Wildfires Force Grand Canyon North Rim Closure, Destroy Historic Lodge

The Dragon Bravo wildfire, raging near the Grand Canyon’s North Rim, destroyed the historic Grand Canyon Lodge – the only lodge inside the park at the North Rim – and has forced the closure of the park’s entire North Rim for the rest of this year’s season.

The Lodge was one of at least 50 structures destroyed, including the North Rim Visitor Center, employee housing, and more, NBC News reported. A wastewater treatment plant was also destroyed, possibly releasing dangerous chlorine gas into the air.

The Grand Canyon Lodge dated back to 1937 and according to the National Park Service website was “the first prominent feature that visitors see, even before viewing the canyon.”

The Dragon Bravo Fire, which was started by lightning on July 4, is one of two fires actively burning at or near the North Rim. As of today (July 14, 2025), the fire occupies about 5,716 acres. The second fire, White Sage Fire, is currently just over 49,000 acres in size.

While the North Rim is the less visited region of the Grand Canyon, it nevertheless sees hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

“As stewards of some our country’s most beloved national treasures, we are devastated by the loss of the Grand Canyon Lodge and numerous other historic buildings at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim,” a spokesperson for Aramark said. (Aramark was the operator of the Grand Canyon Lodge.) “We are grateful that all of our employees and guests have been safely evacuated, and we join the National Park Service in mourning the loss of these iconic and beloved structures.”

“We are heartbroken by the wildfires impacting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and the surrounding area. Our thoughts are with the communities affected and with the courageous first responders,” said a spokesperson for the Globus Family of Brands.

“At this time, no current Globus or Cosmos tours are impacted. However, we will proactively reroute the North Rim portion of an upcoming mid-August Cosmos “Trans-American Adventure” tour to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. We will communicate directly with guests and travel advisors affected by this change in the coming days.”