Summer visitors to Grand Canyon National Park will have access to more of the park’s trail network after three popular routes reopened several days earlier than expected, easing disruptions caused by a years-long infrastructure project.
The National Park Service reopened the River Trail, Silver Bridge and Plateau Point Trail on Friday after crews completed repairs to a section of the River Trail damaged during construction. The trails had been closed as part of the ongoing Transcanyon Waterline Replacement Project, which is replacing the park’s aging 12.5-mile water delivery system following repeated pipeline failures.
Construction work triggered a rockfall that destroyed a 50-foot section of the River Trail, requiring additional reconstruction before the area could safely reopen. While those trails are now available for summer use, other project-related closures remain in place throughout the park.
Visitors planning fall hiking trips should be aware that additional closures are scheduled to begin in mid-October. The North Kaibab Trail will close between Redwall Bridge and the northern end of Cottonwood Campground, ending the possibility of rim-to-rim hikes beginning Oct. 15. The $208 million waterline replacement project is expected to be completed in 2027 and is designed to improve the reliability of one of the park’s most critical infrastructure systems.
