GRAND CANYON — The gate at the entrance to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will open May 15 at 7:30 a.m., at which point Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim and Grand Canyon Trail Rides will commence their 2016 seasonal operations.
Although the gate to the North Rim will not open until May 15, Arizona Department of Transportation will open Highway 67 at Jacob Lake at 1 p.m. on May 13.
North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, May 22, 2010 | NPS photo by Michael Quinn, St. George News
All services provided by the National Park Service, including the visitor center, campground, Backcountry Information Center and the Grand Canyon Association bookstore, will be available on May 15 at 8 a.m.
Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim operations, including lodging, groceries, camper services, food services and gas station, will also open May 15. The first lunch of the season will be served starting at 11:30 a.m., lodge check-in will begin at 4 p.m. and seating for dinner will begin at 4:45 p.m.
Rangers will present the first scheduled program, Grand Canyon Geology, on the veranda of the Grand Canyon Lodge May 15 at 3 p.m. All ranger programs are listed in “The Pocket Map” (North Rim: 2016 Season), available at the National Park Service Grand Canyon webpage and at the North Rim entrance station.
In celebration of 100 years of the National Park Service, the North Rim of Grand Canyon will host several centennial events. For more information, visit the Grand Canyon calendar.
Other important dates
- The Kaibab Lodge, located 4 miles north of the park boundary, will have full service from May 15 to Oct. 20.
- The North Rim Country Store, located across from the Kaibab Lodge, will be open May 13 to Oct. 28.
- Jacob Lake Inn, restaurant and gas station, located 45 miles from the North Rim, remains open year-round.
- The Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at Jacob Lake will be open May 14 to Oct. 18; from Oct. 19 through Dec. 1, the visitor center will be open on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
2016 seasonal closures
The last day for most concessioner services and regularly scheduled ranger-led programs will be Oct. 15, 2016. The National Park Service will continue its operations, including the visitor center, bookstore and Backcountry Information Office through Oct. 31. Following that date, the North Rim will be open for day use only (no overnight parking) Nov. 1 through Dec. 1 unless snow closes Highway 67 prior to that date. Pay-at-the-pump gas and diesel will still be available those dates, and visitors will continue to have access to Point Imperial and Bright Angel viewpoints, as well as the North Kaibab trailhead.
After Oct. 31, camping will be available to those that walk or hike in (no car camping) at the North Rim Campground and yurt, provided a backcountry use permit has been obtained. These permits will continue to be available through the South Rim Backcountry Information Center and at the visitor center at Pipe Spring National Monument located in Fredonia, Arizona.
Resources
- Overnight lodging: Reservations via Forever Resorts | Telephone 877-386-4383 | online
- North Rim Campground: Reservations via Recreation.gov | Telephone 877-444-6777 | online
- Grand Canyon Trail Rides: Telephone 435-679-8665 | online
- North Rim trip-planning: National Parks Service website
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