Officials at Grand Canyon National Park will again partially reopen the South Rim to visitors this weekend. The park closed last month to protect employees and residents from COVID-19. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports.
Grand Canyon managers will phase in operations at the park for the second weekend in a row since closing to visitors April 1. Several South Rim viewpoints will open along with day hiking on inner-canyon trails and some limited services. But visitor centers, museums, restaurants, lodging and South Rim campgrounds will remain closed. Access to the Colorado River will also be off limits.
Officials will open the South Rim entrance only between 4 to 10 a.m. Friday through Monday where automated fee machines will be set up. Visitors can stay in the park until sunset.
Leaders of the nearby Navajo Nation, however, are urging the National Park Service to reconsider opening Grand Canyon. Tribal officials worry an influx of visitors to the area could create a further spike of coronavirus cases on the reservation that continues to experience one of the highest per-capita infection rates in the country.
