State Route 67 to Grand Canyon’s North Rim to close for winter

PHOENIX ‒ State Route 67 leading to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will close for the winter on Thursday, Dec. 1.

The highway will be blocked to traffic about a half mile from its junction with US 89A at Jacob Lake. With park facilities closed for the winter, the Arizona Department of Transportation doesn’t clear snow from the highway, which leads 43 miles south from US 89A.

The North Rim averages more than 9 feet of snow annually, according to the National Weather Service.

SR 67 is scheduled to reopen in mid-May along with North Rim lodges, campgrounds and other amenities.

State Route 64 remains open all year to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim.

In addition, State Route 473, a 10-mile-long highway that provides direct access to the Hawley Lake recreational area in the White Mountains, is scheduled to close on Thursday, Dec. 1. Also in that area, SR 273 and SR 261 are scheduled to close Dec. 31 unless a severe storm occurs before then.

In southern Arizona, the upper, unpaved portion of State Route 366 that leads to Mount Graham near Safford has already closed for winter. Motorized vehicles aren’t allowed on SR 366 past a locked gate a half mile past the Coronado National Forest’s Shannon Campground, but hikers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers can still use the area. 

Both SR 473 and upper SR 366 will reopen in the spring, along with other local highways that close during the winter.

Tips on winter driving are available at azdot.gov/KnowSnow.

Drivers can call 511 or visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Center at az511.gov for the latest highway conditions around the state. The website features camera images along state highways that give drivers a glimpse of weather conditions in various regions.

ADOT’s Twitter feed (@ArizonaDOT) and Facebook page (/AZDOT) are excellent sources of information and interaction on traffic conditions around the state.

For more information about ADOT, visit azdot.gov.