Officials at Grand Canyon National Park say they could reopen the North Kaibab Trail and parts of the Arizona National Scenic Trail this spring.
Both popular routes were damaged last summer by the Dragon Bravo Fire and officials and closed both indefinitely.
The park is evaluating the impacts of winter weather to the trails as it uses what officials call an “adaptive approach” for seasonal reopening.
According to officials, they “aim” to open “popular points of interest,” including the North Kaibab, on May 15, weather and conditions permitting.
“Our goal is to provide access to the North Rim as quickly and responsibly as possible with an emphasis on safety,” says Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable. “We are committed to keeping the public and our partners informed as we learn more about the impacts of winter weather and the Dragon Bravo Fire.”
Officials say visitor safety and resource protection are top priorities and the park will announce details about the 2026 North Rim season by April 1.
The North Kaibab Trail and the Arizona Trail usually stay open to visitors year-round. But officials sometimes close them because of snow, ice, fire damage and infrastructure repairs.
Both trails were closed in July as the Dragon Bravo swept through parts of the North Rim and have been off limits to visitors because of safety concerns and possible rockfall.
The closure has had significant effects on businesses throughout the region that depend on North Rim tourism.
For months residents and business-owners have urged park officials and lawmakers to reopen more areas of the park.
