PHOENIX – The entire Grand Canyon North Rim has been closed since the Dragon Bravo Fire raged through the area in mid-July.
That will change on Wednesday, when public access to select areas of the North Rim will be restored, Grand Canyon National Park officials announced this week.
The accessible areas will remain open through Nov. 30 or until the first major snowfall hits, whichever comes first, officials said.
The announcement marked a course change after officials previously said the entire North Rim would be closed for the remainder of the annual visitor season, which usually runs through mid-October.
“Reopening portions of the North Rim allows visitors to once again experience some of the park’s most scenic areas while we continue to assess postfire impacts and begin recovery efforts,” Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable said in a press release Wednesday. “This is the first of several phased reopenings planned for the North Rim, and we appreciate the public’s patience as we work diligently to restore access.”
The Dragon Bravo Fire was ignited by lightning on July 4 and raged for weeks, powered by high winds and unusually dry conditions. It eventually consumed 145,504 acres to become the seventh largest wildfire ever recorded in Arizona.
Before it was contained, the fire destroyed over 70 structures on the North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
What parts of Grand Canyon North Rim are reopening Oct. 1?
Highway 67 will reopen to the W1 road (approximately at mile marker 11) and Cape Royal Road will also reopen, providing access to Point Imperial and Cape Royal. (Vehicles over 22 feet in total length are not permitted on Cape Royal Road.)
In addition, access to Fire Point and Swamp Ridge will be restored.
Overnight use will be prohibited at the North Rim except at Fire Point and Swamp Ridge.
The rest of the North Rim will be closed for the foreseeable future due to safety concerns. That includes North Kaibab Trail, where extensive maintenance is needed to address rockslides.
The updated status of North Rim-based trails can be found here.
Grand Canyon North Rim visitors need to be self-sufficient
Before heading to the Grand Canyon North Rim, visitors should make sure they are fully self-sufficient because the area doesn’t have power, running water or cellphone service. Furthermore, no fuel stations are operating on the north side of the national park.
While there, visitors should be on the lookout for hazards such as dead standing trees and potential flash flooding, even in areas not impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire.
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