Grand Canyon Flash Flood Claims One Life, Dozens Missing
Severe weather devastates Bright Angel Creek, destroying infrastructure and prompting emergency water restrictions across the park.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Carla Rooney
A severe flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon's Bright Angel Creek, leaving one person dead and approximately 15 others missing.
Eyewitnesses described sudden waterfalls, mudslides, and a four-foot wall of debris; Parth Desai stated, "We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere."
Torrential downpours reportedly lasted for three hours on Saturday afternoon, washing out hiking trails and flooding cabins at Phantom Ranch Lodge.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for northern and central Arizona, remaining in effect through Monday evening, citing "deep monsoonal moisture in place and already saturated soils in some locations."
The floods caused significant damage, collapsing footbridges, dislodging boulders, and sweeping structures into the Colorado River.
The only water pipeline serving tourists and residents was destroyed, leading to immediate emergency water restrictions.
These restrictions, implemented Monday, prevent overnight stays at lodges and hotels within the park; year-round residents have been asked to conserve water.
A $208 million rehabilitation project for the water pipeline and upgrades to the delivery system, initiated in 2023, was expected to conclude next year.
About half an inch to an inch of rain reportedly fell within half an hour in the affected area; Justin Johndrow noted, "Most of it ran off instantly."
Most of it ran off instantly.
Despite the devastation, Grand Canyon National Park remains open for daytime visitors.
However, the Bright Angel Canyon area remains closed due to ongoing risks, and 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 are closed until further notice.
The Colorado River is also closed to river traffic until further notice, further restricting access.
Authorities are seeking public assistance to identify individuals who were traveling near the North Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon.
The National Park Service has asked anyone with information about people who are unaccounted for to come forward, specifically requesting details about hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday, or anyone with a campground reservation in the affected corridor.
The other missing hikers are believed to have been trekking on routes near the Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area of the national park, with up to 13 more people feared dead.