News Release

Celebrate 4th of July Safely at Grand Canyon National Park v

Date: June 27, 2017
Contact: Vanessa Ceja, 928-638-7779

Grand Canyon, AZ. -  The National Park Service would like to remind everyone that the best way to enjoy Fourth of July at Grand Canyon National Park is safely. Visitors and residents are encouraged to contribute to a safe and enjoyable park experience on Fourth of July by drinking responsibly and not driving under the influence. With the holiday fast approaching, visitors and residents are also reminded that fireworks are prohibited within Grand Canyon National Park at all times. 

Historically, July is the busiest month of the year at Grand Canyon. As a result, visitors looking to visit Grand Canyon National Park during Fourth of July should expect large crowds, long lines at entrance stations and shuttle bus stop areas, and full parking lots. At entrance stations, wait times can last 30 minutes or more, especially between 9 am and 4 pm. In the park, visitors can expect parking lots, mainly at Grand Canyon Visitor Center, to start reaching capacity by 10 am. 

Park staff suggest visitors use the 'park and ride' Tusayan route shuttle bus to avoid wait times at entrance stations and full parking lots in the park. Visitors can park their vehicles and pick up the Tusayan route shuttle bus at any of the four stops in Tusayan before heading to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center. The Tusayan Route leaves every 20 minutes from 8 am to 9:45 pm, visitors must present a valid park entrance pass before boarding the shuttle bus. Park entrance passes may be purchased at six locations in Tusayan.
After reaching the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, visitors can access trails, viewpoints and in-park shuttle bus routes such as the Kaibab Rim (Orange) Route, Village (Blue) Route, and from the Village Route the Hermits Rest (Red) Route. For more information about the shuttle bus system at Grand Canyon National Park visit, https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm.

Grand Canyon National Park staff also invite visitors to participate in a daily ranger program at the North Rim Visitor Center, Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Yavapai Geology Museum, Verkamps Visitor Center, Kolb Studio or Desert View Watchtower and Tusayan Museum. Visitors traveling to the South or North Rim are encouraged to check weather and road conditions before traveling to the park by calling 928-638-7496. 
Grand Canyon visitors are also invited to explore Arizona's 22 national parks and monuments located throughout the state.

-NPS-