Grand Canyon: Flash Flood Closes Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab Trail

If you're planning a hike down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, change your plans right now. A significant flash flood swept through Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on August 29, starting around 2:30 p.m. The damage led officials to close Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail.

In practical terms, the deepest part of the park, the one you reach only after hours of walking, is off limits. By the morning of August 30, 62 people had already been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail. More evacuations were scheduled that same morning from Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch, carried out by the National Park Service with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. That tells you the situation is still serious and is pulling in significant rescue resources.

For a traveler, the lesson is simple. The bottom of the canyon funnels the water that pours off the walls during summer storms, and a flood can arrive fast, with no rain falling where you're standing. Late summer, right in the middle of the American Southwest's monsoon season, is exactly when these events happen most often. If you'd booked a night at Phantom Ranch or a campsite at Cottonwood, contact the park before you go, since both are directly affected.

For now, there's no sign that the rim overlooks, on the South and North Rims, have been touched. Those are what make up most of a first visit, and they're still the heart of the Grand Canyon park guide, where we lay out the access points and the best stops. Save the North Kaibab Trail and the descent to the river for a future trip, once the trails reopen and are safe again.

If the Grand Canyon is just one stop on a bigger road trip out West, take a look at our road trip itinerary that runs through the park to rework your days without losing the thread.