NPS asked those who know of hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday, “as well as anyone who had a campground reservation in the affected corridor,” to provide information.
The flash-flood event occurred in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Saturday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m. Arizona is currently in the throes of the monsoon season, and storms poured over the Grand Canyon from early Saturday morning and returned in the evening.
Nearly all footbridges over Bright Angel Creek were destroyed in the floods, the Park Service said, preventing hikers from crossing. NPS is continuing to assess the extent of the damage. Parts of the canyon—Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the entire North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch—were closed until further notice.
The Transcanyon Waterline, a 12.5-mi. pipeline in the Grand Canyon that carries water for drinking and fire suppression has also been damaged. With that pipeline out of action, the park has a limited water supply and has resorted to conservation measures.
