Arizona's Wildly Historic Grand Canyon Lodge Has Burned Down (Here's What To Know)

Sadly, the historic Grand Canyon Lodge has burned down following two wildfires that started near the Grand Canyon, which have also forced the early closure of the North Rim for what remains of this year's tourist season. The lodge opened in 1928 and was the only accommodation option in that neck of the world-famous canyon.

The two wildfires that are still blazing near the Grand Canyon (as of this writing) have been named the White Sage Fire and Dragon Bravo Fire, and the latter is responsible for the destruction of the historic lodge, which has been completely turned into ashes — while the former continues to threaten the North Rim of the Canyon, where visitors enjoy the thrills of Fredonia, an adventure hub with access to three national parks. The Grand Canyon Lodge was not the only building to be ravaged by the wildfires as officials from the National Park Service (NPS) assume 50 to 80 buildings have been lost so far.

Grand Canyon Lodge was designed by famed architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, and listed as a National Historic Landmark. In 1932 the original lodge was destroyed by a fire, but it was meticulously rebuilt with natural resources from the surrounding area and reopened in 1937. None other than Davy Crockett — dubbed the "King of the Wild Frontier" — even wrote about the lodge and that fire.

The Dragon Bravo Fire, responsible for the destruction of the Grand Canyon Lodge, has also burned at least 5,700 acres, while the White Sage Fire has done more damage and burned nearly 50,000 acres, prompting the closure of the North Rim. National Park Service officials reported that aerial bucket drops were conducted to try to contain fire movement near the lodge, but that failed due to a chlorine gas leak at a nearby water treatment facility which can pose a significant health risk at low elevations, which caused firefighting personnel to evacuate from the zone.

Arizona Governor, Katie Hobbs, took to X on Sunday night to express her regret over the loss of such a historic building, saying, "I am incredibly saddened by the destruction of the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, and my heart goes out to every person impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire near the Grand Canyon's North Rim." As of now, both fires are 0% contained and it's uncertain how the efforts to combat the wildfires will progress — or if the Grand Canyon Lodge will ever be rebuilt and restored to its former glory — like many destinations destroyed by natural disasters that can be visited again. 

All employees and guests of the Grand Canyon Lodge were safely evacuated, and management has announced on its website that future guests with reservations will be contacted directly. The South Rim remains open, and it may be the best rim of the Grand Canyon depending on what kind of hiking you want.