Grand Canyon National Park has always been popular with hikers, but visitors should be prepared this Labor Day weekend as they navigate which trails and facilities are still open after flash floods took out key infrastructure and killed at least two people.
On Aug. 29, flash floods tore through Bright Angel Creek after a torrential downpour hit the namesake canyon. Scientists say warming temperatures may have had a hand in making rains fall harder — hotter air holds more moisture, leading to more rainfall. Since 1970, the Southwest has seen a 14% spike in rainfall intensity.
Part of the deluge also fell onto the burn scar of last year's Dragon Bravo fire, which exacerbated the flood due to the lack of vegetation and healthy soil to soak up the moisture.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the National Park Service is assessing the damage in the Grand Canyon and conducting initial repairs. To support these operations and protect visitor safety from the debris, the park has closed to multiple sections of the park and paused several amenities.
Which Grand Canyon trails are open and which are closed?
According to the National Park Service, the entirely of the North Rim Kaibab trail is closed. As such, similar closures are in effect for the accomodations options along the trail, including Phantom Ranch and the campgrounds below the rim. Black and Silver Bridges that carry hikers across the Colorado River are also sealed off to trekkers. As of Sept. 4, the National Park Service hasn't provided any estimate of when these facilities might reopen.
Other trails on the North Rim that were closed before the floods will remain sealed off to users. They include the Widforss, Transept and the west Ken Patrick Trails.
For Arizona Trail through-hikers, the closures of the North Kaibab trail will likely foil any attempts to complete the journey for the near future. "Rerouting around the canyon is nearly impossible, so for the third consecutive season, there is no connected route from Mexico to Utah," the Arizona Trail Association wrote on its website. "This is tough news for all of us at the ATA who work hard year-round to ensure there’s a continuous path."
For the determined finishers of the Arizona Trail, The organization suggests arranging for private transport between the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon.
Some trails are open for day hiking, but water is limited
Most of the trails in the South Rim section of the park remain open, except for the sections that provide direct access to the Colorado River. The river-side segment of the Bright Angel Trail past its intersection with the Tonto Trail is closed, as are the last three miles of the South Kaibab trail, below the Tip-Off point.
The North and South Rims are open for day hiking, though the park service has shuttered lodging options within park boundaries for now. But tourists will have to contend with reduced water availability in the park, due to the damage to the Transcanyon Waterline, the only one that serves the park.
No running water is available in the North Rim, but visitors can purchase bottled water from the General Store between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
At the South Rim, Stage 4 water restrictions are now in place. To conserve water, the park has closed all hotels within the park boundaries. Food and beverage services are still available within the park, and the Grand Canyon Clinic and the Post Office are carrying on business as usual, though the park warned that their hours might be curtailed. Dry camping is still allowed, but not fires. All potable water spigots on the campgrounds are turned off, though running water is still available in the bathrooms.
Shi En Kim covers environmental issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to shien.kim@arizonarepublic.com.
Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Here's which Grand Canyon hiking trails are open Labor Day weekend
