The National Park Service ordered all hotels on the Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim to close this weekend following “significant breaks” in the area’s Transcanyon Waterline.
The closure will go into effect Dec. 6 and remain for the “foreseeable future,” according to the NPS. The order affects hotels within the park, including those operated by Xanterra (like El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge and Maswik Lodge) and Delaware North (Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village). Hotels outside the park will remain open and unaffected.
The NPS did not provide a timeline for when the hotels would reopen. However, the Xanterra Travel Collection wrote on its website that the restrictions were currently expected to affect stays through Monday, Dec. 8.
The historic Bright Angel Lodge has been welcoming guests to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon since the 1930s. PEDROSALA/GETTY IMAGES
The order comes amid breaks in the more than 12-mile-long and long-beleaguered Transcanyon Waterline, responsible for providing potable water to all South Rim and inner canyon facilities. Currently, the NPS said no water is being pumped into the South Rim, the most popular and crowded section of the park.
“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the NPS wrote in a statement. “The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight guests on the South Rim as quickly as possible.”
In addition to hotel closures, the NPS said only dry camping will be allowed and spigot access at the Mather Campground on the South Rim will be turned off (bathroom faucets will continue to work). Fires will be prohibited on the South Rim and inner canyon areas.
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Despite this, the park will remain fully open to day visitors, and all food-and-beverage services on the South Rim, the Grand Canyon Clinic and the post office will continue to operate. The lesser-visited North Rim is currently closed for the winter season and tentatively expected to reopen May 15, 2026.
The Transcanyon Waterline is a relic from the 1960s and has been plagued by issues for years. In 2023, the park invested $208 million in a multiyear rehabilitation project. However, that work isn’t expected to be completed until 2027.
As part of the project, park officials in 2023 said they are constructing a 1 million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant at the South Rim, replacing the water distribution system at Havasupai Gardens, replacing about 3 miles of waterline, upgrading about 3 miles of electrical supply line and more.
“The waterline has exceeded its expected lifespan and experiences frequent failures, which require expensive and continuous maintenance work to repair leaks,” the NPS wrote in the statement this week. “This crucial investment in infrastructure will ensure the park is able to meet water supply needs for five million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents.”
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