Grand Canyon North Rim closed after fire, but South Rim remains open

The Dragon Bravo fire continues to tear through the North Rim section of Grand Canyon National Park, forcing evacuations and destroying the historic Grand Canyon Lodge and its nearby cabins.

But the Arizona Office of Tourism wants people to know that the South Rim part of the park is safe and open for business.

“Our hearts go out to the entire Grand Canyon North Rim community. Thankfully, everyone evacuated quickly and safely,” Arizona Office of Tourism Interim Director Alix Skelpsa Ridgway said in an announcement. “Our thoughts remain with the firefighters who are working to extinguish this blaze.”

Though visitors to the South Rim will be able to see smoke from the blaze and air quality may be affected, all South Rim businesses, hotels and surrounding communities such as Tusayan, Valle, Williams and Cameron are open and fully operational. (You can monitor the air quality by visiting outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net.)

“While this situation is undeniably devastating, we want to remind and reassure visitors that the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and surrounding communities remain open and welcoming to guests,” Ridgway added.

The South Rim (through Tusayan) and East entrances (through Cameron) remain open to visitors.

The Dragon Bravo fire has forced the closure of the North Rim side of the park through the remainder of the 2025 season, which runs through Nov. 30. After that, the North Rim is closed for the winter through May 14, so it'll be nearly a year before tourists can visit that side of the park.


The Grand Canyon Lodge's website has a message posted that reads, "As stewards of some of our country’s most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge and numerous other historic buildings at the Grand Canyon's North Rim. We are grateful that all our employees and guests have been safely evacuated, and we join the National Park Service in mourning the loss of these iconic and beloved structures.

"We are deeply grateful to all who have chosen Grand Canyon Lodge as their basecamp of exploration and adventure. Each guest helped make Grand Canyon Lodge more than just a destination, but a place filled with lifelong memories. It is with heavy hearts that we share this devastating news. We know that Grand Canyon Lodge has meant as much to so many of you as it has to us."

Nearly 5 million people visited Grand Canyon National Park in 2024. Summer is the highest travel season for GCNP, with the majority of travelers visiting in the months of June (496,000 visitors), July (538,000 visitors) and August (507,000 visitors).