All hotels at the south rim of the Grand Canyon have closed today due to several breaks in the main water pipeline. No word on how long it will take to repair.
The park itself will remain open.
Hotels in Tusayon, the town just outside the south rim, are not affected.
I have read that the water pipeline infrastructure has be declining for many years and should have been repaired years ago.
We had reservations at several national parks during the shutdown, including Grand Canyon. We ended canceling all of them because of so many unknowns. Meanwhile our daughter was making reservations for most of the same places over Christmas (hoping the shutdown had ended).
I saw the GC closure announcement a few days ago and called her immediately expecting her to be very disappointed. She took in it stride and booked in Tusayan, also. Now it's just a waiting game to see where they end up in 2 weeks from now.
This was posted on the NPS Grand Canyon's FB page yesterday (12/10):
"South Rim Water Update: As of Dec. 8, crews have successfully repaired the broken section of the Transcanyon Waterline and began pumping water to the South Rim. Phantom Ranch is expected to reopen to overnight guests beginning tomorrow, December 11.
South Rim Lodging:
There is no anticipated reopening date for South Rim hotels at this time. As water tank levels rise, we will continue to provide updates on expected reopening timelines. Lodging in gateway communities, such as Tusayan, continue to be available for those wishing to stay close by.
🚱 Water & Fire Restrictions:
All existing water and fire restrictions remain in effect. This includes:
– No overnight lodging inside the park
– Dry camping only (no spigot access at Mather Campground)
– No outdoor wood or charcoal fires
– Continued conservation measures for residents and employees"
Very happy the repairs have been made and hopefully they can return to normal December operations soon.
This news release is from 12/15/2025:
"Grand Canyon National Park will reopen hotels on the park’s South Rim beginning Wednesday, Dec. 17 and will begin easing some water restrictions.
Park water utility crews successfully completed complex repairs to the Transcanyon Waterline last week and resumed pumping water without identifying any new breaks. The park will continue to operate under enhanced water restrictions until the water storage tanks have adequate capacity to return to routine water conservation practices."
