trails closed on Kaibab Plateau

[Dschur]

Arizona Trail Closed on Kaibab Plateau Due to Cat Fire

On August 6 a lightning strike started a wildfire in the Saddle Mountain Wilderness within the Kaibab National Forest. The fire has grown to approximately 2,300 acres and firefighters have been assigned to contain and suppress this wildfire, which is located in the steep terrain of Wildcat Canyon near the Kaibab Plateau-South Passage (#40) of the Arizona National Scenic Trail.

All roads and trails within the area have been closed, which include Forest Roads 213 and 220 on the north, FR 610 on the east and south, and House Rock Valley Road 8910 on the east.

The following trails are also closed: Arizona Trail from FR610 to FR 213 (AZT mile 724.7 - 736.9), North Canyon Trail, South Canyon Trail and Point Imperial and Nankoweap Trails, which are both located on Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park land. Patrols are currently placing closure signage and roving these areas to alert campers and hikers of this closure. The closure order will remain in place until lifted.

For updated fire information, visit Inciweb and search for "Cat Fire, Arizona" or stay in touch with the Kaibab National Forest on Facebook and Twitter @KaibabNF or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.

[toddak]

Bummer, looks like the burn zone is centered directly on South Canyon Trail #6. Hiked up that just a few months back, it was lovely.

[FOTG]

@toddak
Ya I am bumming on this one too now, we were going to do North Canyon in the spring, but did Saddle instead, I really wanted to see that perennial creek that holds that Apache Trout population up there, but I suppose it won't be worth the trip after this...

[toddak]

@friendofThundergod
Per this map from the Inciweb site, the fire perimeter is several miles south of the North Canyon drainage. North Canyon is currently inside the closure area, but it doesn't look like there should be any fire effects there yet. The latest Inciweb update makes it sound like the Cat Fire is pretty well contained (fingers crossed).