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Grand Canyon road reopens after lightning-caused wildfire

(Rick Hossman | The Associated Press) In this Feb. 22, 2005, file photo, with the North Rim in the background, tourists hike along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon, Ariz. Crews are drilling at the bottom of the Grand Canyon to test the idea of shifting the area where water is drawn to serve millions of people at the park’s popular South Rim. The national park’s water supply comes from a natural spring that flows through 12.5 miles of pipeline. But the 1960s aluminum pipeline to the South Rim twists and turns around trails and through rocky terrain, frequently breaking and leaking.

Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. • Grand Canyon National Park is reopening a scenic road to a North Rim vista that was closed Aug. 4 because of a lightning-caused wildfire.

Park officials said the Cape Royal road would be reopened Saturday evening along with some of the trails that also were closed.

Officials say hikers using reopened trails need to be vigilant about fire-weakened or -damaged trees.

The two-week closure did not affect most North Rim facilities, including lodging and other services near Bright Angel Point.

The fire started July 21, and officials said it had burned 18 sq. miles while consuming nearly all of the fuel in the containment area on the Walhalla Plateau.

Some firefighters assigned to the fire will be released, while others will continue to patrol and repair damage.

By The Associated Press