Grand Canyon National Park has announced a suspension of all overnight accommodations on the South Rim, effective Aug. 29, due to a severe water shortage.
According to a release from the National Park Service, the measure comes in response to a series of "significant breaks" in the 12.5-mile Transcanyon Waterline, the park's primary water supply system.
All overnight accommodations at El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge and Phantom Ranch, which are operated by Xanterra Travel Collection, as well as Delaware North's Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village, are halted.
In an update posted on its website, Xanterra said it expects to resume overnight operations at its affected lodges after Sept. 4.
Overnight accommodations located outside the park, in the town of Tusayan, Arizona, are not impacted.
Day use of the park remains as normal, with South Rim food and beverage services, the Grand Canyon Clinic and the Post Office continuing operations.
For those planning to camp, only dry camping will be permitted on the South Rim. Campground spigots will be turned off, though bathroom faucets will remain operational. Additionally, the park has implemented a fire ban on the South Rim and inner canyon areas. This restriction prohibits all wood burning and charcoal fires, including campfires, warming fires and barbecues.
The North Rim's facilities, including the Grand Canyon Lodge and campground, will continue to operate normally.
The National Park Service said that it has recently started construction on a $208-million rehabilitation of the Transcanyon Waterline, which was built in the 1960s. The project is expected to be completed in 2027.