An iconic American landmark is gone.
A fast-moving wildfire—sparked by a July 4th lightning strike—has ravaged the nearly 100-year-old Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim.
Also lost in the flames: all 80 cabins, the campground, general store, gas station, and the saloon. An entire resort reduced to ash in just a few hours. As of this writing, the wildfire is still burning—only 8% contained.
My stomach sank when I heard the news.
My wife and I visited both the South and North Rims of the Grand Canyon in the summer of 2017. A true bucket list trip to one of America’s natural wonders. We especially loved the North Rim—cooler temperatures, towering evergreens, fewer tourists, and a slower pace. Such a striking contrast to the busier, sweltering South Rim.
Now it’s all gone.
The North Rim and its beloved trails are closed indefinitely. Who knows what happens next? Tens of millions will be needed to rebuild. And with today’s political and environmental climate, it feels like a long shot that a new Grand Canyon Lodge will ever rise from the ashes.
But I’ll always remember what it felt like to sit on that quiet rim, feet up, looking out over the canyon, surrounded by beauty and stillness.
