GRAND CANYON, AZ — Flash flooding in the Grand Canyon has killed two people, and one person remained missing Monday after National Park Service crews spent days evacuating visitors and searching damaged areas. Park officials said 30 people had initially been unaccounted for after floodwaters tore through parts of the canyon on Saturday afternoon, destroying footbridges and carrying boulders downstream.
Incident Commander Dave Black said rangers “worked tirelessly” to reduce the number of missing people, and crews airlifted dozens from Phantom Ranch, one of the hardest-hit locations. An early group of 45 people was flown out on Saturday, and another 37 were evacuated by Sunday afternoon. Officials said heavy rain remained in the forecast overnight into Tuesday, keeping the risk of more flooding high.
Search crews return Tuesday as rain keeps flood risk high in Bright Angel Canyon
Crews were scheduled to resume searching Tuesday morning for the final missing person in the area between Phantom Ranch and Cottonwood Manzanita. Black said the operation had been intense through the weekend, with responders working to bring the situation under control while moving people out of danger.
The flooding began in Bright Angel Canyon around 2:30 p.m. local time Saturday, according to the park service. The National Park Service said the two people who died were adult males, but it has not released their identities. Earlier, the agency said it found the body of a 46-year-old man near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River.
Monsoonal showers are driving the recent storms across the Grand Canyon area and much of the southwestern United States. Forecasters say the storms can be hard to pin down and may arrive with little warning, which increases the danger when dry ground quickly turns runoff into flash flooding.
Footbridges destroyed and major park routes shut after floodwaters hit key canyon sites
The flood damage was severe across several of the Grand Canyon’s most visited areas. Nearly all of the footbridges over Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, and the park service closed Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the entire North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, Black Bridge, Silver Bridge and the Colorado River corridor in the affected zone.
Nikki Baggs, 41, one of the people airlifted from the bottom of the canyon with two friends, described the scene as terrifying. She said what had started as a beautiful day changed suddenly when people began screaming and running. Her account underscored how quickly the conditions deteriorated as floodwaters surged through the area.
Officials have not said when all closed areas will reopen, and access remains limited while damage is assessed and search efforts continue.
Water line damage threatens service for visitors and nearby residents
On Monday, the park service said preliminary assessments showed about 40% of the Transcanyon Waterline had been damaged or destroyed. The line supplies water for park visitors and about 2,500 residents, making the flood’s impact larger than the immediate rescue operation.
The Grand Canyon draws about five million visitors each year, and Bright Angel Trail is its most popular hike. That scale helps explain why even a localized flood can have wide effects on safety, access and park operations. With more rain expected, officials are still dealing with both the emergency response and the longer-term damage to critical infrastructure.
Crews will continue monitoring the weather while emergency work moves ahead in the canyon.
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