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Grand Canyon remains open during partial government shutdown
NPS staffed facilities remain closed

Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is closed after a partial government shutdown Dec. 21. (Loretta Yerian/WGCN)

Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is closed after a partial government shutdown Dec. 21. (Loretta Yerian/WGCN)

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - During the partial shutdown of the federal government because of the lapse of appropriations, national parks will remain as accessible as possible while still following all applicable laws and procedures.

Park roads, lookouts, and trails at Grand Canyon National Park will remain accessible to visitors. Visitor services provided by park concessioners and other entities will also remain open and operational, including lodging, restaurants and food service, grocery stores, retail locations, bicycle rental, concessioner provided tours and park shuttle operations.

National Park Service (NPS) staffed visitor centers and contact stations will not be open and no NPS ranger lead programs or tours will be provided. NPS social media and websites are not being monitored or updated and may not reflect current conditions. Entrance stations to the park will be open but will not be staffed with NPS personnel. Most public restrooms in the park will remain open for visitor use.

The park’s Backcountry Information Center will be closed. Visitors with previously issued permits for backcountry camping or river trips on the Colorado River may proceed as permitted but no new permits will be issued during this time. Check-in procedures for backcountry campgrounds and Colorado River trips will remain unchanged.

NPS-operated campgrounds will remain open, but check-in/check-out and reservation services will not be provided. Visitors in NPS-operated campgrounds will not be asked to leave unless safety concerns require such action. Visitors holding campground reservations should be aware that there is no guarantee their reserved campsite will be ready and available should they arrive during a government shutdown.

The State of Arizona has provided donated funding to assist in keeping Grand Canyon National Park open and accessible for visitors. The funding provided by the state will be used for trash collection, custodial services for restrooms, and snow removal on trails and sidewalks.

The National Weather Service is predicting winter storm activity and snowfall across Northern Arizona, including Grand Canyon National Park, over the next week. Visitors should plan accordingly and be prepared for winter driving conditions.

Highway 67 to the North Rim of Grand Canyon remains closed for the season.

More information and updates on the shutdown is available at www.doi.gov/shutdown.

Information about visitor services conducted by park concessioners and other entities is available at the following sites:

Bright Angel Bicycles & Cafe: 928-679-0992, http://bikegrandcanyon.com

Delaware North at Grand Canyon: 1-877-404-4611, http://www.visitgrandcanyon.com

Grand Canyon Conservancy: 1-800-858-2808, https://www.grandcanyon.org

Grand Canyon Lodges (Xanterra): 1-888-29-PARKS (1-888-297-2757), http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com

Grand Canyon Railway: 1-800-THE-TRAIN (1-800-843-8724), http://www.thetrain.com

Information provided by Grand Canyon National Park


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