Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: June 3-7, 2024 — Star Party Continues through Saturday, June 8!, more news, events

Star Party Continues through Saturday, June 8!

The 34th annual Grand Canyon Star Party will conclude for the season on Saturday, June 8. South Rim events include a nightly slide show from a special guest speaker at 8 p.m. in the plaza of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.

The list of speakers can be found on the Grand Canyon Star Party webpage and also in the NPS Mobile App. The talks are followed by free telescope viewing behind the building. Green-laser constellation tours will be offered nightly at 9, 9:30, and 10 p.m.

North Rim events include telescopes set up on the terrace of the Grand Canyon Lodge every evening along with astronomers with green lasers to pointing out constellations. By day, look for solar telescopes on the terrace and surrounding the Grand Canyon Lodge. A flyer for the evening events on the North Rim can be found here.

Grand Canyon Firewise Cleanup now through June 14

We need your help in preventing wildfire severity! Now through June 14, the annual Firewise Cleanup is being held throughout the South Rim residential areas.

Here’s how you can make a difference:

• Clear dead woody debris from around your residence, up to 30 ft.
• Rake pine needles and leaves (please minimize collection of dirt and rocks-this will inhibit effective pile burning in the future)
• Move firewood away from contact with structures (more than 10 ft. is recommended)
• Please do not collect industrial lumber; this material will be left.

Please pile all debris in an area accessible to vehicles and email Nathan_Martone@nps.gov with your address. Park staff will begin moving and hauling debris to the dry dump the week of June 10. The last day for pickup will be Friday, June 14.

Trash bags and loaner tool are available at the South Rim Wildland Fire Base (1151 Shuttle Bus Drive) by calling Fire and Aviation staff—Nate Martone at (928) 699-5976 or Kacie Dodds at 928-221-5614.

A PDF printable flyer can be found here.

Upcoming Park Programming!

Check the park’s website for more details on park programs and special events.

South Rim: Village 

• Fossil Discovery Walk (30min): 9:00 a.m. daily, meet at Bright Angel Trailhead.
• Geology Talk (30min): 3:00 p.m. daily, meet at Yavapai Geology Museum.
• Exploring the Endangered (60 min): 4:30 p.m. daily, meet at Village Amphitheater.
• Evening Program (60 min): 8:00 p.m. Sunday 6/9, meet at McKee Amphitheater. A flyer for upcoming evening programs can be found here.
• Family Twilight Walk (45 min); 7:30 p.m. 6/6, 6/7, & 6/8, meet at Shrine of the Ages Auditorium.
• Grand Canyon Star Party 2024: June 1st-8^th nightly events

South Rim: Desert View

• Grand Canyon Speaks (45min): 6:45 p.m., meet at the Desert View Amphitheater.
• June 6: with Davis Coonsis (Zuni), a Zuni fetish carver.
• June 10: with Daryl Shack (Zuni), a Zuni fetish carver.
• June 11: with Leona Begishie (Diné), works within our community at Grand Canyon Unified School District.
• June 13: with Marian Manyturquoise (Diné), works at the Desert View Watchtower with Grand Canyon Conservancy.
• Cultural Demonstrations: Thursday-Saturday and starting June 10 Mondays and Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m., located at the Desert View Watchtower.
• 6/6-6/8: South Rim Desert View: Cultural Demonstrations with Janet Yazzie (Diné Painter), Noreen Simplicio (Zuni Potter) and Davis Coonsis (Zuni Fetish Carver)
• 6/10-6/11:Daryl Shack (Zuni Fetish Carver) and Benina Kallestewa (Zuni Silversmith)
• 6/13-6/15: Eileen Yatsattie (Zuni Potter), Nilford Tsatte (Zuni Potter) and Beverly Blacksheep (Diné Painter)
• Sunset Talk (45 min): at 6:45 p.m. on 6/12, meet at the Desert View Amphitheater.

North Rim

• Nature Walk (90min): 8:30 a.m. Friday and Sunday, meet at Roaring Springs Overlook Kiosk.
• Behind the Scenery (30min): 11:30 a.m. daily, meet at Bright Angel Point Amphitheater.
• Colorado River Connections (30min): 2:30 p.m. daily, meet at Cape Royal Trailhead.
• Beneath the Canopy (30min): Begins June 9th, 3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m., daily, meet at the Campground Amphitheater. Family geared program.
• Evening Program (45min): 7:30 p.m., every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, meet at Grand Canyon Lodge Auditorium.
• Nightly Start Party Presentations (60min); June 1st-8; meet at North Rim Lodge Auditorium. Presentations start at 7:30 p.m. and are replacing Evening Programs. (limited-capacity seating).

Special Events-Juneteenth

• Wednesday June 19 (Fee Free Day): Join the park in commemorating the end of slavery. Events include formalized programming and informal pop-ups across the South Rim.
• Grand Canyon Village: A special exhibit will be set up in the “Science on the Sphere” room at the Visitor Center. This will include exhibit posters, a short film, and a ranger led pop-up to share what Juneteenth is and to elevate stories and connections that Black communities have with public lands.
• Grand Canyon Village: 4:30 p.m. meet at Mather Amphitheater. A special program will be given on Juneteenth, Black American history at the Grand Canyon, and reflections on accessibility and representation on public lands.
• South Rim-Desert View: 6:45 p.m. meet at the Desert View Amphitheater for a formal Juneteenth-focused Sunset Talk.

Employee Spotlight!

Jessica Camacho, Public Safety Dispatcher, Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center (South Rim)

I started working for the NPS in 2010 as a seasonal part-time dispatcher and interpreter through the STEP/SCEP Program (now Pathways) at Grand Teton National Park. Looking back, the opportunity to experience a dual career with the NPS was the catalyst to finding my passion and determining my career path in emergency services.

I valued the interactive and educational aspect of interpretation but was ultimately drawn to the dynamic, fast-paced, adrenaline filled role of being the first of the first responders helping assist the public who require emergency services. An incident that I have at the forefront of my mind is the largest rescue efforts at Grand Teton in which 16 climbers were rescued and one recovered just below the summit (“The Fine Line” Podcast Relives the Largest Rescue Effort ever on the Grand Teton — Teton County Search and Rescue (tetoncountysar.org).  After graduating in 2013 with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, concentration Geology, I continued my career as a dispatcher at various parks throughout the United States and the Navy.

Growing up in a border city in the southwest, where the majority of the population is Hispanic, Spanish speaking and bilingual, the environment that I faced both internally and externally was challenging and rewarding at Grand Teton; the culture shock was very real! I remember playing back dispatch recordings and hearing a very hard accent that was mine. In those moments I remember feeling ashamed and embarrassed that I looked and sounded so different from my colleagues. It was then that I began assimilating, enunciating my words differently, making my accent less noticeable. Mostly so at the beginning of my career, I would go back and listen to recordings to see if I was reaching my goal to sound clearer, and I was! As my career path took me coast-to-coast (ME, WA, ME, CA) I began to value and cherish my differences and culture. I have come to find that the beauty of the National Parks are our differences with a commonality of loving the history of the land and the people.

October will mark my third year at Grand Canyon working alongside supportive and “got your back” teammates (David, Katie, Alonzo, Claire, and Jenn). I never in my wildest dreams believed that I would call this place “home” and I sure didn’t believe I would meet my partner and husband, Skyler Hardy, who I married twice once in November 2023 and again last month!

I am excited to see what the future holds and the adventures that working for the National Park Service will bring.

Blood Drives in Grand Canyon and Tusayan June 11 and 19

The Grand Canyon Rec Center will be hosting a community blood drive through Vitalant on Tuesday, June 11 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. and the Tusayan Fire Department will be hosting onWednesday, June 19 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Appointments are suggested, and to schedule, individuals can visit www.donors.vitalant.org.

Vitalant is the sole supplier to 96% of AZ Hospitals including the Flagstaff Medical Center. More information and a flyer on the Grand Canyon event can be found here. More information and a flyer on the Tusayan event can be found here.

South Rim

Xanterra

• Maswik Cafeteria, 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Maswik Pizza Pub, 4-10 p.m.
• Bright Angel Fountain, 6 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Harvey House Cafe/Fred Harvey Burger Restaurant, Breakfast 6:30-10:30 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Dinner 4-9 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
• Arizona Steakhouse, Lunch 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Dinner 4:30-9 p.m.
• El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge – Breakfast 6:30-10 a.m., Lunch 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner 4:30-9:30 p.m., Lounge, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Food until 9 p.m.), Patio closed until further notice.
• The Grand Canyon Kennel, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
• Grand Canyon Rec Center, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.

Delaware North

• Yavapai Dining Hall: Breakfast 7-10:30 a.m., Dinner 5-8 p.m., Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-9 p.m., Coffee Shop: 6:30 a.m. -5 p.m.
• Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Camper Services laundry and shower: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
• At the Trailer Village Kiosk, hours are now expanded from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Other

• Grand Canyon Clinic: Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Bright Angel Bikes, Rental: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Café 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): Open daily from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores: Verkamps and Yavapai Geology Museum-8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, Visitor Center Plaza-8 a.m.-8 p.m., Kolb Studio-8 a.m.-6 p.m.,
• The Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturdays from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Food Pantry: Monday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Wednesday 5:30-7:30 p.m., Saturday 2-4 p.m.
• Canyon Community Yoga & Wellness (at the Rec Center), May and June schedule: Fitness Classes (under the ramada): Sunday 9 a.m., Tuesday & Thursday 6 p.m. Yoga (in the SPR): Monday & Wednesday 6:30 p.m. Use discount GCLOCALS at checkout.

Desert View

• Desert View Trading Post and ice cream and coffee shop, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Desert View Watchtower, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. daily. Stairs and tower access available until 6 p.m.
• The Desert View Deli, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Desert View convenience store, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

North Rim

• North Rim Visitor Center (GCC), 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
• NPS Backcountry Information Center, 8 a.m.-12 p.m., 1-5 p.m. daily
• Camper Store by campground (Aramark), 7 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
• Guest Laundry and Showers, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. staffed, unstaffed from 7-10 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Lodge Gift Shop (Aramark), 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily

Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities.

• The 2024 North Rim Star Party on the Grand Canyon Lodge veranda. (Photo: GCC, Lauren Cisneros)
• Jessica Camacho, Public Safety Dispatcher (Photo courtesy of J. Camacho)