Grand Canyon North Rim will partially reopen for 2023. Here's what will be open and closed
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is usually open for the season by now.
But 2023 has not been a normal year for the North Rim. Its reopening for its brief summer season after its annual winter closure was delayed because of winter storms that dumped a record amount of snow in the region.
The National Park Service will reopen the North Rim on June 2, but with reduces services, at least in its first few weeks, because of a break in the North Rim's water pipeline.
Park service officials said the Grand Canyon Lodge won't offer overnight accommodations in the season's first few weeks, and a portion of the North Kaibab Trail will be closed longer than originally planned.
Here's what to know about the North Rim's 2023 opening.
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When will Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim open?
Rooms at Grand Canyon Lodge won't be available until at least July 23 because of the water pipeline break, according to the National Park Service.
"The decision to suspend overnight accommodations at the Grand Canyon Lodge was not taken lightly and we recognize the inconvenience this has for visitors planning a trip to the North Rim," Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable said in a statement.
The lodge, operated by the concessionaire Aramark, will offer limited food and beverage service when the North Rim reopens on June 2.
If you have Grand Canyon Lodge reservations for 2023:
Contact Aramark Destinations at 877-386-4383 or www.grandcanyonnorth.com.
Questions about the Grand Canyon North Rim Campground can be directed to 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov.
For more information on visiting the North Rim in 2023, go to www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/north-rim.htm.
When will the Grand Canyon North Rim campground open?
The North Rim Campground will go forward with its previously announced June 9 reopening, with drinking water and toilets available, according to the park service, which manages the campground.
But the campground's public laundry and shower facilities will be closed until at least July 23.
When will the North Kaibab Trail open?
The park service previously said a section of the North Kaibab Trail north of Cottonwood Campground to the North Kaibab Trailhead would be closed from April 12 to June 2 to allow for trail repairs following rockfall and landslides that damaged it.
Park staff need more time on the repairs. They extended the closure through at least June 15. When closed, hikers are not permitted to enter for any reason.
Intermittent closures will be in effect for this section of the North Kaibab Trail after it reopens. This will allow staff to clear any remaining rockfall, according to the park service.
The park service previously said access to the Widforss Trail, Point Sublime, the North Bass Trailhead and other destinations on the Kaibab Plateau within the park will reopen after downed trees blocking the routes are removed. Reopening is scheduled for July 1.
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Where is the closest lodging to the North Rim?
While the Grand Canyon Lodge is the only hotel inside the park at the North Rim, travelers can find a handful of other lodging options if they're willing to drive more miles.
Kaibab Lodge: This complex of cabins about 17 miles north of the North Rim is billed as a calm escape from the desert heat in the summer. A search on May 17 showed availability on all dates in June and July with the exception of June 2.
Jacob Lake Inn: Located in the ponderosa pine forests of the Kaibab Plateau, this inn with hotel rooms, cabins, restaurant and gas station is about 45 miles north of the North Rim. A search showed availability in all of June and almost all of July.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Grand Canyon North Rim 2023: What will be open, closed and delayed