North Rim of Grand Canyon to open on schedule next week
May 9, 2017, 9:10 AM | Updated: May 15, 2017, 9:52 am
(NPS Photo/Michael Quinn)
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon will reopen next week as scheduled, despite ongoing repairs to a broken water supply line.
Car travel to the area will also resume the same day — May 15 — when State Route 67 reopens from winter break.
(Updated May 3): #GrandCanyon North Rim May 15, 2017 opening with limited visitor services. https://t.co/C0aEsggIWH #Arizona -mq pic.twitter.com/A4kKMLQYx1
— Grand Canyon NPS (@GrandCanyonNPS) May 3, 2017
SR 67 reopens May 15 to the Grand Canyon's North Rim. The ADOT Blog has details on this scenic, winding highway. https://t.co/AC76kFeS9Z pic.twitter.com/WjIvJJAPv4
— Arizona DOT (@ArizonaDOT) May 9, 2017
Visitor services will be limited and water conservation steps will be in effect, Grand Canyon National Park superintendent Chris Lehnertz said.
A rockslide in March destroyed over 300 feet of pipeline. Crews began hauling away debris after barring traffic at the North Kaibab Trail at Redwall Bridge late in the month. The trail was shut down daily from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
The Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim will be open. Anyone who had a reservation canceled because of the pipe break can reinstate their stay by contacting lodging@foreverresorts.com.
The NPS website posted:
The North Rim grocery store, gas station and post office will be open. Grand Canyon Trail Rides offered at the North Rim will begin operations May 15. The North Rim Visitor Center and Grand Canyon Association bookstore will be open as scheduled, 8 am to 6 pm daily, with a variety of ranger programs offered. The backcountry information center will be open 8 am to noon and 1 pm to 5 pm daily.
The park has paid for daily delivery of 40,000 gallons of water to tanks on the rim since April 28.
The water issue never affected the South Rim or Phantom Ranch.
The Arizona Department of Transportation said SR 67 would be accessible starting May 15. The roadway between Jacob Lake and the North Rim has been closed since Dec. 1.
That area south of U.S. 89A regularly shuts down for winter because of heavy snowfall — an average of nine feet.