At least two people have died, hikers remain unaccounted for, and major damage to the park’s water system has forced new closures and restrictions.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. Search and recovery crews were working Monday after a powerful flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon over the weekend. At least two people have died, and more than a dozen people were still reported missing or unaccounted for. The National Park Service said the number could change as officials contact hikers and families who were in the canyon when the flooding began.
The flooding began at about 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Bright Angel Canyon and around Phantom Ranch. Heavy rain quickly sent water, rocks and debris through the narrow canyon. The flood destroyed footbridges and damaged trails. By Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated by helicopter from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail.
The first known victim was a 46-year-old man whose body was found Sunday near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. Park officials confirmed Monday that a second body had also been found and that crews were working to recover it. Officials had not released more information about the second victim as of Monday afternoon.
Weather forecasts and the National Park Service warn of more rain and flooding to come as the Colorado River system continues to cope with the flooding.
The flood also badly damaged the Transcanyon Waterline, which carries drinking water to much of the park. The pipeline is now out of service. The National Park Service placed the South Rim under Stage 4 water restrictions beginning Monday afternoon because stored water cannot be replaced while the line is broken.
The damage comes while the federal government is already spending about $208 million to replace and improve the aging water system. That project began in 2023 and had been expected to finish next year. The pipeline serves millions of visitors each year as well as about 1,600 people who live in Grand Canyon Village.
Visitors can still enter the South Rim during the day, but overnight hotel stays inside the park have been suspended because of the limited water supply. Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground are closed. The entire North Kaibab Trail is also closed while crews inspect damage and continue search operations.
Weather remains a serious concern. The National Weather Service placed the Grand Canyon area under a Flood Watch through midnight Monday. Forecasters expected a 90% chance of rain Monday, with thunderstorms capable of producing heavy rainfall. The high near Grand Canyon Village was expected to reach about 72 degrees.
The danger will not completely disappear after Monday. Thunderstorms are possible again Tuesday afternoon, with additional afternoon storms possible through much of the week. Because rainfall can be very different across the canyon, a storm several miles away can send water rushing into a narrow drainage even when it is not raining where hikers are standing.
The Grand Canyon and the Colorado River at the bottom with flooding.
The summer monsoon season regularly brings thunderstorms to northern Arizona, but the Grand Canyon’s steep landscape can make flash floods especially dangerous. The National Park Service also warns that areas burned by the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire now have a greater risk of fast-moving floods and debris flows because there is less vegetation to slow the water. Some drainages can begin flooding within minutes of heavy rain.
Park officials are asking anyone who knows someone who was hiking along the Bright Angel Creek corridor Saturday to contact the National Park Service. Officials are also asking visitors to stay away from closed areas while crews search for missing people and inspect damaged infrastructure. The park remains open for daytime visitors, but conditions could change quickly if more heavy rain develops.
