Grand Canyon National Park reopened the lower South Kaibab Trail and the River Trail after flood-damage repairs, the National Park Service announced October 26. Several other inner-canyon closures remain in place.
The reopening notice covers South Kaibab below The Tipoff and the entire River Trail connecting South Kaibab with Bright Angel. Bright Angel between Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens is also open to hikers, but that section remains closed to stock use.
Crews are continuing technical repairs on Bright Angel. Hikers should expect intermittent closures and delays, follow posted signs and crew instructions, and allow extra travel time. Closure times can change with little notice.
The Black Bridge and Silver Bridge across the Colorado River remain closed, along with Phantom Ranch and the entire North Kaibab Trail. The park’s current hiking status page gives no estimated reopening date for those areas. Hikers cannot cross the river using either bridge.
Water remains off at Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse, Three-Mile Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens for the rest of winter. NPS tells hikers to bring their own water and appropriate filtration or treatment equipment. It also warns that emergency responses may be delayed and rescue is not guaranteed.
The status page lists potable water in large black tanks beside the restrooms at both Bright Angel and South Kaibab trailheads. Those trailhead supplies do not restore water along the inner-canyon route; check the park’s water and closure updates before setting out.
