Grand Canyon North Rim, other services on Kaibab Plateau set to open for 2019 season

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon in the background as tourists hike along the South Rim in Grand Canyon, Ariz., Feb. 22, 2005 | Associated Press file photo by Rick Hossman, St. George News

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. No later than 8 a.m. on May 15, the Arizona Department of Transportation will open Highway 67 to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and all North Rim services will commence their 2019 seasonal operations.

Grand Canyon National Park North Rim, Grand Canyon, Arizona, September 2012 | Photo courtesy of the National Parks Service, St. George News

Among the attractions on the North Rim are Grand Canyon Trail Rides and the Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim; services there include lodging, groceries, camping, dining and a service station, according to a release issued Tuesday by the National Park Service.

All concession facilities will open at 10 a.m., with the exception of the dining room, which will open for lunch at 11:30. Lodge check-in will begin at 4 p.m.

Advance overnight lodging reservations for North Rim facilities may be made by contacting Forever Resorts at 877- 386-4383 or by visiting its website. Reservations for the North Rim Campground must be made by calling 877-444-6777 or online here. For information on Grand Canyon Trail Rides call 435-679-8665 or visit its website.

From Nov. 1 through Dec. 1, pay-at-the-pump gas and diesel will be available and visitors will continue to have access to the Point Imperial and Bright Angel viewpoints, as well as the North Kaibab trailhead.

Camping will be available to those who walk or hike in (no car camping) at the North Rim Campground and Yurt, provided a backcountry use permit has been obtained. Those permits will be available through the South Rim Backcountry Information Center, and at the visitor center at Pipe Spring National Monument in Fredonia, Ariz.

The last day for most concession services and regularly scheduled ranger programs will be Oct. 15. The park service will continue its operations, including the North Rim Visitor Center, bookstore and Backcountry Permits Office through Oct. 31. The North Rim will remain open for day use from Nov. 1 through Dec. 1, unless Highway 67 is closed due to weather conditions before that time.

2017 file photo of the View of Point Imperial at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, July 3, 2017 | | Photo by Reuben Wadsworth, St. George News

All services provided by the National Park Service, including the Visitor Center, Backcountry Permits Office and campground, as well as the Grand Canyon Association Bookstore will be available on May 15 at 8 a.m.

Visitors to the North Rim will see construction this summer as a water distribution line replacement project gets under way. At various times, work will take place in the campground, employee housing areas, near the lodge and along access roads. Updates will be posted regularly on the park’s website and at various locations on the North Rim.

The North Rim lies at the southern end of the Kaibab Plateau at approximately 8,500 feet in elevation, and offers spectacular canyon views. It is approximately a 215-mile drive from the South Rim.

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