The National Park Service (NPS) is reopening parts of Grand Canyon National Park after a fire forced closures. Popular parts along the canyon’s south rim have remained closed since July 13 due to safety concerns from the Dragon Bravo Fire. While parts of the Grand Canyon reopen, crews continue to work on containing the fire.
The following areas of the park have reopened:
- South Kaibab Trail is open from the South Kaibab Trailhead to Tipoff.
- Tonto Trail is open from Tipoff to Havasupai Gardens.
- Bright Angel Trail is open from the Bright Angel Trailhead to Pipe Creek Resthouse.
Although the fire has moved away from parts of the park, lingering smoke and other hazards kept the South Rim corridor closed for more than 30 days.
“Grand Canyon National Park thanks the public for their patience and understanding as staff continue to mitigate safety risks from the Dragon Bravo Fire and work to restore access to corridor hiking trails on the South Rim,” wrote park officials in a press release. “The park remains committed to reopening closed areas as soon as they are determined to be safe, and encourages the public to stay informed through future park updates.”
Monitoring the Dragon Bravo Fire
Lightning sparked the fire that erupted on July 4. Today, the Dragon Bravo Fire has burned more than 145,000 acres. It’s currently only 62% contained. The State of Arizona says the fire also impacted parts of the Kaibab National Forest. Some sections of the forest also reopened this week.
If you plan on visiting the Grand Canyon, the NPS has set up a page with the latest closure information. You can find that here. Park rangers also recommend that people monitor smoke in the area. You can do that with the help of PurpleAir map for the latest conditions.