Wildfire Forces Full Closure of Grand Canyon’s North Rim for Summer 2025

Each year, nearly 5 million visitors are drawn to the staggering vistas of Grand Canyon National Park—many arriving during the heart of summer. But on July 13, the park’s remote North Rim closed for the remainder of the summer 2025 season due to a wildfire that consumed Grand Canyon Lodge, the only in-park lodging on the North Rim, and several other structures.

The fire has also led to the closure of all the park’s inner canyon corridor trails and campgrounds. Officials have not yet announced when access will be restored.

A July 13 news release from the National Park Service reported both the complete loss of the lodge and the closure of the North Rim, including popular inner-canyon trails like North Kaibab Trail, South Kaibab Trail, and Bright Angel Trail below Havasupai Gardens. Phantom Ranch, a historic lodge at the base of the canyon that many visitors hike to, is also closed until further notice. 

The more visited South Rim part of the park remains open. According to the Grand Canyon National Park website, the North Rim is visited by only 10 percent of all park visitors.

The fire, called the Dragon Bravo Fire, began on July 4 as a result of a lightning strike within Grand Canyon National Park. It was originally well confined and contained, but on the evening of July 12, it progressed rapidly due to 20 m.p.h. winds and gusts reaching up to 40 m.p.h. According to reporting by the Associated Press, the fire grew by nearly eight times within a day and has currently consumed over 70 structures, including several historic cabins, employee housing, administrative offices, and visitor facilities. 

The North Rim’s only lodge, the now destroyed Grand Canyon Lodge, was originally built in 1928 before being burned down in 1932 and reconstructed in 1937.

A water treatment facility on the North Rim was also damaged, releasing chlorine gas the afternoon of July 12, according to Wildfire.gov, the U.S. government’s wildland fire information portal. No injuries or loss of life have been reported and everyone has been evacuated.

“The fire is being managed with an aggressive full suppression strategy. Fire behavior is still very active, driven by hot temperatures, low relative humidity, and continued strong wind gusts,” stated the July 13 press release.

At the time of publication the fire has spread across 8,570 acres and is 0 percent contained, according to Wildfire.gov.