Grand Canyon National Park hotels to close after water pipe failure

All hotels within the Grand Canyon National Park will be closed and camping will be restricted in advance of one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year due to problems with the park’s water supply.

The US National Park Service said in a statement that hotels would be closed starting on Thursday night.

Only “dry camping” – meaning campers will have to supply their own water – will be allowed.

The park relies on the ageing Transcanyon Waterline, which has suffered four recent significant breaks, cutting off water to the park.

Park officials said there are a total of around 950 hotel rooms located inside the park but declined to comment further when reached on Thursday.

The park will remain open to day trippers over the US Labor Day weekend, and visitor services such as food outlets, a post office and a medical clinic will still operate.

Limited water will be available via spigots and in bathrooms, and park officials said campers should carry all water supplies with them or be able to treat water from streams or the Colorado River. No campfires will be allowed on the South Rim and inner canyon areas.

“These measures are crucial for ensuring the safety and sustainability of water resources,” the park service said in a statement.

"The goal is to restore full operational status for overnight guests on the South Rim as quickly as possible.”

However, park officials did not give a timeline for restoring the water supply.

Hotels located outside the park in nearby Arizona towns are not affected.

Tourists planning to visit commented about scrambling for alternative places to stay on the national park’s Facebook page.

“I will look for accommodations outside the park. Sorry this is going on, but we won't let it stop us!” one wrote.

Another commented: “I ended up booking outside of the park and plan on canceling my [National Park Service] reservation. I have spent tons of money on this trip which includes other stops along the way.”

High temperatures in the park on Thursday are expected to range from 28C (84F) at the South Rim to 38C (100F) in the Inner Canyon.

The 12 1/2 mile (20km) Transcanyon Waterline was originally built in the 1960s and according to the National Park Service “has exceeded its expected lifespan and experiences frequent failures”.

Park officials said they began to experience water supply issues on 8 July and that currently no water is being pumped to either the South or North Rim – two of the park’s main tourist hubs.

There have been more than 85 major breaks in the pipeline since 2010, and the park service has recently started a $208m (£158m) reconstruction project due to be completed in 2027.

Around six million people visit Grand Canyon National Park each year, and park grounds are home to around 2,500 year-round residents.