GRAND CANYON, AZ — Search crews in Grand Canyon National Park recovered the body of a 46-year-old man after a powerful flash flood swept through Bright Angel Canyon on Saturday afternoon. The National Park Service said Sunday night that roughly 15 other people were still unaccounted for, after earlier asking for help finding as many as 20.
The man’s name has not been released. Officials said the recovery was made near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, and the Coconino County medical examiner was on site as the search continued for hikers and backpackers who may have been in the affected area.
Where the flooding hit
Park officials said the flood began around 2:30 p.m. Saturday and caused major damage across Bright Angel Canyon. Nearly all footbridges were destroyed, cutting off access to the creek and making travel through the area much harder for rescuers and evacuees.
The flooding also widened the creek bed and appeared to create a new rapid. Debris including large boulders and metal structures was swept into the Colorado River, and the only water pipeline serving visitors and residents in the park was knocked out late Sunday, according to the park service.
The area of concern includes the North Kaibab Trail from the trailhead to Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, and “the Box” north of Phantom Ranch. Officials said anyone who had been hiking or camping there on August 29 should contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.
Evacuations and closures
By Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from the area, and more evacuations were underway from Cottonwood Campground, Phantom Ranch and other nearby locations. Evacuees were taken to the Maswik Lodge Cafeteria on the South Rim, where the American Red Cross was helping coordinate care and support.
Several major park features are now closed until further notice, including Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the full North Kaibab Trail between the trailhead and Phantom Ranch. The Black Bridge and Silver Bridge crossings over the Colorado River are also closed, and officials have not given a reopening date.
What hikers should expect next
A flash flood watch remains in effect through Monday evening, and more showers and thunderstorms are in the forecast. The National Weather Service warned that flooding could return in creeks, normally dry washes, swimming holes and recently burned areas, with dangerous currents possible in side canyons and narrow slot canyons.
One hiker, Parth Desai, said he was moving through a narrow section of Bright Angel Canyon with other physicians and a park ranger when the storm hit. He described waterfalls, mud and landslides appearing suddenly before he was later rescued by helicopter. Anyone with information about hikers or backpackers in the area is being asked to call the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at (888) 653-0009 or email nps_isb@nps.gov.
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