The National Park Service ordered all hotels on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park to close this weekend due to a “major break” in the area’s trans-canyon waterline.
The NPS said the closures will take effect Dec. 6 and remain in effect for the “foreseeable future.” The order affects hotels in the park, including those operated by Xanterra (such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge and Maswik Lodge) and Delaware North (Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village). Hotels outside the park will remain open and unaffected.
The NPS did not provide a timeline for hotel reopenings. However, Xanterra Travel Collection writes on its website that it currently expects the restrictions to affect stays until Monday, December 8.
The order comes as more than 12 miles of the long-troubled trans-canyon waterline, which provides drinking water to all South Rim and in-canyon facilities, breaks. Currently, the National Park Service says it is not pumping water to the park’s most popular and crowded South Rim area.
“These measures are critical to ensuring water security and sustainability,” the NPS wrote in a statement. “Our goal is to return to full operations for overnight guests on the South Rim as soon as possible.”
In addition to closing hotels, the NPS said only dry camping will be allowed and faucets at South Rim Mather Campground will be turned off (bathroom faucets will remain working). Fires will be prohibited on the South Rim and inner canyon areas.
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Nonetheless, the park will remain fully open to day visitors, and all food and beverage services at the South Rim, Grand Canyon Clinic and Post Office will continue to operate. The less visited North Rim is currently closed for the winter and is tentatively expected to reopen on May 15, 2026.
The cross-canyon waterline is a relic from the 1960s and has been plagued by various problems over the years. In 2023, the park invested $208 million in a multi-year restoration project. However, this work is not expected to be completed until 2027.
As part of the project, park officials said in 2023 they are building a 1 million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant on the South Rim, replacing the water distribution system at Havasupai Gardens, replacing about 3 miles of water lines, upgrading about 3 miles of power lines and more.
“The waterline has exceeded its expected service life and frequently fails, requiring costly and ongoing maintenance efforts to repair leaks,” the NPS wrote in a statement this week. “This important infrastructure investment will ensure the park can meet the water supply needs of its five million annual visitors and approximately 2,500 year-round residents.”
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