribbon Falls junction will reopen to public use. The North Kaibab Trail has remained closed since July 13, 2025, to allow for post-fire assessments, safety planning, and trail maintenance.
Grand Canyon National Park Announces 2027 Noncommercial River Trip Lottery Period
February 2, 2026 | 8:16 am
On Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, the National Park Service will begin accepting applications for noncommercial river trip permits to raft the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park for specific launch dates within calendar year 2027. A total of 478 permits will be available for 12- to 25-day river trips.
Grand Canyon National Park plans adaptive reopening of North Rim in summer 2026
January 28, 2026 | 10:13 am
Grand Canyon National Park is preparing an adaptive approach for the seasonal reopening of the North Rim, evaluating potential impacts from winter weather to park infrastructure after the Dragon Bravo Fire. The park aims to open popular points of interest, including the North Kaibab Trail, on May 15, weather and conditions permitting.
Grand Canyon National Park Receives Highway Safety Grant Funding
January 16, 2026 | 3:34 pm
Grand Canyon National Park has received grant funding from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to support pedestrian and bicycle safety, speed enforcement and impaired driving prevention. The funding helps park rangers purchase equipment, conduct high-visibility traffic enforcement and participate in community outreach aimed at reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities on park roadways.
Grand Canyon National Park announces updates to construction schedule for 2026
December 17, 2025 | 11:26 am
Grand Canyon National Park is announcing Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL) construction closure-related work for 2026. Rockfalls occurred along a section of the River Trail in August, causing a 50-foot section of the trail to collapse and triggered the need for additional assessments and work to rebuild the trail.
Grand Canyon National Park to reopen South Rim hotels Dec. 17 ahead of holiday season
December 15, 2025 | 10:56 am
Grand Canyon National Park will reopen hotels on the park’s South Rim beginning Wednesday, Dec. 17 and will begin easing some water restrictions. Park water utility crews successfully completed complex repairs to the Transcanyon Waterline last week and resumed pumping water without identifying any new breaks. The park will continue to operate under enhanced water restrictions until the water storage tanks have adequate capacity to return to routine water conservation practices.
Grand Canyon National Park to Temporarily Close Overnight Hotel Accommodations Beginning December 6
December 2, 2025 | 2:13 pm
Grand Canyon National Park will implement additional water restrictions on the South Rim starting Saturday, December 6, due to a series of significant breaks in the 12½ mile-long Transcanyon Waterline that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park. Since mid-November, the park has faced challenges with water supply, and currently, no water is being pumped to the South Rim.
Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim to Close for the Season on November 14
November 13, 2025 | 7:44 am
Grand Canyon National Park will close the North Rim to all visitor access on Friday, November 14, 2025, at 5:20 p.m. Sections of the North Rim are tentatively expected to reopen to visitors for the 2026 season on May 15, pending weather, trail conditions, infrastructure readiness, and completion of hazard mitigation efforts.
Grand Canyon News Release - Grand Canyon National Park Announces Increased Water and Fire Restrictions During Infrastructure Work
October 31, 2025 | 2:34 pm
Grand Canyon National Park will implement Stage 3 Water Restrictions and Stage 2 Fire Restrictions beginning Oct. 31, 2025, in response to limited water availability and construction activities associated with the ongoing Transcanyon Waterline Replacement Project. Also, a temporary interruption in water pumping is scheduled for Nov. 4 through approximately Nov. 18 to allow crews to replace and test a critical pipeline segment.
Grand Canyon News Release - Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground to Reopen Nov. 1
October 31, 2025 | 2:25 pm
Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground will reopen to visitors on Nov 1, 2025, restoring access to key inner canyon destinations following earlier closures caused by the Dragon Bravo Fire, trail stabilization efforts, and ongoing infrastructure work. In addition to overnight access, the Phantom Ranch area and the lower section of the South Kaibab Trail (from Tipoff to Phantom Ranch) will also reopen to day-use visitors on the same date.