The National Park Service (NPS) conducted an aerial evacuation of approximately 50 people from the Grand Canyon on Saturday following flash flooding in Bright Angel Canyon. The flooding occurred in the afternoon, leading officials to close the area. No injuries were reported.
Grand Canyon National Park was the fourth-most visited national park in the United States with 4,430,653 recreational visits in 2023. Phantom Ranch, located near the bottom of the canyon by Bright Angel Creek, is a historic lodge that is usually fully booked months in advance.
Following the flooding, the NPS announced the closure of the entirety of the North Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch until further notice. The agency utilized helicopters to move individuals out of the Phantom Ranch area. Park officials issued a public notice via social media advising visitors to stay away from the closed zones.
The operator of Phantom Ranch will contact guests regarding the status of their reservations. For the broader visiting public, the closure of the North Kaibab Trail removes a route for hikers attempting to reach the canyon floor. Hikers who planned to transit the Bright Angel Canyon area will need to find alternative routes or cancel their trips while the areas remain closed for assessment.