Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park rangers and emergency personnel responded to two separate heat-related incidents on June 12 and June 16, resulting in three deaths. In both cases, the deceased hikers were hiking trails in the Inner Canyon, where temperatures can exceed 109 F in the shade during midday hours.

Grand Canyon National Park is reminding visitors that summer hiking below the rim should be limited to the early morning and evening hours. Due to a recent influx of heat-related incidents and forecast extreme temperatures, visitors are strongly advised to avoid strenuous hiking between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when Inner Canyon temperatures can soar to 109°F (43°C) in the shade.

The National Park Service is seeking public comments on a proposal by the Grand Canyon Railway to replace a wooden ballast bridge on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The bridge, which carries the Grand Canyon Railway track over Bright Angel Wash, was built in 1926 and is in poor condition. The preferred alternative would replace the existing wooden triple box culvert with three steel pipe culverts.  

On June 3, 2026, at approximately 1:40 p.m., the Grand Canyon National Park Regional Communications Center received reports of an 18-year-old male experiencing heat-related symptoms below Havasupai Gardens on the Bright Angel Trail. National Park Service rangers responded and located the individual approximately 30 feet below the trail in a remote area near Garden Creek.

Beginning June 22, 2026, Lipan Point and Lipan Point Road on Desert View Drive (Highway 64) will temporarily close to all visitor use to allow for critical rehabilitation and maintenance work of the overlook. The closure is expected to remain in effect through December 23, 2026.