North Rim of the Grand Canyon access closed for the winter; camping still available with permit

Stock image, St. George News

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — The Arizona Department of Transportation has closed Arizona state Route 67 leading to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for the winter, and Grand Canyon National Park has closed the North Rim to vehicles.

With park facilities closed for the winter, ADOT does not plow SR-67. The highway will be blocked about 1/2 mile south of U.S. Highway 89A at Jacob Lake and is scheduled to be re-opened in mid-May along with the North Rim lodges, campsites and other amenities.

The North Rim campground is still be available for winter camping with a permit and is accessible via inner canyon trails from the South Rim or by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, but it is a 45-mile trip from Jacob Lake. To stay at the North Rim during the winter months, visitors will need a backcountry permit, which can be obtained from the Backcountry Information Center located at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park; Pipe Springs National Monument in Fredonia, Arizona; and the Bureau of Land Management Interagency Visitor Center in St. George.

Permit requests can also be faxed year-round to 928-638-2125.

Visitors considering the idea of hiking, skiing or snowshoeing to the North Rim are reminded that winter conditions are highly variable. Extreme snowfall and bitterly cold temperatures are not uncommon at 8,000 feet of elevation.

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is not affected by this closure and is open year-round.

For additional information on winter use on the North Rim, call the Backcountry Information Center at 928-638-7875, between the hours of 8 a.m-noon and 1-5 p.m. MST weekdays, excluding holidays.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews

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