Public Assistance Requested to Account for Individuals Following Grand Canyon Flash Flood

The National Park Service is asking the public to provide information for more than 20 individuals who may be missing or unaccounted for following a significant flash-flood event in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on August 29.

Grand Canyon National Park staff, in coordination with the Arizona Department of Public Safety, are continuing evacuation and response efforts and working to account for individuals who may have been in the affected area.

The National Park Service is asking anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along the Bright Angel Creek corridor on August 29, as well as anyone who had a campground reservation in the affected corridor, to provide information to the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB). This includes individuals who may have been traveling along the North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch, staying at Bright Angel Campground, or traveling or staying in the area known as “the Box” north of Phantom Ranch.

If you know of anyone who may have been hiking or backpacking in these areas, please contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line:

NPS ISB Tip Line: 888-653-0009

Email: e-mail us

When submitting a tip, please provide any information you have about the individual, including their name, approximate location, travel plans, group size, clothing or backpack description, or when they were last known to be in the area. You do not have to provide your name.

Additional info:

A significant flash-flood event occurred in Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on August 29, beginning at approximately 2:30 p.m.

As of the morning of August 30, 62 individuals have been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail. Additional individuals are scheduled to be evacuated this morning from Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch in coordination with the National Park Service and Arizona Department of Public Safety. Evacuees are being transported to the Maswik Lodge Cafeteria on the South Rim, where the American Red Cross is coordinating assistance. No injuries have been reported as of the latest available information.

Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the entire North Kaibab Trail from the North Kaibab Trailhead to Phantom Ranch are closed until further notice. The Black Bridge and Silver Bridge crossing the Colorado River are also closed until further notice. There is currently no estimated reopening date for these areas and other inner canyon closures may be necessary. For the latest trail and closure information, visit the park's Key Hiking Messages webpage.

The flash flood resulted in significant impacts to infrastructure throughout Bright Angel Canyon. Nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating hiker access across the creek. Grand Canyon National Park staff are continuing to assess damage to trails, bridges, utilities, facilities and other infrastructure.

The Colorado River is currently closed to river traffic until further notice due to metal structures and debris entering the river. River parties already in the canyon are receiving direction through river operations rangers and the Grand Canyon River Alert system. Visitors with upcoming river trips should contact their commercial outfitter or NPS River Permits for trip-specific information.

Additional thunderstorms and heavy rainfall are possible today and Monday, which could result in additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfall and changing trail and river conditions.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

U.S. Forest Service and National Forest Foundation launch the first National Forests and Grasslands Passport

The U.S. Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation (NFF) announced the launch of the National Forests and Grasslands Passport, a free digital experience designed to inspire visitors to discover more of America’s national forests and grasslands while earning commemorative digital badges along the way.

Available through the OuterSpatial mobile app, the National Forests and Grasslands Passport transforms every visit into a rewarding experience, allowing visitors to check in and earn exclusive digital badges for each national forest and national grassland they explore.

“As an avid fan of the National Park Service Passport Program, I am excited to announce the introduction of the digital U.S. Forest Service Passport Program. More than 164 million people visit our 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands each year bringing back with them stories, family memories and oftentimes plans to return or explore a new Forest Service destination,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “Now, millions of people are able to track their visits on their mobile devices through the National Forests and Grasslands Passport, and we are so excited to welcome the next generation of adventurers through this engaging, digital experience.”

Each national forest and grassland has its own specially designed badge, inspired by the iconic Forest Service entrance signs that have welcomed visitors for generations. The artwork reflects the landscapes, wildlife, plants, and other features that define each forest and grassland, creating a collection as distinctive as the places themselves.

Additionally, users will be able to view their total visit number ranked in a leaderboard with other challengers. Visitors are encouraged to log in all their past visits to unlock digital badges to build their own personal collection; however, only check-ins within the geographic coordinates of the national forest or grassland will earn a certified green checkmark.

To learn more about the National Forests and Grasslands Passport and to download, visit: www.nationalforests.org/passport



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

Glacier National Park Invites Volunteers to 2026 Annual Hawk Watch Events

Glacier National Park will host volunteer training for its annual Hawk Watch Program on Sept. 21 and Hawk Watch Open House on Oct. 3.

Each year in the fall, golden eagles migrate from northern breeding grounds to warmer climates for the winter. One of the most important North American golden eagle migration routes passes directly through Glacier National Park. Large numbers of other raptors also use this migration corridor during the fall and spring months.

In the mid-1990s, biologists documented nearly 2,000 golden eagles migrating past Mount Brown annually. Recent data from outside Glacier National Park indicated significant declines in golden eagle numbers. Due to this concern, the park initiated a Raptor Migration Project in 2011 to investigate possible locations for a Hawk Watch site. In 2018, the park settled on Mount Brown and Lake McDonald sites due to consistent counts of migrating raptors and relative ease of access.

There are two events volunteers can sign up for. The Sept. 21 training will be an in-the-field training day for volunteers interested in participating in the Lake McDonald Lodge Hawk Watch during the end of September through October.

When: Noon to 4 p.m.
Where: Interpretive sign by Jammer Joe’s parking lot
Bring: Binoculars

Once trained and registered for the program, volunteers will help participate in raptor migration counts at Lake McDonald Lodge.

On Oct. 3, the park is hosting the Annual Mount Brown Hawk Watch Open House, which will feature live raptors from noon to 2 p.m. — providing a close-up of raptor species that migrate past Mount Brown. Park biologists will teach volunteers how to identify and count migrating raptors and answer questions about the integral role of raptors in our ecosystems and the risks they face. After, volunteers will participate in raptor monitoring from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Interpretive sign by Jammer Joe’s parking lot
Bring: Binoculars

After training, volunteers can assist with counts at Lake McDonald Lodge, or hike to an observation point and count migrating raptors below the Mount Brown Lookout. The hike to the Mount Brown Observation Point is about 9 miles (14.5 km) roundtrip) with an elevation gain of over 4,000 feet (1,220 m).

Hawk Watch sites are part of an international effort to track long-term raptor population trends using systematic migrating raptor counts. To see a map of Hawk Watch sites around the world go to www.hawkcount.org.

For more information about event registration and the Mount Brown Hawk Watch program, contact park staff via email at GLAC_citizen_science@nps.gov or call (406) 888-7986.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

Many Glacier project to impact trails

Glacier National Park posted this on their social media yesterday:

Heads up, Many Glacier hikers! 🚧 Trail crews will be working on the Swiftcurrent Lake Loop accessibility project Wednesday–Thursday this week (Aug. 26–27) and Monday–Thursday next week (Aug. 31–Sept. 3).

On those days, the section of trail from the picnic area/Grinnell Glacier trailhead to the boat dock at the head of Swiftcurrent Lake will be closed.

Hikers planning to reach the Grinnell Glacier Trail should expect a brief reroute: if you park in the usual trailhead/picnic area, you’ll simply detour around the east side of Swiftcurrent Lake toward Many Glacier Hotel before beginning the hike. Parking in the hotel area may be tighter than normal, so sticking to your usual parking spot and taking the detour will be the best option for most visitors.

This temporary closure is necessary so trail crews can regrade, widen, and install a hardened surface—work that requires warm, dry weather to properly set and create a safer, more durable walking surface for future visitors. Thanks for your patience as we improve trail accessibility and visitor safety. 🌲 Plan ahead, allow extra time, and enjoy the views along your reroute!

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Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier:

On this date in hiking history: The Three Musketeers complete the Long Trail

The following is an excerpt from Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

Accounts of Green Mountain Club outings throughout its first several decades show that women participated in tramps as often as men. This included thru-hikes of the Long Trail in Vermont, which was completed in 1930 as the first long-distance footpath in the United States. Though the final 10-mile segment leading to the Canadian border was only a blazed route at the time, Kathleen Norris, Hilda Kurth and Catherine Robbins became the second group of trampers to thru-hike the entire 272-mile trail in 1927. It took 32 days for the “Three Musketeers,” as they affectionately became known as, to complete their extended trek. During the trip, the three young ladies became media sensations, as newspapers across America covered their story. Their feat would inspire many other females to become “end-to-enders” in the years that followed.

The Three Musketeers: When they needed a rest they would pull out a ukulele and sing college prep songs until they were re-energized:

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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.