Repair work will require temporary daytime closures of the Silver Bridge at Grand Canyon National Park/NPS file

Grand Canyon National Park hikers planning to cross the Colorado River will need to choose their route carefully, as the Silver Bridge near Phantom Ranch will see daytime closures April 13-May 7 to allow for repairs to electrical utilities.

The closure will prevent hikers from crossing the bridge Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., as the necessary repair work is conducted.

Hikers should be prepared to either route their hike over the Black Bridge at the base of the South Kaibab Trail or plan on crossing the Silver Bridge before 8 a.m. or after 5 p.m. from Monday - Friday. The route across the Black Bridge will add about one mile to the Bright Angel Trail for hikers accessing Phantom Ranch. Access across the Silver Bridge will be unaffected Saturdays and Sundays during the repairs. 

In addition to the Silver Bridge closure, hikers may see temporary interruption along the River Trail between Pipe Creek and the Silver Bridge. The River Trail will remain open and hikers may experience brief temporary delays as crews work on utility lines near the trail. 

Future updates on park operations can be found on the Grand Canyon National Park website.