The Grand Canyon Lodge Was An Elusive Getaway For Nearly A Century. Now It's Gone.

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The astir century-old Grand Canyon Lodge successful acold bluish Arizona was a refuge for eager hikers and adventurous visitors eager to bask successful nan magnificent views of 1 of nan astir distant and renowned landscapes successful nan world.

But a wind-whipped wildfire reduced it to a skeleton of itself wrong hours complete nan weekend, devastating nan galore who saw it arsenic an intrinsic portion of nan North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Fortified pinch Kaibab limestone and logs from nan surrounding Ponderosa conifer forest, it sat astatine nan separator of nan canyon, blending successful and enhancing nan earthy environment.

“It’s tragic, it really is,” retired National Park Service main historiographer Robert K. Sutton said Monday.

The lodge itself told a cardinal portion of history for some nan Grand Canyon and nan National Park Service.

Gilbert Stanley Underwood, who designed nan lodge successful 1927, sought to immerse residents successful nan scenery that now draws millions of visitors annually from astir nan world pinch a rustic, integrated architectural style. He designed akin lodges successful Zion and Bryce nationalist parks successful Utah, Yellowstone National Park successful Wyoming and Yosemite National Park successful California, according to nan parkland service.

The Grand Canyon Lodge, nan only lodging wrong nan canyon’s North Rim, was built astatine a clip erstwhile nan national section was eager to find ways to prosecute nan nationalist pinch nan country’s champion earthy offerings, Sutton said.

For a spot arsenic distant arsenic nan North Rim, that wasn’t an easy task. The lodge was a winding 212-mile thrust from nan much celebrated South Rim wherever 90% of nan visitors go. Hiking from 1 broadside to nan different is moreover much arduous astatine complete 20 miles pinch steep ascents astatine nan end. But nan historical building’s tranquility is simply a basal portion of its appeal.

“You’re conscionable connected your own. It’s conscionable a wholly different atmosphere,” Sutton said.

The thrust up to nan North Rim was a chance to spot a bison herd that roams nan acold reaches of bluish Arizona. The road ended astatine nan Grand Canyon Lodge, built correct up to nan separator of nan rim. Across nan lobby wrong and down nan stairs, visitors sewage a picturesque position of nan Grand Canyon framed done nan windows of nan “Sun Room” furnished pinch plush couches. Navajo woven rugs hung connected nan walls and elaborate ray fixtures from nan ceilings.

In nan area of nan room sat Brighty, a burro that lived astatine nan canyon and inspired a children’s book, immortalized successful a statue arsenic a benignant of mascot for nan North Rim.

Jen Pinegan, 47, trained for months to hike from nan South Rim to nan North Rim successful May 2024. She started earlier nan sun came up to debar what tin beryllium ruthless Arizona heat. After 12 grueling hours, she arrived astatine nan North Rim, stayed nan nighttime astatine nan Grand Canyon Lodge and awoke to a position she she said had “an indescribable magic to it.”

Others hikers were celebrating, too, creating an “electric” ambiance arsenic they soaked successful nan views, she said.

“I deliberation there’s what made it much incredible, is knowing that a batch of group don’t spot it,” Pinegan said.

She returned to nan lodge for nan Fourth of July play to return her youngest girl and 2 measurement sons to luncheon astatine nan edifice known for its elk chili. She said she was brought to tears erstwhile she heard it burned down.

For those who bask a bully roadworthy trip, for illustration Erik Ammerlaan, nan lodge had an elusive appeal. He’s traveled to astir 30 countries but counts his enactment astatine nan Grand Canyon Lodge successful 2016 arsenic 1 of his astir memorable trips.

“It was for illustration you were looking astatine this movie, but its conscionable nature,” he said. “You’re really conscionable 1 pinch nature”

The lightning-caused wildfire that consumed nan lodge and dozens of different structures astatine nan North Rim began July 4. The National Park Service had been managing it to clear nan scenery of substance erstwhile winds shifted and it made a tally toward nan lodge. Hundreds of group were evacuated.

The blaze wasn’t nan first clip nan lodge was destroyed. In September 1932, conscionable 5 years aft it opened, lodge labor and residents watched arsenic a room occurrence grew and overtook nan structure, according to nan parkland service. It was rebuilt successful 1938.

Sutton, nan retired parkland work historian, and others are optimistic nan Grand Canyon Lodge will get a caller life.

“I fishy it will regenerate,” he said.