The closure of the Grand Canyon's North Rim for the rest of 2025 due to ongoing wildfires will minimally impact some tour operators.
A fire began July 4 after a lightning strike, while a second fire began July 9. The Dragon Bravo Fire destroyed between 50 to 80 structures on the North Rim, including the Grand Canyon Lodge and numerous cabins. Though the North Rim is less visited than the park's South Rim, the fires will impact some tour operator itineraries.
The Grand Canyon Lodge is a featured property on Tauck's "Spirit of the Desert: The National Parks of the Southwest," which was co-designed by the operator and Ken Burns. Typically, travelers would spend two nights at the lodge but will have to stay elsewhere, a spokesperson said.
Tauck will operate the itinerary in late August. Tour designers are currently planning alternative arrangements and will alert affected guests.
Wildland Trekking, owned by Intrepid Travel, will reroute approximately 30 trips this year due to the fires, Intrepid said.
Southwest Adventure Tours, based in Utah, said in a social media update that the ongoing fires will force the operator to adjust its itineraries in August, September and October. Guests will now explore the park's South Rim on its "Grand Circle Experience" itinerary.
Cosmos will reroute the North Rim partition of its mid-August "Trans-American Adventure" to the park's South Rim and will notify guests in the coming days.
The North Rim, which draws approximately 10% of park visitors, has a shorter operating season of May 15 through Oct. 15.