Sept. 7, 2:45 p.m.: Search efforts hit second week for missing person
Search efforts have entered a second week for a man who went missing during deadly flash floods at the Grand Canyon.
The park remains open despite some trail and campground closures. But with all inner-canyon water turned off due to damage and conservation, staff are encouraging visitors to be prepared.
Theresa Hatathlie is a state senator whose district covers the area. She says the major damage to infrastructure means there needs to be better planning for the future.
“If this should happen again, how would we be able to avoid this amount of damage and impact to people?” Hatathlie said.
Sept. 1, 4:06 p.m.: Wednesday community meeting planned
Officials from the Grand Canyon National Park will address the public about the flash floods and their aftermath during a community meeting 5-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Shrine of the Ages Auditorium in Grand Canyon Village.
The meeting will also be live-streamed.
Sept. 1, 2026 7:30 a.m.: Missing list down to 1 person
The bodies of a Texas chiropractor and a lifelong martial artist have been found after a major flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon. One person remains unaccounted for after about 80 others were rescued over the weekend, officials said Monday.
Saturday’s flash flood severely damaged the only water pipeline serving Grand Canyon National Park. Officials barred tourists from staying at lodges and hotels inside the park and issued emergency water restrictions for year-round residents. Waves of torrential rain hit the Bright Angel Creek area of the tourist destination that hosts 4.4 million visitors a year.
Grand Canyon Deputy Superintendent Brian Drapeaux said officials haven’t fully surveyed the damage, but the park has said about 40% of the pipeline is damaged.
Incident Cmdr. Dave Black said searchers used night vision and other equipment to find people who needed rescuing during the deluge. By sunset Saturday, 45 people were rescued, and 37 more were evacuated Sunday.
Rangers referred to the park’s permit system and checked vehicle license plates to track the number of missing people.
“As of right now, they have no reason to believe, from the tips we’ve been through so far, that there’s anybody besides the one” missing person, Black said during a news conference Monday evening.
The families of chiropractor John Giusti and martial arts studio owner Brent Rosenkranz, 42, identified them as the two people whose bodies have been recovered, said Hannah Barricks, a liaison for the families.
A third buddy — 53-year-old Wyoming pilot Timothy Smith — went on the trip with them and was still missing, Barricks said late Monday by text message.
The men spoke to their families Thursday and found their campsite Friday at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. They have not been heard from since, the three families said in a joint statement released earlier Monday through Barricks.
All three men had ties to Granbury, Texas. Their families said they planned “several days of hiking, camping, fishing and exploring together.”
Park officials said they recovered the body of a 46-year-old man Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River and, later, recovered a second body but provided no other details.
Photos: Flooding at the Grand Canyon in August 2026
Aug. 31, 2026, 5 p.m.: Man and daughter among the missing
More than a dozen people remained missing and officials urged anyone who was in the park when the flood happened to contact park rangers or anyone else to let them know they are OK.
Shannon Cahill said her brother and his daughter are missing somewhere in the Grand Canyon region.
Michael Wilhoit, 53, Mystic Wilhoit, 30, and her boyfriend left Saturday for a three-night camping trip. She hasn’t heard from any of them since. Phone calls go straight to their voicemail, and they have not posted on social media.
“That’s not like Mystic. If she’s doing something, she’s posting. She posts constantly,” Cahill said. Cahill wasn’t sure where they were going to camp.
If you know of anyone who may have been hiking or backpacking in these areas, please contact the NPS Investigative Services Branch Tip Line:
NPS ISB Tip Line: 888-653-0009
Email: [email protected]
Aug. 31, 2026, 3:44 p.m.: 'It's proven itself to work': Text system alerted hikers about dangerous Grand Canyon conditions
Aug. 31, 2026, 2:54 p.m.: Family identifies 1 hiker killed in Grand Canyon flooding
The bodies of a Texas chiropractor and at least one other person have been found after a major weekend flash flood swept through the Grand Canyon, and forecasters warned more flooding was possible as heavy rain shrouded the canyon walls.
The family of John Giusti, 53, said the Texas chiropractor set out Thursday on a trip he dreamed of with two buddies — spending two nights at the bottom of the canyon fishing and hiking.
They spoke to their families Thursday and found their campsite Friday. They have not been heard from since, the three families said in a joint statement released Monday.
Searchers on the air and ground continue to look for Texas martial arts studio owner Brent Rosenkranz, 42, and Wyoming pilot Timothy Smith, 53, their families said.
All three men had ties to Granbury, Texas. Their families said they planned “several days of hiking, camping, fishing and exploring together.”
Park officials said they recovered the body of a 46-year-old man Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River and were trying to recover a second body. Their email provided no other details.
More than a dozen people remained missing and officials urged anyone who was in the park when the flood happened to contact park rangers or anyone else to let them know they are OK.
Late Monday morning more rain fell as the state Department of Emergency and Military Affairs was coordinating with the park service and county emergency management officials in search and recovery efforts.
Aug. 31, 2026, 12:23 p.m.: Dragon Bravo Fire burn scare contributed to flooding
Rain also fell on areas hit by the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire on the North Rim. Officials say that likely contributed to the severity of flooding and debris flows through Bright Angel Creek and into the Colorado River.
PHOTOS: Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires at Grand Canyon
Aug. 31, 2026, 9:56 a.m.: Congressman David Schweikert was among those in the Grand Canyon during the flash flood
Photos: Flooding at the Grand Canyon in August 2026
Aug. 31, 2026, 9:18 a.m.: 2 bodies recovered following flood
The National Park Service says two bodies have been recovered following this weekend’s deadly floods. More than 60 people were airlifted from the area after heavy rain caused water to rush through Bright Angel Creek.
Water restrictions are in place, and several areas including Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, and the lower North Kaibab Trail are closed until further notice.
The Park Service has asked anyone with details about hikers or campers still unaccounted for to provide information to the NPS Investigative Services Branch at 888-653-0009 or [email protected].
Aug. 31, 2026, 8:11 a.m.: More storms possible at Grand Canyon where a flash flood killed 1 person and left 15 missing
State and federal officials ramped up efforts Monday to locate around 15 people who are missing after a major flash flood swept through in the Grand Canyon, killing at least one person.
Weather forecasters warned rain and thunderstorms could bring more flooding to the popular tourist attraction from where scores of visitors were evacuated following the flood Saturday in Bright Angel Creek. The deluge also destroyed the only water pipeline in the canyon, leading to emergency water restrictions for year-round residents. Tourists have been barred from staying at lodges and hotels inside the park.
Visiting the Grand Canyon — a crown jewel of the national park system — can be particularly dangerous in the summer because of the risk of flash flooding that accompanies the monsoon, or rainy season. Clear days can give way quickly to thunderstorms and downpours.
“With deep monsoonal moisture in place and already saturated soils in some locations, an elevated risk of flash flooding will be in place through Monday,” the National Weather Service said Monday.
The body of a 46-year-old man was recovered Sunday evening near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River, the National Park Service said without providing details. More than 60 people were airlifted from the depths of the canyon. The park service asked anyone with details about hikers or campers still unaccounted for to provide information. The Arizona Department of Public Safety helped with evacuations Sunday.
“My heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon,” Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs posted Sunday.
The state Department of Emergency and Military Affairs was coordinating with the park service and county emergency management officials in search and recovery efforts, Hobbs said.
Parth Desai was hiking through a narrow passage in Bright Angel Canyon with fellow physicians and a park ranger when heavy rain started falling Saturday.
“We saw the creek flood, waterfalls coming up out of nowhere, boulders, mud, landslides happening everywhere,” he said.
Later, as they made their way toward Phantom Ranch, a colleague shouted “Up, Up, Up, Up!” as a 4-foot (1-meter) debris wall headed toward them and they ran up into a patch of cacti, he said. They were rescued by helicopter late Saturday after making it to the Phantom Ranch area, he said.
Torrents of water wiped out footbridges over Bright Angel Creek that runs into the Colorado River, widening the bed and extending an existing river rapid or creating a new one. The flood was a major blow to an enduring effort to modernize the pipeline that serves 6 million visitors a year and roughly 1,600 residents of Grand Canyon Village.
“Heaven help us if the whole thing down there at the bottom has to be reconstructed,” said Jack Schmidt, director of the Center for Colorado River Studies at Utah State University. “Where are they going to get the money?”
In August 2024, a woman was swept away in a flash flood while hiking in the Havasupai region of the Grand Canyon. Chenoa Nickerson, 33, was found dead after a three-day search.
Halting overnight stays at the park because of a lack of water is rare, although the pipeline frequently has failed over the years. While the Grand Canyon has large storage tanks for potable water on the South Rim, they won’t be refilled while the pipeline is out of service.
A $208 million rehabilitation of the pipeline and upgrades to the associated water delivery system started in 2023, with the park service calling it a crucial investment to ensure the park can meet the needs of residents and visitors. The project was expected to be completed next year.
Aug. 30, 2026: At least 15 people missing after Grand Canyon flash flood near Bright Angel Canyon, Phantom Ranch
Severe flash flooding in the Grand Canyon on Saturday caused significant damage to infrastructure, forced the evacuation of over 60 people and has left more than a dozen missing.
At least 62 people have been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab rail to the South Rim by the Arizona Department of Public Safety and National Parks Service, according to a release by NPS. Additional evacuations were scheduled at the Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Ranch for Sunday.
At least 15 people are missing or unaccounted for, according to the NPS. Anyone who knows hikers or campers who were in the area at the time should contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch.
Nearly all footbridges crossing Bright Angel Creek were destroyed by the flooding. The Black Bridge and Silver Bridge crossing the Colorado River and several trails, including the North Kaibab Trail, are closed.
Tom Martin, a Grand Canyon River Runner, said torrential rain fell on the Dragon Bravo fire scar and debris poured down the North Rim of the canyon, resulting in large debris flows.
Martin said a significant debris flow created a 9-foot tall dam across the Colorado River, blocking river traffic. All boating traffic upstream of Phantom Ranch has been ordered to stop.
The dam can be seen in a photo released by the National Parks Service.
“It shows the ponding of the Colorado River upstream of this new dam that has been built all the way across the river by this flash flood coming out of the side creek, coming out of Bright Angel Creek,” Martin said.
Martin said temporary construction worker housing and a water pipeline were washed away by floodwaters.
“That flood yesterday took out a whole bunch of buildings, the temporary housing for the new pipeline,” Martin said. “All their housing is now gone."
Martin said the four or five bridges that cross Bright Angel Creek were also destroyed.
NPS says additional thunderstorms are possible through Monday, resulting in additional flash flooding, debris flows, rockfalls and changing trail conditions. There is no estimated time for reopening.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct that the Black Bridge and Silver Bridge crossing the Colorado River and several trails, including the North Kaibab Trail, are closed.
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On Monday, Grand Canyon rangers responded to a discovery of human remains along the Colorado River near the bottom of the park. -
Flash floods in the Grand Canyon late last month killed two people and forced the evacuation of dozens of others. Heavy rains led to the flooding at the bottom of the canyon, including at Phantom Ranch. -
National Park Service officials expect to restore a reliable water supply in the Grand Canyon in weeks — not months — as the deadly flash flood didn’t damage most of a near-complete pipeline project, they said Tuesday. -
The park remains open despite some trail and campground closures, but park staff are issuing conservation efforts after Transcanyon water pipeline was damaged. -
Grand Canyon National Park staff and partner agencies continue to assess damage from last week’s deadly flash flood. The park is now expanding its temporary closures.
