GRAND CANYON, Ariz., Aug. 31 (Our Arizona Times) — A search was continuing in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park for about 14 to 15 people who remained unaccounted for after a flash flood struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area, according to updates from the National Park Service.
The flood hit at about 2:30 p.m. Aug. 29, 2026. By the next morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, the park service said. More evacuations were planned from Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch, with help from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The number of people officials were trying to account for changed as response teams gathered information. Initial reports put the figure at more than 20; later National Park Service updates gave an estimate of about 14 to 15. The supplied updates do not establish whether all of those people were confirmed missing or whether some were later located.
What happened in the canyon?
The flood affected Bright Angel Creek, Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail. The National Park Service said the water caused major damage to infrastructure throughout Bright Angel Canyon.
Nearly all footbridges across Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, eliminating hiker access across the creek, the agency said. A park water pipeline was also damaged, leading to major conservation measures and planned restrictions affecting overnight accommodations.
The park service closed Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the Phantom Ranch Canteen and cabins, and the North Kaibab Trail between its trailhead and Phantom Ranch. The Black and Silver bridges were also closed until further notice. Officials did not provide a reopening timeline.
The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, according to the National Park Service. Officials had not released his identity, and the supplied information did not include a cause or manner of death.
Who may be unaccounted for?
The park service asked for information about people who may have been hiking or backpacking along the Bright Angel Creek corridor, staying at Bright Angel Campground or Phantom Ranch, or traveling on the North Kaibab Trail between the trailhead and Phantom Ranch.
Park spokesperson Joelle Baird said the people being sought included visitors on backcountry trips and day hikers in the North Kaibab Trail and Phantom Ranch area.
The National Park Service Investigative Services Branch asked the public to provide names, approximate locations, travel plans, group sizes, clothing or backpack descriptions, and the last known time the people were in the area. Tips can be submitted at 888-653-0009 or by email at nps_isb@nps.gov.
Evacuees received assistance from the American Red Cross at the Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, according to information released during the response.
Why can flash floods be so dangerous here?
A flash flood is a rapid rise of water that can occur after intense rain, sometimes with little time for people in a drainage or canyon to react. In a steep canyon, water and debris can move quickly through narrow channels and damage trails, bridges, pipelines and other infrastructure.
The National Weather Service warned that additional thunderstorms and heavy rain could create more flash-flooding danger during the response. That warning describes the immediate weather threat; it does not, by itself, establish a long-term climate trend. The supplied information did not include a rainfall gauge record, a full weather-service assessment or climate research linking this individual flood to broader changes.
For visitors, the closures mean that routes and facilities in the affected corridor cannot be treated as passable even where a trail may appear intact. The damaged bridges, water system and other infrastructure must be assessed before access can safely resume.
