Phoenix – Grand Canyon National Park Reopens Trails After Fire

Officials at Grand Canyon National Park have lifted the closure on three trails in the South Rim area that had been shut down because of the Dragon Bravo fire a month earlier.

Fortunately, the wildfire north of the Grand Canyon has not expanded significantly over the past week. Currently, it covers about 145,500 acres and is 62% contained, according to a Wednesday morning update.

After a noticeable improvement in air quality, the Inner Canyon Trail reopened on Wednesday for the first time since July 13.

• The South Kaibabu Trail Head is open to the tip-off.
• Tonto Trail spans from Chip Off to Haba Spy Garden.
• The Bright Angel Trail is accessible from Bright Angel Trail Head to Pipe Creek Crest House.

Looking ahead, the Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground are slated to open again on November 1.

However, the North Kaibabu Trail and State Route 67, which leads from Jacob Lake to the North Rim, are still closed for the foreseeable future, as reported by authorities.

Separately, the River Trail from Pipe Creek to the South Kaibabu Trail Junction will remain shut down until November because of construction for the Trans Canyon Waterline Project.

Dragon Bravo Fire Ranks Among Arizona’s Largest

The Dragon Bravo Fire is noted as the seventh largest wildfire in Arizona’s history.

Currently, about 670 firefighters continue to work on managing the blaze, a reduction from over 1,300 during peak containment efforts.

This wildfire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, led to the destruction of more than 70 structures on the North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge.

Because of the damage caused, the North Rim will be off-limits to visitors for the rest of the 2025 season, which typically lasts until mid-October.

In contrast, services on the South Rim are operating as usual.

Fire-related boundaries have been adjusted to enhance public access while still supporting firefighting efforts.

Additionally, the western portion of the North Kaibabu area has reopened and access to several forest roads connecting Jacob Lake and TIMP Point has been restored.

Nonetheless, other districts remain closed as crews work toward complete containment.