Grand Canyon's North Rim opens May 15 for the summer season

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - With the opening of Highway 67 on May 15, the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will open for the 2012 summer season. Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim, a Forever Resorts property, and Grand Canyon Trail Rides will commence their summer operations.

Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim operations include lodging, groceries, camper services, food services and a gas station. All concessioner facilities will open at 10 a.m. with the exception of the dining room, which will open at 11:30 a.m. for lunch. Lodge check-in will begin at 4 p.m. All services provided by the National Park Service, including the Visitor Center, backcountry permitting office, and campground, as well as the Grand Canyon Association bookstore will be available on May 15 at 8 a.m.

The first scheduled ranger program, Grand Canyon Geology, will be on the back porch of the Grand Canyon Lodge at 3 p.m. followed by a program about the California condor at 4:30 p.m. The first evening program will be held on May 15, at 8 p.m. in the Lodge auditorium. All ranger programs will be listed in "The Guide" (North Rim: 2012 Season), a free publication distributed at the North Entrance Station, the North Rim Visitor Center, other contact stations in the park and online at www.nps.gov/grca once it is available.