National Park Service to reopen Grand Canyon’s Northern Rim

(The Center Square) – Grand Canyon National Park announced the reopening date for an area that experienced one of the largest fires in Arizona’s history.

The park said its North Rim will reopen at 6 a.m. May 15.

The North Rim was hit by the Dragon Bravo Fire, which burned 145,504 acres in the park after lightning started it on July 4, 2025. It continued to burn until it was 100% contained by late September. The North Rim partially reopened in the same month, but was closed again Nov. 14.

The reopening date “was based on meeting minimum operational and safety conditions following the Dragon Bravo Fire,” said Joelle Baird, a spokesperson for the Grand Canyon National Park. She said this included “ensuring access, basic sanitation, emergency response capability, and overall visitor safety.”

“Ongoing assessments of post-fire hazards such as debris flows, hazard trees, and infrastructure stability — also informed the timing,” Baird said, answering The Center Square’s questions by email. “The...