Transcanyon Waterline Repaired; Stage 3 Water Restrictions Take Effect Today

The Transcanyon Waterline break located approximately one mile below Cottonwood Campground along the North Kaibab Trail has been fully repaired. Water utility crews successfully began pumping water to the South Rim late August 11, and South Rim tanks are now slowly filling.

While the pipeline has been repaired and water is once again reaching the South Rim, water reserves remain limited. Beginning today, August 13, park managers will implement Stage 3 water restrictions to help conserve the available water supply while the system stabilizes and tanks continue to refill.

Park managers extend our appreciation to the Water Utilities and Facilities team for their tremendous efforts to repair the Transcanyon Waterline and restore the pump at Havasupai Gardens.

2026 Fire Season Update: Fuels Management and Fire Response

Staff from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service have been busy this fire season! Targeted thinning projects continue on the South Rim to reduce potential wildfire intensity and protect people, infrastructure and other values at risk.

Thinning work began around the Desert View housing area in 2025 and continued in 2026, including approximately 18 acres of treatment to improve defensible space around residences. Crews also recently completed a 45-acrepowerline fuel break extending from Center Road toward the APS substation and park nursery. Approximately 12 acres of thinning is now underway around Station One and the clinic, helping protect these critical facilities during a wildfire. Future fuels-management priorities include areas around the Shrine of the Ages and Park Headquarters, as well as additional treatment areas adjacent to residential areas, including along the South Entrance Road and the Long Jim unit.

Additionally, since the beginning of the fire season, staff have responded to 12 wildland fire starts on the South Rim and five on the North Rim. Staff respond to each fire start, assessing conditions and taking appropriate action to protect park resources, infrastructure and visitors.

For example, a lightning strike started the Confucius Fire (photo above) near Confucius Temple on the North Rim on August 9. The fire was initially reported by a tour helicopter, and a Wildland Fire Service fixed-wing aircraft conducted an initial aerial assessment. There is currently no smoke visible and because of the steep terrain and the high risk to ground firefighters, crews are continuing to observe and track the fire through aerial observation.

Meet Rick Ray, Deputy Chief Ranger

-Caroline Grass, Science Communications Assistant

Grand Canyon has a new Deputy Chief Ranger of Visitor and Resource Protection and Rick Ray, filling this position, brings decades of experience from serving in the military to working in local and federal law enforcement.

Originally from California, Ray moved when he was 20, joined the military and served active duty for 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He then worked in law enforcement in Maine for 16 years, worked overseas as an advisor to the U.S. Army, and in 2019 moved to Arizona. Ray said at that point he didn’t want to return to traditional policing. Through the veterans hiring authorities, he realized he could enter federal service, eventually finding his way to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near Ajo, Arizona. This year, Ray completed a four-month detail at Grand Canyon from February to June and then was hired into the Deputy Chief Ranger role and started in July.

“For me, moving down here, one, it was a beautiful park, but I was looking for the work opportunity of a bigger operation,” Ray said.

The Visitor and Resource Protection Division is one of the largest divisions in the park, consisting of emergency services, law enforcement, and the backcountry office. Ray oversees law enforcement operations and said he will be working on updating and creating Standard Operating Procedures and continuing the development of the team’s culture and identity as an organization.

“There’s a pretty smooth operation internally. It’s a well-functioning team, but there’s always room for improvement, so I’m trying to find ways to bring my thoughts and ideas to improve the program,” Ray said.

Grand Canyon Conservancy Launches License Plate Design Contest

What should Arizona’s official Grand Canyon specialty license plate look like?

Grand Canyon Conservancy is giving Arizonans the chance to help answer that question with the launch of a statewide contest to design the new Grand Canyon specialty license plate.

Artists of all ages who are Arizona residents are invited to submit an original design inspired by Grand Canyon. The selected artist will receive a $1,000 cash prize, and their artwork could ultimately appear on vehicles traveling across Arizona and beyond.

Once available, proceeds from the specialty plate will benefit Grand Canyon Conservancy, the official nonprofit partner of Grand Canyon National Park, supporting work that protects and preserves the park and creates meaningful visitor experiences.

Submissions are open now through September 30. After submissions close, the public will also have an opportunity to weigh in on the designs during a public voting period in October. You can find the contest details, submission requirements, and design guidelines on GCC’s website here.

Fall Shuttle Bus Schedule Announced

Fall shuttle bus service begins September 12and will continue through November 30, 2026. The Tusayan Route will end for the 2026 season on Friday, September 11.

Fall Shuttle Bus Schedule:

• Village (Blue) Route: 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Service operates every 12–15 minutes throughout the day.

• Kaibab (Orange) Route: 6 a.m.–one hour after sunset. Service operates every 15–20 minutes throughout the day.

• Hermit (Red) Route: 8 a.m.–one hour after sunset. Service operates every 12 minutes until sunset, with the final bus sweeping the route one hour after sunset.

• Hiker’s Express: 6, 7 and 8 a.m. The Hiker’s Express begins at the Bright Angel bus stop and also serves the Backcountry Information Center, Visitor Center and South Kaibab Trailhead.

The complete summer and fall schedules as well as route maps can be found on the park’s Shuttle Bus webpage.

Updated Village Ranger Program Schedule

The daily Village ranger program schedule has changed beginning Tuesday, August 11. Visitors can join these programs each day:

• Rim Walk — 9 a.m. Meet at the Bright Angel Trailhead. (60 minutes; topics vary daily)
• Critter Chat — 2 p.m. Meet at Verkamps Visitor Center. (30 minutes)
• Geology Talk — 3 p.m. Meet at Yavapai Geology Museum. (30 minutes)

For more information, see the attached flyer here.

Educator in Residence Continues Programming through August 24

Grand Canyon Conservancy’s first Environmental Educator in Residence, Sidney Rainey, is bringing his passion for environmental education to the South Rim this month. Rainey’s residency offers employees, residents and visitors an opportunity to explore the Grand Canyon through a variety of educational programs focused on the park’s ecosystems, wildlife conservation and water.

Rainey will continue presenting programs on the South Rim through August 24, with programs offered at locations including the Kolb Gallery, Yavapai Amphitheater and Mather Amphitheater. Program topics and times vary. Programs held outdoors may move to the Kolb Gallery in the event of inclement weather.

More information and program schedules can be found in the attached flyer here.

Grand Canyon Blood Drive on Sep. 4

The Grand Canyon Rec Center will host a community blood drive with Vitalant on Friday, September 4 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Appointments are suggested, and to schedule, individuals can visit www.donors.vitalant.org. Vitalant is the supplier to 96% of Arizona hospitals including the Flagstaff Medical Center.

*New changes to operations are indicated in red.

South Rim

Xanterra

• Maswik Food Court, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Maswik Pizza Pub, 12-11 p.m.
• Bright Angel Fountain, current hours are from 6 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Harvey House Café/Fred Harvey Burger Restaurant, Breakfast 6:30-10 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Dinner 4-9 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.- 9 p.m. (food until 8:30 p.m.)
• Arizona Steakhouse, Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Dinner 4:30-9 p.m.
• El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge, Breakfast 6:30-10 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner 4:30-9:30 p.m., Lounge 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. (food until 9 p.m.), Outdoor patio from 12 p.m. until dusk (weather permitting)
• Fred Harvey Food Truck (located at Grand Canyon Visitor Center shuttle bus bay): 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (weather permitting)
• Canyon Food Cart (Rim Trail between Bright Angel and El Tovar Lodges: 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (weather permitting)
• The Grand Canyon Kennel, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Delaware North

• Yavapai Dining Hall, breakfast 7-10:30 a.m., dinner 5-9 p.m.
• Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Coffee Shop, 6 a.m.-3 p.m.
• The Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-9 p.m., Deli 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
• Camper Services: 7 a.m.- 10 p.m. daily., Camper Services Grab n Go: 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Other

• Grand Canyon Rec Center, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
• Grand Canyon Clinic: 7 days a week, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Pharmacy hours: Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Canyon Adventures Cafe and bike rentals: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores: Kolb Studio, Verkamps, and Yavapai Geology Museum: 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Visitor Center Plaza: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.
• The Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., CLOSED Saturday and Sunday
• Grand Canyon Food Pantry: Monday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday 5:30-7:30 p.m., Saturday 2-4 p.m.
• Summer Shuttle Bus Schedule (May 23 – Sep. 11, 2026)
• Hermits Rest (Red) Route: 8 a.m. to one hour after sunset
• Village (Blue) Route: 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Kaibab Rim (Orange) Route: 5 a.m. to one hour after sunset
• Tusayan (Purple) Route: Every 45 minutes from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Hikers’ Express: Daily departures from Bright Angel Lodge at 4, 5, and 6 a.m.

Desert View

• Desert View Watchtower, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. with last stair access at 6 p.m.
• Desert View Trading Post, ice cream, and coffee shop, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
• The Desert View Deli and Market, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Desert View Gas Station & Service Station Retail, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with 24-hour pay-at-the-pump access

North Rim

• General Store (adjacent to the campground), open through Oct. 15 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily
• Gas Station – 24- hour self-serve pay-at-the-pump; gas and diesel available. Open through Oct. 15.
• The North Rim Campground open through Oct. 15, 2026. Reservations are available for booking at rec.gov.
• The North Kaibab Trail from Redwall Bridge to Cottonwood Campground will close on Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. to support Transcanyon Waterline construction. Traditional “Rim-to-Rim” hiking will not be possible after this date.

Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities.

• A monsoon storm over the canyon on Aug. 11 (Photo courtesy of Matt Young)
• Successfully repaired Transcanyon Waterline pipe along the North Kaibab Trail (NPS Photo)
• The Confucius Fire spotted on the North Rim on Aug. 9 (NPS Photo)
• Staff from the U.S. Wildland Fire Service assist in thinning treatments in a residential area on the South Rim (NPS Photo)
• Mule deer on the train tracks near the Grand Canyon Village on Aug. 11 (Photo courtesy of Matt Young)

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