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Posted by David (209.145.244.38) on 07:52:46 09/30/05
Grand Canyon, AZ - The changing of the season is occurring on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The staff on the North Rim has begun preparations to shut down visitor services and facilities, though the park will remain open to visitors on a day-use basis until snow closes Highway 67 leading into the park.
The National Park Service s (NPS) North Rim Visitor Center will close at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 22. Advanced campground reservations for the North Rim Campground will be taken through October 21. A limited number of campsites with limited services, (portable toilets), will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until snow closes Highway 67. Hikers and cross-country skiers will be permitted to use the park s group campsites throughout the winter months if they have obtained a permit through the park s South Rim Backcountry Information Center. The South Rim Backcountry Information Center is open year-round and can be reached by calling (928) 638-7875, Monday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. MST. Permit requests can be faxed year-round to (928) 638-2125.
Overnight accommodations on the North Rim of the park, the service station and related visitor services will close before noon on October 22nd. The last meal served at the Grand Lodge will be breakfast. The final day for mule rides on the North Rim will be October 13. The Kaibab Lodge, four miles from the park boundary, will be closed after breakfast on November 3, at 10:00 a.m. The Country Store, located outside of the park boundary, will remain open until mid-November, and then will be closed until mid-May, 2006. The Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center at Jacob Lake will be open on weekends only beginning October 1.
Arizona Department of Transportation officials have assured the park staff that Highway 67 into the North Rim will remain open to public travel through November 15, but cautioned that beginning November 16, Highway 67 could be closed for the season on short notice due to major storms and heavy snowfall. After November 15, visitors are encouraged to call (928) 638-7870 in advance of their trip to check on the status of Highway 67.
During daytime visitation, from October 22, until final closure of State Highway 67, only emergency services will be provided by the NPS, and visitors are reminded to pay special attention to their gas gauge, since gas will no longer be available in the park. Gas and diesel fuel will be available five miles north of the park at the Country Store through mid-November. Jacob Lake Inn, restaurant and gas station, 44 miles from the park, remains open year-round.
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