Overnight guest lodging at Grand Canyon National Park is temporarily closed starting Thursday due to waterline breaks in the park.
A release from Grand Canyon National Park says Stage 4 water restrictions are being implemented at the park and currently no water is being pumped to either the South or North Rim.
The park says the best-case scenario would be to reopen overnight stays starting Sept. 4, but that timeline could be moved back for several reasons.
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As a result, several other restrictions will be in place "for the foreseeable future" starting Thursday as the park works to repair the 12.5-mile waterline that supplies water to the park:
- Overnight Guest Lodging: Effective Thursday, August 29, all park concessions will halt overnight accommodations. This includes hotel facilities operated by Xanterra, such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, and Phantom Ranch, as well as Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. Overnight hotel accommodations located outside the park in the town of Tusayan will not be impacted by changes in park operations.
- Dry Camping: Only dry camping will be permitted. Spigot access at campgrounds on the South Rim will be turned off, though faucets in bathrooms will remain operational. Water spigot access will be available at the Mather Campground check-in kiosk.
- No fires will be allowed on the South Rim and inner canyon areas. Fire restrictions prohibit all wood burning and charcoal fires, including campfires, warming fires, and charcoal barbecues.
- Operational Services: The park will remain open for day use. All South Rim food and beverage services, the Grand Canyon Clinic, and the Post Office will remain open. The North Rim's Grand Canyon Lodge, and other North Rim visitor services such as the Campground, will remain open.
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The park also says existing water conservation measures are still in place as well, including:
"We are asking residents and visitors to help conserve water by limiting showers to five minutes or less, turning off faucets while shaving or brushing teeth, flushing toilets selectively, washing laundry with full loads, and reporting leaks to the appropriate offices. Hikers in the backcountry must carry all necessary water or methods to treat water."
An exact timeline for when the waterline will be repaired was not immediately given.
For the latest information on restrictions, click here.
This story was originally published by Clayton Klapper at Scripps News Phoenix.
