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Grand Canyon National Park
Key Messages – Week of April 18, 2022
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Masking on Public Transit Systems
On Monday, April 18, a federal judge ruled that the mask mandate on public transportation and airplanes was unlawful. New information on this ruling is now posted on CDC’s website. However, the ruling gives airport, mass transit systems, and transportation companies the option to keep mask rules or remove them.
We are working with the NPS Washington Office (WASO) and DOI to determine how this may impact us here in the park and have yet to receive definitive guidance. We will provide additional information as soon as we are able. |
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| Arizona and Grand Canyon Community Statistics
The CDC Community Level tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients. We continue to register Low at the community level, and we have been at this level for the past month and a half.
Total cases in Arizona for the week of April 7-13, is 2,777, which is an average of 397 cases per day for the seven-day rolling average. The number of cases for this week compared to last week went down by one third. There were two new cases reported this week in the 86023 zip code. We are now at 424 reported cases since the beginning of the pandemic. |
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Grand Canyon and Tusayan April vaccine events
The Coconino County Health and Human Services Mobile Vaccination team will hold its next mobile vaccination event for Grand Canyon and Tusayan on Monday, April 25. The Grand Canyon event will be held at the Rec Center from 9-11 a.m. (see full flyer here) and the Tusayan event will be held at the Tusayan Fire Station from 1-3 p.m (see full flyer here).
As a reminder, the FDA and CDC have approved a second booster dose for individuals who are age 50 or older. They recommend the booster be given 4 months after your first booster.
NPS employees are authorized to take administrative leave up to 4 hours (and 8 hours if traveling) for COVID vaccines, including vaccine booster doses. You may also use this leave to support family members receiving COVID vaccines or booster doses. |
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Reporting COVID symptoms is critical to limiting exposure and keeping our staff and community safe.
If you think you may have been exposed to COVID, regardless of your vaccination status, immediately isolate and report to your supervisor and Public Health Consultant, Ronan King, and await their instructions.
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Public Health Contacts
Ronan King, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Public Health Service
For all email correspondence, please also cc: Chris Glime, Captain, U.S. Public Health Service
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Messages and Grand Canyon News
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| Tunnel Fire reaches 20,511 acres with 0% containment
As of Thursday afternoon, April 21, the Tunnel Fire north of Flagstaff is approximated at 20,511 acres with 0% containment. Park management is in contact with our colleagues at the Flagstaff Area Monuments and we continue to support them in any way they need.
U.S. Highway 89 is still closed from near milepost 425 (Campbell Road intersection) to 445, but officials are assessing conditions daily and may reopen it before the weekend. These decisions will be based on weather conditions that drive fire activity and whether or not it is safe for motorists to travel this stretch of highway.
As a result of this closure, you may see additional traffic, including commercial vehicles and trucks on park roads as traffic from US 89 is being routed through the park.
We would like to thank the many individuals from the park assisting with the Tunnel Fire, including the NPS wildland fire crew and members of Engine 811 and Engine 812. More information on the Tunnel Fire can be found by visiting the Tunnel Fire Inciweb site here. |
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Sign up now—Coconino County Emergency Notifications
When emergencies happen, be the first to know.
The Coconino County Emergency Notification System uses Alerts powered by Rave Mobile Safety’s Smart911 to send official, real-time alerts to the public with information about potentially life-saving actions you may need to take to keep you and your family safe.
This service allows you to receive voice, text, and email emergency notifications generated by Grand Canyon Dispatch and public safety officials. More information on this program can be found on the county’s website and a link to sign up can be found here. |
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Speed Limit Reminders through Residential Areas
It is that time of the year—Spring! With warmer temperatures and longer days, folks are out walking their pets, pushing strollers, running, biking, and kids are happily at play. Village residents have noticed people speeding in neighborhoods and apartment complexes. Help keep everyone safe—give yourself plenty of time to get where you are going, slow down, and share the road. Speed limits in residential areas are 20 mph unless otherwise listed below in the school zones:
Please obey speed limits of 15 mph when traveling through the school zones listed below.
- Center Road: There are two areas on Center Rd. with school crosswalk zones; these are marked with signs that have flashing yellow lights. These two zones receive heavy foot and bike traffic in the morning and afternoon. Before and after school there is a crossing guard posted at the Center Rd./Albright St. corner.
- Albright/Boulder Street: The other crosswalk with heavy traffic is on Albright Street, just north of Mohave Street. The crosswalks have rumble strips and a painted crosswalk. The area on Boulder Street near the school’s main entrance is also 15 mph.
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National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week, established in 1974, has grown exponentially each year, with thousands of volunteer projects and special events scheduled throughout the week.
This year, for National Volunteer Week and Earth Day, Arizona Public Service (APS) will be volunteering at Mather Campground, collecting litter and cleaning firepits in Mather Campground. We would like to thank APS and all our volunteers for the time and talent they donate each year to Grand Canyon National Park that helps us to achieve the mission of the National Park Service. |
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| Three Grand Canyon Natural Resource Award Winners Announced
The NPS Intermountain Region has recently announced six individual winners of its annual Regional Director’s Awards for Natural Resources. This year we are honored that three of these individuals are Grand Canyon National Park employees. These individuals demonstrate excellence in their programs and set a high standard for natural resource leadership throughout the NPS.
The awards recognize outstanding contributions in six categories: Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resource Stewardship (Ed Keable); Professional Excellence in Natural Resources; Natural Resource Management (Miranda Terwilliger); Natural Resource Management in a Small Park; Natural Resource Research; and Natural Resource Stewardship through Maintenance (Matt Snider). As regional winners, the six are eligible and have been submitted by our region for the national 2021 Director’s Awards for Natural Resources. |
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Ed Keable, Superintendent of Grand Canyon, is the recipient of the 2021 Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resource Stewardship Award.
This award recognizes a superintendent for their outstanding contributions in natural resource management; it is intended to recognize and foster creative innovative resource management support and direction.
Ed is named for his unwavering commitment to natural resource management within GRCA and the broader region. His significant accomplishments include actively addressing bison management and trespass livestock removal issue at GRCA and engaging with challenging Colorado River management issues, both locally and more broadly. He engaged in these large-scale, complex issues using a collaborative approach with a large array of stakeholders. In addition, Ed accompanied GRCA Science & Resource Management Staff in the field whenever he was able, and he conveyed what he learned in email summaries to all GRCA staff, increasing recognition of natural resource efforts and its staff contributions. |
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Matthew Snider, Grand Canyon Compost Crew Leader at GRCA, is the recipient of the 2021 Natural Resource Stewardship through Maintenance Award, which recognizes a facilities management employee for outstanding contributions to natural resource stewardship.
Matt and his team protect the inner canyon from irreversible natural resource damage by evacuating human waste from more than 28 composting toilet facilities dispersed throughout GRCA. As a working supervisor, Matt and his employees provide cleaning coverage for 362 days of the year, hiking an average of seven miles or more each day to reach facilities and provide necessary cleaning services. Onsite, the compost crew must don full body Tyvek suits, performing cleaning duties in a variety of weather conditions with temperatures ranging from over 118 degrees Fahrenheit to freezing temperatures well below zero. In 2021, Matt’s team evacuated 22 tons of human compost, which was taken to Flagstaff, further recycled, and used for nursery fertilizer. |
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Miranda Terwilliger, Wildlife Program Manager at Grand Canyon National Park, is the recipient of the 2021 Natural Resource Management Award.
This award recognizes significant contributions to natural resource management, particularly those contributions that result in the adoption of new or improved natural resource practices, materially supporting the protection, restoration, and/or understanding of natural resources in NPS units. Miranda is recognized for her expert guidance toward the successful implementation of GRCA’s bison reduction program, in addition to her lead role in related planning, logistics, and project execution efforts.
Prior to Miranda’s tenure, live removal had not occurred at GRCA, and lethal removal had never been attempted at any NPS unit. In addition to chairing an Arizona Bison session at an upcoming conference and participating in several forthcoming scientific journal publications, Miranda’s collaborative work with USGS using bison collars and aerial surveys was recently published in the Sensors journal. |
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South Rim District Report Available
For the latest happenings of South Rim Patrol, check out the latest South Rim District Report below.
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Grand Canyon Community Corner
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Domestic Violence Awareness Class begins May 4
The NPS Victim/Witness Programinvite you to join a class series over the period of eight weeks focused on domestic violence awareness and how to recognize susceptibility in ourselves and others, how to protect ourselves and others without giving up who we are and what we value, and where and when to get help.
For more information, including the full schedule of the class, a full flyer is attached here. |
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SNAP/EBT benefits now available for Grand Canyon community through Amazon
Coconino County Health and Human Services and North Country Healthcare are pleased to announce that for the 86023 zipcode, SNAP assistance is now available through Amazon. Please note, perishable foods are not currently available for delivery in the 86023 zipcode. SNAP benefits can also be used to purchase food-producing plants and seeds.
Wondering if you qualify for assistance? Call North Country Healthcare at 928-522-1104 for more information or check out this flyer here. |
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Current Operational Hours
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| Please note, new operational changes are highlighted in red.
South Rim
Xanterra
- Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
- Bright Angel Coffee Shop, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.
- Bright Angel Fountain grab and go, 11 a.m.- 6 p.m.
- Fred Harvey Burger, breakfast 8:00-10:30 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., dinner 4-9 p.m.
- The Arizona Steakhouse, Tuesday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
- Grand Canyon Kennel-daily from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Grand Canyon Rec Center now open daily from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Delaware North
- Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-10 p.m.
- Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli-7 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Camper Services: Laundry and shower hours, 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Other
- Bright Angel Bikes
- Rental: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Cafe-7 a.m.-6 p.m.
- Grand Canyon Visitor Center Information Desk: Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m.-2p.m.
- Grand Canyon Conservancy stores (Verkamps Visitor Center, Visitor Center Plaza, and Yavapai Geology Museum), 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
- Grand Canyon Community Library, limited services Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m-4 p.m. on the south side of the building
Desert View
- Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
- Desert View Watchtower, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
- Desert View Campground reopened April 15
The following closures are in place:
- Yavapai Lodge Restaurant (tentative reopening Spring 2022)
- Maswik South Lodging (tentative opening Spring/Summer 2022)
- Maswik Pizza Pub (tentative reopening June 3, 2022)
- Kolb Studio
- North Rim services (tentative reopen-May 15, 2022)
Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities. |
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Photo Credits (in order of appearance)
- April 16 moonrise, as seen from Mather Point. After an afternoon of strong winds, there was dust and haze filling the canyon at sunset. (NPS Photo)
- The Tunnel Fire spreads north of Flagstaff as seen from Engine 811 (NPS Photo/J. Doyle)
- Grand Canyon Dispatch staff (NPS Photo)
- APS Volunteers during a September 2021 volunteer event at Mather Campground (Photo courtesy of Dan and Karen Smith)
- Ed Keable at the Little Colorado River during a resource monitoring trip in 2021 (NPS Photo)
- Matt Snider along the North Kaibab Trail (NPS Photo)
- Miranda Terwilliger during a bison live capture operation on the North Rim (NPS Photo)
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Grand Canyon National Park, in northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on the ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world—unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site. The National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
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