The Grand Canyon’s North Rim Will Open on June 2—Well, Mostly, Anyway

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The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is on track to reopen on Friday, June 2, the delayed date set by park officials in April after record snowfall blocked off roads and damaged infrastructure. Usually, the North Rim opens on May 15 , and the area welcomes flocks of springtime rim-to-rim hikers and runners.

Due to a break in the North Rim water pipeline, visitor services will be limited, according to a news release. More than 300 feet of the pipeline was damaged in a landslide that was triggered by a winter storm.

Rooms at the Grand Canyon Lodge will not be available until at least July 23. The lodge, which is managed by Aramark, will offer limited food and beverage service starting June 2.

“The decision to suspend overnight accommodations at the Grand Canyon Lodge was not taken lightly and we recognize the inconvenience this has for visitors planning a trip to the North Rim,” Grand Canyon National Park superintendent Ed Keable said in the release.

The North Rim Campground will open as scheduled on June 9, with drinking water and toilets available, according to the park service. But public laundry and shower facilities will not open until at least July 23.

Rim-to-rim hikers and runners will have to wait a few more weeks before tackling the arduous 24-mile journey, because the North Kaibab trail will not open on June 2. Officials have extended the trail’s closure until at least June 15. The trail, which is closed from north of Cottonwood Campground to the North Kaibab Trailhead, was damaged by rockfall and landslides. During the closure, no hikers will be allowed to pass through the area under any circumstances, officials say. Once the trail is reopened, visitors should also expect intermittent closures to clear remaining debris.

The park service is advising that North Rim hikers bring their own food and water, as services are limited and may be subject to change. 

As of early April, the Grand Canyon had received over 250 inches of snow since October of last year—about 100 inches more than normal. The extended closure effectively canceled the spring rim-to-rim hiking season and threw a wrench in the plans of Arizona Trail thru-hikers.