The heartbreaking loss of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim, along with surrounding facilities and thousands of acres of forest, has left a deep scar across the region. As of this writing on July 24, the Dragon Bravo Fire—sparked by lightning on July 4—has burned over 23,000 acres and is only 26% contained. Critical fire weather continues to challenge firefighting efforts as crews work to protect key infrastructure and strengthen containment lines.
With Highway 67 still closed at Jacob Lake, all access to the North Rim is cut off, and the area will remain closed for the rest of the 2025 season. The fire has also triggered a wide range of closures throughout the Grand Canyon, including Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, all backcountry routes from the North and South Kaibab Trails, and major inner-canyon hiking trails like Bright Angel and Tonto East. While US Route 89A has reopened and Jacob Lake Inn is again accessible, much of the Kaibab National Forest remains under closure.
Kane County leadership is doing all it can to respond. County Commissioner Celeste Meyeres confirmed the passage of both a resolution supporting reopening efforts and a declaration of economic disaster—opening the door for affected local businesses to apply for low-interest SBA loans to weather the tourism downturn.
“We are trying to encourage all we can for people to still come and see all we have to offer while we are trying to be sensitive to the sadness we all feel at the loss of the lodge and surrounding facilities,” said Janette Peatross, Kane County Tourism Director. “We still have so many amazing things to see like Zion, Bryce, Lake Powell, Coral Pink, The Wave, and so many more hidden gems. We are lucky to have Celeste who is doing all she can to get state and federal leadership to see how important it is to get trails open ASAP and get the lodge rebuild plans moving. The silver lining from the tragedy is if we can have the opportunity to have the North Rim be built in a way it can stay open all year or longer than it has before.”
If you feel moved to help, the official recovery fund for the North Rim Lodge and affected park facilities is now live at our website. Donations will go toward restoration and rebuilding efforts that aim not only to bring back what was lost but to improve resiliency and access in the years ahead.
The loss is real. The hurt is real. But so is the opportunity to show up, support the region, and still explore the many wonders of Southern Utah. Come stay in Kanab, visit our parks, and experience the magic that remains.
For updates and travel planning resources, visit the southern Utah website. For fire updates, visit the wildfire website.
