Road to Grand Canyon North Rim closed Dec. 1 for winter

If you were thinking of visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon any time soon, you might want to wait until spring.

The Arizona Department of Transportation will close State Route 67, which leads to the North Rim, on Dec. 1. Workers will block the highway about a halfmile from the junction with U.S. 89A at Jacob Lake.

Park facilities are closed for the winter and as a result ADOT won’t clear snow (the North Rim gets about nine feet of snow a year) from the 43-mile stretch of SR 67 leading to the North Rim. The highway is expected to open in mid-May when that portion of the park reopens.

Visitors can still enjoy the park’s South Rim as SR 64 remains open year round.

ADOT also announced other winter road closures Tuesday.

In the White Mountains

State Route 473, which provides access to Hawley Lake recreational area, will close Dec. 1.

SR 273 and SR 261 will close Dec. 31 unless a severe weather forces an earlier closure.

In southern Arizona

The upper, unpaved portion of SR 366 leading to Mount Graham near Safford is closed for the winter. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on SR 366 past a locked gate near Shannon Campground in Coronado National Forest. However, hikers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers can still use the area.

For information on conditions around the state call 511, visit az511.gov or follow ADOT’s Facebook and Twitter accounts.