Grand Canyon North Rim reopens Friday

The Grand Canyon’s North Rim is reopening Friday, May 15, but this is not a normal summer reset. The roads are coming back. The viewpoints are coming back. The North Kaibab Trail is coming back. But the place is still operating around fire damage, missing infrastructure, and a lodge that is no longer there. ### What exactly reopens Friday? At 6 a.m. on May 15, Grand Canyon National Park is reopening the North Rim for the 2026 summer season. That includes Highway 67 inside the park, plus the Cape Royal and Point Imperial roads, which means visitors can once again drive to overlooks like Point Imperial, Cape Royal, Roosevelt Point, Walhalla Overlook, and Angels Window. (nps.gov) ### Is this a full reopening? Not really. The cleanest way to think about it is: scenic access is back, but the classic North Rim overnight experience is still broken. Overnight lodging inside the park will not be available during the 2026 season, and the North Rim Campground still does not have a firm reopening date. The park says camping reservations will go live only after conditions allow. (nps.gov) ### What about hiking? The big news for hikers is that the entire North Kaibab Trail is scheduled to reopen May 15 for foot traffic only. That is the trail that makes North Rim access matter for backpackers and rim-to-rim hikers. But the catch is that stock use is suspended for the season, parking at the North Kaibab Trailhead is limited, and trail crews will keep working all summer, so temporary closures or delays are very much on the table. (nps.gov) ### Can people stay overnight in the backcountry? Yes — in a limited way. Cottonwood Campground is set to reopen on May 15, and backcountry use will be allowed in most areas of the North Rim. But hikers still need to treat this as a live-conditions trip, not a set-it-and-forget-it vacation, because closures can change with maintenance, weather, and post-fire hazards. (nps.gov) ### Why is the reopening so constrained? Because the North Rim is still recovering from the Dragon Bravo Fire. That fire started on July 4, 2025, and later burned more than 145,000 acres on the North Rim. On July 13, 2025, the fire swept through the developed area and destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge along with numerous historic cabins. So even though the park can reopen roads and trails, rebuilding the visitor infrastructure is a much longer job. (nps.gov) ### What does this change for a regular visitor? Basically, the North Rim becomes much more of a day-use destination this year. You can drive in, hit the overlooks, hike if conditions allow, and use limited services nearby. But you should not show up expecting the old lodge-centered experience, and you should plan fuel, food, water, and parking more carefully than usual. The park says the nearest fuel, food, and water are at the North Rim Country Store and Jacob Lake. (fs.usda.gov) ### Is this still worth the trip? If what you want is the quieter, forested side of the Grand Canyon and access to North Rim viewpoints, yes. If what you want is the full historic lodge stay, not yet. This reopening is really about getting people back onto the rim safely while the bigger recovery continues. ### Bottom line (nps.gov) Friday’s reopening is real, but it is a recovery-season reopening. The North Rim is back on the map for drives and hikes. The old version of the North Rim — lodge, cabins, and all — is still gone for now. (nps.gov)