Hermit Road Rehabilitation

Enclosed is an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Rehabilitation of Hermit Road. Grand Canyon National Park proposes to rehabilitate the historic, approximately seven-mile long Hermit Road, located on the South Rim between Grand Canyon Village and Hermits Rest. Proposed actions include widening and resurfacing the road, improving existing trails, overlooks and parking areas, and constructing a multi-modal greenway trail. This EA evaluates three alternatives for addressing the purpose and need for action. The EA also evaluates taking only minimal action (Alternative A, No Action) to address critical safety concerns for comparison with the action alternatives. The EA further evaluates a management option (temporal road closure) to close Hermit Road periodically to all motor vehicles, an option that could be applied to any alternative. The preferred alternative includes 1) widening the road from its current width of 18-20 feet to a uniform width of 24 feet; 2) constructing an approximately three-mile long greenway trail from The Abyss to Hermits Rest on the road's north side; 3) minimal improvements to the unpaved rim trail between Powell Point and The Abyss; 4) rehabilitation of the historic paved West Rim Trail between Grand Canyon Village and Maricopa Point; 5) constructing a connecting trail around the Orphan Mine area between Maricopa Point and Powell Point; and 6) making improvements for safety and accessibility at ten of the overlooks and parking areas along Hermit Road.

Contact Information

Rachel Stanton, NEPA Planning Leader
(928) 774-9612
rachel_stanton@nps.gov