North Rim of Grand Canyon to Remain Open after October 15 with Limited Services

Date: September 30, 2009
Contact: Shannan Marcak, 928-638-7958

Grand Canyon, Ariz. – Grand Canyon National Park staff will soon begin the regular seasonal closure of many visitor services and facilities on the North Rim. However, the rim will remain open with limited services through November 29 or until snow closes Highway 67 leading into the park. Park visitors will no longer be able to access the North Rim by vehicle beginning on November 30.

Reservations for the Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim will be accepted through the night of October 15. All other concessioner-related visitor services, with the exception of the gas station, will close at the end of the day on October 15. The last meal served at Grand Canyon Lodge will be breakfast, which ends at 10:00 a.m. on October 16. The final day for mule rides on the North Rim will be October 15. 

The National Park Service North Rim Visitor Center and Bookstore, as well as the Backcountry Permits Office, will remain open through November 29. From October 16 until the North Rim closes for the season, these facilities will be open from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. daily. The final day for regularly scheduled ranger-led programs, as advertised in The Guide, will be October 15. 

Starting October 16, campsites with limited services, such as portable toilets, will be available for a $12 fee on a first-come, first-served basis. Water will only be available outside the NPS administration office.  Gas and diesel fuel will continue to be available at the gas station in the park on a pay-at-the-pump basis. Entrance fees and campground fees will be collected through the end of the day on November 29 or until snow closes Highway 67.

As in previous years, hikers and cross-country skiers will be permitted to use the park’s group campsites throughout the winter months if they have obtained a permit through the Park’s South Rim Backcountry Information Center or by going to the Visitor Center at Pipe Spring National Monument. The South Rim Backcountry Information Center is open year-round and can be reached by calling [phone], Monday through Friday, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. MST. Permit requests can be faxed year-round to [phone]. Permits are not considered earlier than the first of the month, four months prior to the proposed start date.

The Kaibab Lodge, located four miles north of the park boundary, will offer full services through October 31. The Kaibab Lodge will close for the season after breakfast November 1. The North Rim Country Store, also located outside of the park boundary across from the Kaibab Lodge, will remain open until November 8, weather permitting. Jacob Lake Inn, restaurant and gas station, located 45 miles from the North Rim developed area, remains open year-round. The Kaibab Camper Village, by Jacob Lake, will be open through October 15. The Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at Jacob Lake will have reduced hours starting in mid-October.

Arizona Department of Transportation officials will try and keep Highway 67 open through the end of November, but heavy snowfall could close the road earlier. After October 15, visitors are encouraged to call Arizona Highway information at [phone] in advance of their trip to check on the status of Highway 67. 

The South Rim and Inner Canyon facilities remain open year-round. 

For additional information on North Rim operations, please contact the North Rim Visitor Center at [phone]. A Grand Canyon trip planner may be downloaded from the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/grca. Additional information may also be obtained by calling the park’s main information line at [phone].

- NPS -