Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim to Open May 15 for 2015 Season

and Canyon, Ariz. –The Arizona Department of Transportation will open Highway 67 to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park on Friday, May 15 by 8 am; and Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim, a Forever Resorts property, and Grand Canyon Trail Rides will commence their 2015 seasonal operations. All services provided by the National Park Service, including the visitor center, Backcountry Permits Office, and campground, as well as the Grand Canyon Association Bookstore, will be available on May 15 at 8 am. Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim operations including lodging, groceries, camper services, food services, and a gas station, will also open May 15. Lunch will be served starting at 11:30 am, lodge check-in will begin at 4 pm, and seating for dinner will begin at 4:45 pm. At the North Rim Entrance Fee Station, visitors can use only debit or credit cards to pay park entrance fees. However, visitors can use cash at the Grand Canyon Association Bookstore in the visitor center.

Rangers will present the first scheduled ranger program, Grand Canyon Geology, on the veranda of the Grand Canyon Lodge May 15 at 3:30 pm followed by a 5 pm talk about California condors. The first evening program will be held May 15 at 8 pm in the lodge auditorium. All ranger programs are listed in "The Guide" (North Rim: 2015 Season), a free publication distributed at the North Rim Entrance Fee Station, the North Rim Visitor Center, other contact stations in the park and online at http://www.nps.gov/grca once it is available.

The last day for most concessioner services and regularly scheduled ranger-led programs will be Thursday, October 15, 2015. The National Park Service will continue its operations including the visitor center, bookstore, and Backcountry Permits Office through October 31. November 1 through December 1 the North Rim will be open for day use only (no overnight parking) unless snow closes Highway 67 prior to that date.

From November 1 through December 1 pay-at-the-pump gas and diesel will still be available and visitors will continue to have access to Point Imperial and Bright Angel viewpoints, as well as the North Kaibab Trailhead. Camping will be available to those that walk or hike in (no car camping) at the North Rim Campground and yurt (available in December, 2015), provided a backcountry use permit has been obtained. Backcountry permit holders will be allowed to park overnight. Permits will continue to be available through the South Rim Backcountry Permits Office and at the visitor center at Pipe Spring National Monument located in Fredonia, Arizona.

The North Rim lies at the southern end of the Kaibab Plateau at approximately 8,500 feet in elevation, and offers spectacular canyon views. It is approximately a 215-mile drive from the South Rim. Points of interest include Point Imperial, Cape Royal, Point Sublime, North Kaibab Trail, and Bright Angel Point. Visitors traveling to the area should know US Route 89 between Page, AZ and Bitter Springs, AZ has reopened for the first time in two years since a major landslide forced its closure.

Advance overnight lodging reservations for North Rim facilities may be made by contacting Forever Resorts at (877) 386-4383 or by visiting their website at http://www.grandcanyonforever.com. For reservations from outside of the United States, please call (480) 337-1320. Advance reservations for the North Rim Campground must be made by calling (877) 444-6777 or online at www.recreation.gov. For information on Grand Canyon Trail Rides please call (435) 679-8665 or visit their website at http://www.canyonrides.com.

For a copy of the park's Trip Planner or "The Guide" for the North Rim, please visit http://go.nps.gov/hpeku7.