The Dragon Bravo Fire, sparked by lightning July 4, burned more than 145,000 acres.
Public access will continue for daylight hours through Nov. 30 or earlier if a major snowfall hits. The National Park Service opened the roads to Point Imperial and Cape Royal on Oct. 1.
“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 post-fire impacts and begin recovery efforts,” said Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable.
The Dragon Bravo Fire, sparked by lightning July 4, burned more than 145,000 acres. It destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, cabins, residences, offices, a water treatment plant and the visitor center. Nearly 1,000 visitors and staff were evacuated along with 54 mules when the blaze surged starting July 10.
A recent tour of reopened areas revealed blackened stands of trees side by side with healthy pines, spruce and neon yellow aspen trees. Deer sprinted across nearly empty roads. A herd of bison grazed near the entrance station on State Route 67.
Park Service photos show the lodge in rubble along with undamaged Adirondack and rocking chairs at Bright Angel Point.
The fire halted visitation to the park’s lodging and tourist services just six weeks into the North Rim’s six-month season.
Jacob Lake Inn, north of the national park, lost about $1 million in revenue because of the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires, Manager Melinda Rich Marshall said.
Coconino County bed tax collections declined 14.8% in July, August and September over the same period in 2024, reflecting the loss of revenue from North Rim lodging, Jacob Lake Inn and other hotels impacted by the wildfires. Other factors may have contributed to the decline.
North Rim Hospitality LLC, a subsidiary of Aramark Destinations that operates North Rim lodging, declined to discuss its losses. The company has a 15-year concession contract for the park through 2038.
“Aramark Destinations is working closely with the National Park Service to begin shaping plans for the future of the Grand Canyon Lodge and other damaged structures,” spokeswoman Sheena Weinstein said. “While it’s still early, we’re optimistic about what’s ahead for the North Rim and the visitor experience.”
About 300,000 travelers visit the North Rim annually, far fewer than the 4 million South Rim visitors.
Efforts to rebuild Grand Canyon Lodge and other accommodations are just starting.
The Oct. 1 partial reopening “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,” Keable said in a news release.
Visitors are advised to use caution when traveling in reopened areas. Hazards include dead trees, flash flooding and crews working on recovery operations.
There is no timeline yet for rebuilding structures or an estimate of what visitor access will look like for the 2026 season, according to the Grand Canyon public affairs office.
Rep. Eli Crane, R-Arizona, introduced the North Rim Restoration Act to streamline the federal contracting process to rebuild the lodge. The bill would give the National Park Service “contracting authority to bypass standard delays and accelerate the renewal.”
The new lodge would be the third one built at Bright Angel Point. The first lodge, built in 1928, burned down in 1932. The second lodge opened June 1, 1937.
Replacing the 88-year-old lodge will be no small undertaking.
The Arizona Republic reported that Park Superintendent Keable said building a new lodge could allow it to be constructed for year-round visitation, something the Park Service had already considered for the old lodge.
Northern Arizona and Southern Utah tourism interests have long pushed to keep the North Rim open year-round to bring more visitors during slow winter months.
Marshall, Jacob Lake manager, said she favors keeping a new lodge open through the winter.
“I know that’s something [the Park Service] would like to do,” she said. “Obviously there’s a billion moving pieces to try to figure out when it comes to that.”
Jacob Lake Inn is required to stay open year-round as part of its lease from the Forest Service to provide fuel and services to travelers in the remote Arizona Strip.
“I do think if the option were there to be able to see the North Rim with snow…it would be pretty amazing.”
One issue is keeping SR 67 open. The 45-mile drive to the park is at elevations above 8,000 feet. Snowfall average over 9 feet annually at the North Rim.
Arizona Department of Transportation plows SR 67 as needed until the annual closure in early December and then plows as needed to reopen it in May, said Steve Elliott, ADOT assistant director of public Information.
“ADOT is aware of the National Park Service’s interest in potentially having North Rim facilities reopen year-round, which would require keeping State Route 67 plowed through the winter,” he said. “At this stage, we aren’t in a position to speculate about what might come from these discussions.”
Meanwhile, the Grand Canyon Chapter of Sierra Club has expressed its opposition to year-round operation at the North Rim.
“We have no objection to building the lodge to be more energy efficient, but don’t think there should be an effort to keep it open year-round,” Director Sandy Bahr said.
“The lodge should be rebuilt with recognition of the history – the footprint should be limited and the architecture should be consistent with the rugged nature of the place,” she said.
As it stands now, North Rim visitors this month should be self-sufficient and bring food, water and supplies. There’s no power, water, cell service or visitor services available in the reopened areas. There are portable bathrooms at Point Imperial. Camping is prohibited.
The nearest fuel is available at the North Rim Country Store and Jacob Lake.
Lodging is available outside the park at Kaibab Lodge, Jacob Lake, Marble Canyon, Page, Fredonia and Kanab.
The North Kaibab Trail remains closed, as of press time, because of rock falls and other damage. FBN
By Peter Corbett, FBN
Courtesy Photo: Images like this from the National Park Service show extensive damage to the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.
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