Contributed Article
GRAND CANYON – This week, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly urged Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron to dedicate more resources and staff to safely reopen portions of Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim to visitors after this year’s devastating Dragon Bravo Fire, which has hurt the tourism economy in the area. The fire burned nearly 150,000 acres, destroyed more than 75 structures—including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge—and forced the closure of the North Rim for the rest of 2025.
“The toll on northern Arizona communities has been severe. Arizona communities such as Jacob Lake, Fredonia, Marble Canyon, Page, and the Navajo Nation all depend on recreation-driven tourism tied to Grand Canyon National Park and surrounding public lands. These destinations typically welcome 5 million visitors each year, generating roughly $1 billion in economic activity and supporting more than 11,000 jobs,” Kelly wrote. “This year, many of these communities lost their peak season, and with the North Rim closed for the rest of 2025, their recovery hangs in the balance.”
In his letter, Kelly emphasized the importance of restoring safe access to the park to support local recovery, urging the Park Service to reopen key overlooks and trails wherever possible: “To help these communities stabilize and rebuild, it is essential that we restore safe access to the park as quickly as possible. While I recognize that many facilities must remain closed to protect visitors, I urge the National Park Service to reopen key viewpoints and trails wherever it is safe to do so. The Cape Royal and Imperial Point overlooks are vital to drawing visitors back, as are the Bright Angel, North Kaibab, and South Kaibab trails—cornerstones of the Grand Canyon experience.”
The senator concluded his letter by pledging his full support to expedite recovery efforts: “I respectfully request that you dedicate the staff and resources necessary to accelerate the safe reopening of Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim. My office stands ready to support your agency in restoring access to these national treasures as quickly as possible in order to expedite the recovery of the communities whose livelihoods depend on them.”
Click here to read the full letter.
