Highlights
- Two bodies have been recovered after flash flooding struck the Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 30.
- Roughly 15 people remain unaccounted for; 62 hikers were airlifted from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail by Sunday morning.
- Flooding destroyed nearly all footbridges over Bright Angel Creek and damaged 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline, forcing all overnight hotel accommodations to close.
- The NPS tip line is 888-653-0009; anyone with information on missing hikers in the Bright Angel Creek corridor is asked to call.
Two people are dead and roughly 15 remain unaccounted for after flash flooding tore through the Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon, the National Park Service said Monday, as reported by Arizona's Family and confirmed by CBS News and the New York Times.
The first victim, a 46-year-old man, was found near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River on Sunday. The second body was announced Monday morning; the person's age and gender have not been released. Dozens of people have been rescued.
Flooding began around 2:30 p.m. Saturday. By Sunday morning, rescuers had airlifted 62 people out of Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail. Additional evacuations were coordinated Sunday at Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch by the Park Service and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Evacuees are being taken to the Maswik Lodge Cafeteria on the South Rim, where the American Red Cross is providing assistance.
Nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, cutting off hiker access. The Colorado River is closed to river traffic until further notice after metal structures and debris washed into the water. The entire North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch, Black Bridge, and Silver Bridge are all closed until further notice.
Damage to 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline has left the park with limited water reserves. Stage 4 water restrictions took effect Monday at noon at the South Rim. All overnight hotel accommodations closed Monday, including Xanterra-operated properties such as El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, and Phantom Ranch, as well as Delaware North's Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village. The park remains open for day use.
Rescued hiker David Gregory described the conditions: "I definitely think we could have gotten caught up in that side creek, and if we would have fallen in or the water carried us in, I think it would have been game over. Because that creek was moving so quickly, there was so many rocks and tree branches and then once you get into the Colorado River, it was like a whirlpool in there with all the debris circling around."
The NPS is asking anyone with information about hikers or backpackers in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Saturday to contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov. Tips can be submitted anonymously. No reopening timeline for closed areas has been announced.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 31/08/2026 16:22
- cbsnews.com retrieved 31/08/2026 16:22
- nytimes.com retrieved 31/08/2026 16:22
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 31/08/2026 16:22. Every claim traces to a source.
