The sun is blotted out by smoke plumes and flames on the burnt-orange edges of the cliffs. The scenes that greet visitors to one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world are as follows: America’s most-treasured natural wondersSince July 10, two wildfires have been burning out of control in the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon Lodge and the Dragon Bravo fires are still burning on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as of July 16. This has forced the evacuation of this area and destroyed more than 80 structures, including historic Grand Canyon Lodge. If you plan to visit the Grand Canyon National ParkLearn what you need to know.
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What caused the Grand Canyon Fires?
Lightning ignited the White Sage Fire on July 9 and the Dragon Bravo Fire on July 4 in northeastern Arizona’s Coconino County. According to the Bureau of Land Management, together, the two fires burned over 60,000 acres of land. wildfire tracking website.
After an early and fierce start to the season, 2025 is shaping up to be a severe wildfire year in the United States—as of July 15, 37,878 wildfires have burned approximately 2.57 million acres. Metereologists warned Some, such as Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs questioned why the federal government chose to treat the Dragon Bravo Fire a wildfire. controlled burn during what Hobbs called “the hottest, driest part of Arizona summer.”
What is the state of Grand Canyon North Rim today?
The Grand Canyon’s North Rim is closed until the end of 2025, from May 15 through October 15. The visitor services and trails will not be available until spring 2026. These include the North Kaibab Trail, the South Kaibab Trail, the Bright Angel Trail, below Havasupai Gardens as well the Rim-to-Rim Trail, which leads hikers to the South Rim. Bright Angel Campground The following are some examples of how to get started: Phantom RanchClosed for the season are the two Grand Canyon Lodges located around 9 miles south of the South Rim.
The most significant loss has been the destruction of the Grand Canyon LodgeBright Angel Point is a National Historic Landmark. Constructed with native Kaibab limestone and ponderosa pine logs in 1927—then rebuilt after a fire in 1936—the lodge was the last of the early 20th-century National Park lodges to remain intact. Arizona Senator Ruben gallego was informed that it had been destroyed by July 13th. said: “Arizona has lost more than just a historic lodge. It lost a part of its state history.” Aramark is the concessionaire that was responsible for the lodge. Grand Canyon Lodge“We will be contacting guests with future reservations soon.”
What parts of the Grand Canyon remain unaffected by the flood?
The North Rim is relatively less popular (attracting fewer tourists). just over 81,000 South Rim remains open all year round and is always crowded. The South Rim, fortunately, has not been affected. Xanterra had a complete collection of Xanterra at the time this article was written. Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, including the El Tovar Hotel and the Bright Angel, Kachina, Thunderbird and Maswik lodges, remain open—and have ample availability in July and August, and limited openings in September and October. The South Rim Visitor Center Ranger activities continue to be carried out as planned.
The National Park Service has stated that the South Rim fire danger level is still high. very high Travelers should be aware of the restrictions that include lighting fires only in designated fire rings located within campgrounds.
