Wildfire Engulfs Historic Grand Canyon Lodge: Why It Is A Great Loss For Tourists & Hikers Explained
A wildfire tore through the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, ending the tourist season for the canyon's North Rim, a place where visitors could find less bustle in one of the country's most iconic national parks.
No injuries had been reported, but more than 70 structures were lost, including a visitors' centre and several cabins.
But a wind-whipped wildfire reduced it to a skeleton of itself within hours over the weekend, devastating the many who saw it as an intrinsic part of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Fortified with Kaibab limestone and logs from the surrounding Ponderosa pine forest, it sat at the edge of the canyon, blending in and enhancing the natural environment. 'It's tragic, it really is," retired National Park Service chief historian Robert K. Sutton said Monday.
The lodge itself told a key part of history for both the Grand Canyon and the National Park Service. Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who designed the lodge in 1927, sought to immerse residents in the landscape that now draws millions of visitors annually from around the world with a rustic, organic architectural style. He designed similar lodges in Zion and Bryce national parks in Utah, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Yosemite National Park in California, according to the park service.
Building the Grand Canyon Lodge wasn't easy
The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging within the canyon's North Rim, was built at a time when the federal department was eager to find ways to engage the public with the country's best natural offerings, Sutton said.
For a place as remote as the North Rim, that wasn't an easy task. The lodge was a winding 212-mile (341-kilometer) drive from the more popular South Rim where 90% of the tourists go. Hiking from one side to the other is even more arduous at over 20 miles (32 kilometers) with steep ascents at the end. But the historic building's tranquility is a fundamental part of its appeal.
'You're just on your own. It's just a completely different atmosphere," Sutton said.
The drive up to the North Rim was a chance to see a bison herd that roams the far reaches of northern Arizona. The highway ended at the Grand Canyon Lodge, built right up to the edge of the rim. Across the lobby inside and down the stairs, visitors got a picturesque view of the Grand Canyon framed through the windows of the 'Sun Room" furnished with plush couches. Navajo woven rugs hung on the walls and elaborate light fixtures from the ceilings.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Grand Canyon Lodges (@gclodges)
Where is the Grand Canyon Lodge located?
The Colorado River cuts through Grand Canyon National Park for about 278 miles (447 kilometers), pushing across northwestern Arizona. The eastern boundary is near the state's northern border with Utah, while the western edge is near Nevada.
Grand Canyon National Park is about 1,900 square miles (nearly 5,000 square kilometers), according to the National Park Service, which makes it bigger than Rhode Island.
The park is unique because of its canyon walls, which boast horizontal layers of red, orange and purple rock. The average depth of the iconic formation is about a mile (1.6 kilometers), while the average width is about 10 miles (16 kilometers).
'Four Empire State Buildings stacked one atop the other would not reach the rim," Lance Newman wrote in the introduction to the 2011 book, 'The Grand Canyon Reader."
Within the park are the north and south rims, which are the primary travel destinations because of their accessibility.
The North, South Rims and visitors
The North Rim receives 10% of park visitors and is known for more quiet and solitude, according to the park service. It's open from mid-May to mid-October because of the snow. But the wildfires have closed it for the rest of the season, destroying a historic lodge and dozens of cabins.
The South Rim is open all year. It's more bustling and boasts a historic district, which dates to when the first steam-powered train arrived in 1901.
A car trip between the rims takes five hours, according to the park service. That's because there's only one way across the Colorado River by vehicle, and its 137 miles (231 kilometers) from the South Rim Village.
Hiking between rims is a shorter distance, 21 miles (34 kilometers), though by no means easy. It includes crossing the river on a narrow foot bridge 70 feet (21 meters) above the water.
How was the Grand Canyon formed?
The Grand Canyon was formed with the shifting of tectonic plates, which lifted layers of rock into a high and relatively flat plateau, according to the park service. About 5 million to 6 million years ago, the Colorado River began to carve its way downward, slowly deepening and widening the gorge.
The oldest human artifacts in the area date to about 12,000 years ago, when small bands of people hunted bison, the park service said. There were gradual shifts to agriculture, the building of pueblos and the development of trade routes. Today, 11 tribes have historic connections to the canyon, including the Hopi and the Diné (Navajo).
The Spanish were the first Europeans to the see the Grand Canyon in 1540, according to the park service. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado and his Spanish army were searching for fabled cities of gold. 'The Hopi were able to fool the Spaniards into thinking that the area was an impenetrable wasteland and was not navigable anyway," the park service wrote on its website, adding that the canyon 'was left unexplored by Europeans for 235 years."
In the late 1850s, an Army lieutenant explored the Grand Canyon in search of a viable trade route, the park service said. Joseph Christmas Ives described it as 'altogether valueless" and predicted it 'shall be forever unvisited".
The expeditions in 1869, 1871 drew interest
The Grand Canyon began to draw much more interest after expeditions in 1869 and 1871 by geologist John Wesley Powell. Powell described rock layers in the canyon's towering walls: 'creamy orange above, then bright vermilion, and below, purple and chocolate beds, with green and yellow sands." As the years went on, more explorers arrived by boat, on foot and on horseback, often with the help of Native American guides. Wealthy travelers came by stagecoach from Flagstaff to the South Rim in the 1880s. After the arrival of trains, the automobile became the more popular mode of travel in the 1930s.
Early entrepreneurs charged $1 to hike down the Bright Angel Trail used by the Havasupai people whose current-day reservation lies in the depths of the Grand Canyon. President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation to create the park in 1919 but Teddy Roosevelt is credited for its early preservation as a game reserve and a national monument.
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He famously said: 'Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it."
With AP Inputs
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July 15, 2025, 13:33 IST
News explainers Wildfire Engulfs Historic Grand Canyon Lodge: Why It Is A Great Loss For Tourists & Hikers Explained
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News18
7 days ago
- News18
Wildfire Engulfs Historic Grand Canyon Lodge: Why It Is A Great Loss For Tourists & Hikers Explained
The nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge in far northern Arizona was a refuge for ambitious hikers and adventurous tourists eager to bask in the magnificent views A wildfire tore through the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, ending the tourist season for the canyon's North Rim, a place where visitors could find less bustle in one of the country's most iconic national parks. No injuries had been reported, but more than 70 structures were lost, including a visitors' centre and several cabins. But a wind-whipped wildfire reduced it to a skeleton of itself within hours over the weekend, devastating the many who saw it as an intrinsic part of the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Fortified with Kaibab limestone and logs from the surrounding Ponderosa pine forest, it sat at the edge of the canyon, blending in and enhancing the natural environment. 'It's tragic, it really is," retired National Park Service chief historian Robert K. Sutton said Monday. The lodge itself told a key part of history for both the Grand Canyon and the National Park Service. Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who designed the lodge in 1927, sought to immerse residents in the landscape that now draws millions of visitors annually from around the world with a rustic, organic architectural style. He designed similar lodges in Zion and Bryce national parks in Utah, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Yosemite National Park in California, according to the park service. Building the Grand Canyon Lodge wasn't easy The Grand Canyon Lodge, the only lodging within the canyon's North Rim, was built at a time when the federal department was eager to find ways to engage the public with the country's best natural offerings, Sutton said. For a place as remote as the North Rim, that wasn't an easy task. The lodge was a winding 212-mile (341-kilometer) drive from the more popular South Rim where 90% of the tourists go. Hiking from one side to the other is even more arduous at over 20 miles (32 kilometers) with steep ascents at the end. But the historic building's tranquility is a fundamental part of its appeal. 'You're just on your own. It's just a completely different atmosphere," Sutton said. The drive up to the North Rim was a chance to see a bison herd that roams the far reaches of northern Arizona. The highway ended at the Grand Canyon Lodge, built right up to the edge of the rim. Across the lobby inside and down the stairs, visitors got a picturesque view of the Grand Canyon framed through the windows of the 'Sun Room" furnished with plush couches. Navajo woven rugs hung on the walls and elaborate light fixtures from the ceilings. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Grand Canyon Lodges (@gclodges) Where is the Grand Canyon Lodge located? The Colorado River cuts through Grand Canyon National Park for about 278 miles (447 kilometers), pushing across northwestern Arizona. The eastern boundary is near the state's northern border with Utah, while the western edge is near Nevada. Grand Canyon National Park is about 1,900 square miles (nearly 5,000 square kilometers), according to the National Park Service, which makes it bigger than Rhode Island. The park is unique because of its canyon walls, which boast horizontal layers of red, orange and purple rock. The average depth of the iconic formation is about a mile (1.6 kilometers), while the average width is about 10 miles (16 kilometers). 'Four Empire State Buildings stacked one atop the other would not reach the rim," Lance Newman wrote in the introduction to the 2011 book, 'The Grand Canyon Reader." Within the park are the north and south rims, which are the primary travel destinations because of their accessibility. The North, South Rims and visitors The North Rim receives 10% of park visitors and is known for more quiet and solitude, according to the park service. It's open from mid-May to mid-October because of the snow. But the wildfires have closed it for the rest of the season, destroying a historic lodge and dozens of cabins. The South Rim is open all year. It's more bustling and boasts a historic district, which dates to when the first steam-powered train arrived in 1901. A car trip between the rims takes five hours, according to the park service. That's because there's only one way across the Colorado River by vehicle, and its 137 miles (231 kilometers) from the South Rim Village. Hiking between rims is a shorter distance, 21 miles (34 kilometers), though by no means easy. It includes crossing the river on a narrow foot bridge 70 feet (21 meters) above the water. How was the Grand Canyon formed? The Grand Canyon was formed with the shifting of tectonic plates, which lifted layers of rock into a high and relatively flat plateau, according to the park service. About 5 million to 6 million years ago, the Colorado River began to carve its way downward, slowly deepening and widening the gorge. The oldest human artifacts in the area date to about 12,000 years ago, when small bands of people hunted bison, the park service said. There were gradual shifts to agriculture, the building of pueblos and the development of trade routes. Today, 11 tribes have historic connections to the canyon, including the Hopi and the Diné (Navajo). The Spanish were the first Europeans to the see the Grand Canyon in 1540, according to the park service. Francisco Vázquez de Coronado and his Spanish army were searching for fabled cities of gold. 'The Hopi were able to fool the Spaniards into thinking that the area was an impenetrable wasteland and was not navigable anyway," the park service wrote on its website, adding that the canyon 'was left unexplored by Europeans for 235 years." In the late 1850s, an Army lieutenant explored the Grand Canyon in search of a viable trade route, the park service said. Joseph Christmas Ives described it as 'altogether valueless" and predicted it 'shall be forever unvisited". The expeditions in 1869, 1871 drew interest The Grand Canyon began to draw much more interest after expeditions in 1869 and 1871 by geologist John Wesley Powell. Powell described rock layers in the canyon's towering walls: 'creamy orange above, then bright vermilion, and below, purple and chocolate beds, with green and yellow sands." As the years went on, more explorers arrived by boat, on foot and on horseback, often with the help of Native American guides. Wealthy travelers came by stagecoach from Flagstaff to the South Rim in the 1880s. After the arrival of trains, the automobile became the more popular mode of travel in the 1930s. Early entrepreneurs charged $1 to hike down the Bright Angel Trail used by the Havasupai people whose current-day reservation lies in the depths of the Grand Canyon. President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation to create the park in 1919 but Teddy Roosevelt is credited for its early preservation as a game reserve and a national monument. top videos View all He famously said: 'Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it." With AP Inputs About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Grand Canyon wildfire view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 15, 2025, 13:33 IST News explainers Wildfire Engulfs Historic Grand Canyon Lodge: Why It Is A Great Loss For Tourists & Hikers Explained Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Time of India
Spreading Grand Canyon fire destroys historic lodge
Spreading Grand Canyon fire destroys historic lodge (Image: AP) LOS ANGELES: A growing wildfire at the Grand Canyon's North Rim has now charred at least 50 structures, including a historic lodge inside the popular US tourist site and natural wonder, authorities said Monday. Hundreds of firefighters working from the air and ground in Arizona are battling the so-called Dragon Bravo blaze. More than 500 tourists and park staffers have been evacuated since the fire broke out on July 4, apparently from a lightning strike. On Saturday night the flames intensified quickly due to sustained winds gusting at up to 40 miles (64 kilometres) per hour, the National Park Service said. According to early assessments, the fire has burned down between 50 and 80 structures, including administrative buildings, a water treatment facility, and a historic building called Grand Canyon Lodge. It is the only place on the North Rim inside the park where visitors can spend the night. It was rebuilt in the 1930s after being destroyed in a fire and declared a national historic monument in 1987. Burning for over a week, the fire was initially managed by federal authorities in a confine and contain strategy -- rather than being tackled aggressively to try to put it out. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has criticized the approach and called for an independent probe. "An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny into the federal government's emergency response," she wrote on X. "They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage. But Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate the Grand Canyon National Park," the Democratic governor wrote. Authorities announced the North Rim is now closed for the remainder of the tourism season running through mid-October. Firefighters are also battling a second blaze around 35 miles (56 kilometres) north of the Dragon Bravo fire in Kaibab National Forest. Roads have been closed down too but the more popular South Rim of the canyon remains open. Dozens of fires are burning in the western United States as the country goes into a dry and dangerous season for wildfires. The region faces additional challenges because the Trump administration has cut funding and staff at federal agencies that work to prevent and grapple with fires and other natural disasters. One of the greatest wonders of the natural world, the Grand Canyon is the result of the Colorado River eating away at layers of red sandstone and other rock for millions of years, leaving a chasm up to 18 miles wide and more than a mile deep. Last year almost five million people visited the world-famous site.
India.com
14-07-2025
- India.com
US: Wildfire Ravages Grand Canyon's Historic North Rim Lodge – What We Know So Far
Grand Canyon, Arizona: Smoke blankets the sky. Historic cabins lie in ashes. Tourists flee as two wildfires turn the North Rim of the Grand Canyon into a war zone of flame and chemical fumes. The iconic Grand Canyon Lodge, a symbol of U.S. heritage perched above one of Earth's great wonders, has been reduced to rubble. The blaze did not come from nowhere. On July 4, a bolt of lightning lit up the forest. What followed became a nightmare with a name – the Dragon Bravo Fire. With winds screaming at 64 km/h (40 mph), the flames roared through 500 acres of national parkland in days. Then came the White Sage Fire, ignited by lightning on July 9. By July 13, it had exploded to more than 40,000 acres, spreading through Arizona's backcountry with terrifying speed. The Grand Canyon Lodge, a beloved seasonal retreat that first opened in 1928, stood directly in the path. Known for its dramatic views and handcrafted stonework by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, the lodge had survived one fire before, a kitchen blaze in 1932, and was rebuilt in 1937. This time, there was no saving it. The National Park Service confirmed the worst – between 50 and 80 structures have been destroyed, including visitor facilities and NPS administrative buildings. The fire has prompted the complete closure of the North Rim for the rest of the season. The lodge had only opened on May 15, set to run through October 15. No lives have been lost. Officials acted fast, evacuating tourists and residents before the fire could trap anyone. But as the inferno advanced, a chlorine gas leak complicated everything. The water treatment facility on the North Rim, damaged by fire, began leaking toxic gas – forcing crews to pull back from key fire zones. Chlorine gas is deadly. It can irritate eyes and lungs, cause throat burns and in extreme cases, kill. With the leak spreading, rangers closed Phantom Ranch, which is nestled deep inside the canyon near the Colorado River. Popular hiking routes like the North Kaibab and South Kaibab Trails are now also shut down. Firefighters on the ground are battling two enemies – flames and weather. The Bureau of Land Management says hot, dry and erratic winds are pushing the fire in unpredictable directions. Vegetation is bone-dry. The Forest Service is recording record-high energy release components (ERCs), a sign that everything burns faster, longer and hotter than ever before. As the Dragon Bravo Fire grew more aggressive, containment strategies changed by the hour. At first, the National Park Service (NPS) tried a 'confine/contain' approach, letting the fire serve its natural role while holding it back from infrastructure. But by Friday, the strategy had shifted. Now, it is all-out war – full suppression. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs praised the efforts of exhausted firefighters and first responders. But she also fired shots at Washington, calling the federal response slow and inadequate. 'This incident demands intense oversight and scrutiny. They must act now to stop the damage and prevent it from getting worse,' Hobbs posted on X. I am incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and my heart goes out to every person impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon's North Rim. An incident of this magnitude demands intense oversight and scrutiny into the federal government's emergency response. They must first take aggressive action to end the wildfire and prevent further damage. But Arizonans deserve answers for how this fire was allowed to decimate… — Governor Katie Hobbs (@GovernorHobbs) July 14, 2025 While the flame was started with a lightning strike, the federal government chose to manage that fire as a controlled burn during the driest, hottest part of the Arizona summer. I am calling on the federal government for a comprehensive and independent investigation into the… — Governor Katie Hobbs (@GovernorHobbs) July 14, 2025 Thank you to every firefighter and first responder taking action to combat the flames. — Governor Katie Hobbs (@GovernorHobbs) July 14, 2025 The Grand Canyon, nearly 450 kilometers long, 29 kilometers wide in parts and carved over two billion years, is no stranger to natural disasters. But this is not merely a wildfire, it is a warning. When a place so vast, so ancient and so revered burns, it burns into the memory of a nation. And what remains now at the North Rim is a smoldering scar where generations came to stand in awe – now lost, consumed by fire, smoke and silence.
