GRAND CANYON (KTNV) — After making a series of water pipeline repairs, Grand Canyon National Park officials are ready to reopen hotels.
That will affect hotels at the South Rim, starting on Thursday.
Overnight accommodations at the park were shut down on Aug. 29 after a series of breaks in the pipeline.
Since July 8, the Transcanyon Waterline, which is about 12.5 miles long, has had four significant breaks. According to the National Park Service, until "highly complex repairs" were completed last week, no water was being pumped to either the South or North Rim and the park's water storage was falling to unsustainable levels.
For now, the park will operate under Stage 3 water restrictions until water storage tanks have returned to adequate capacities.
What does that mean for you?
- Starting Thursday, overnight accommodations will resume at park lodges, including facilities operated by Xanterra like El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, and Phantom Ranch.
- Dry camping will be permitted but water spigots at Mather Campground and Desert View Campground will remain turned off. Visitors can access water at the Mather Campground check-in kiosk.
- Potable water along the North Kaibab Trail is now available. Hikers should still prepare to bring or treat water, if necessary.
- Fire restrictions are still in place.
The National Park Service says the Transcanyon Waterline was originally built in the 1960s.
They are in the process of updating the waterline. Several closures will be in place in the coming months as crews continue to make repairs. That includes the Bright Angel Trail, Bright Angel Campground, and Plateau Point Trail.
The $208 million project is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
You can learn more about the project here.
