Download the 1995 General Management Plan 
for Grand Canyon National Park (7.33MB PDF File)

This General Management Plan (GMP) for Grand Canyon National Park guides the management of resources, visitor use, and general development at the park over a 10-to 15-year period. The primary purpose of the plan is to provide a foundation from which to protect park resources while providing for meaningful visitor experiences.

The direction for future park management is based on the laws establishing the park and the National Park Service (NPS), the purpose of the park, and its significant resources, as described below. These elements in turn are the foundation for park visions and management objectives. Collectively, these pieces provide the context and philosophical direction for the General Management Plan.

The most pressing issue in the park today is the impact created by the annual crush of nearly 5 million visitors and their private cars on the few developed areas along the canyon rims. The roads and facilities in developed areas of the park were never designed to handle this volume of use. The result has been the gradual degradation of the visitor experience and unacceptable impacts on the park's natural and cultural resources. No comprehensive management plan is in place that provides direction for the park when dealing with general visitor use or that guides appropriate development in the park.

While this plan provides overall direction for park management, the specific actions needed to implement the plan will be provided in subsequent plans. Where appropriate, the park's existing resource or issue-specific plans, and those being revised, are adopted by this plan. Needed parkwide management plans (such as a cave management plan) are identified in the appropriate sections of this document.

The focus of this General Management Plan is on the developed areas of the park

1.  South Rim : Hermits Rest, Grand Canyon Village, and Desert View
2.  North Rim : Bright Angel Point and Walhalla Plateau
3.  Tuweep
4.  Corridor trails : primarily the Bright Angel Trail, the North and South Kaibab Trails, the River Trail, and the Old Bright Angel Trail

 This General Management Plan is the culmination of a four-year process that has included extensive efforts to involve local citizens, American Indian tribes,and public and private agencies. The environmental impacts of implementing this plan were analyzed in a Draft General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, which was on public review from March 13 to May 11, 1995. An abbreviated Final General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement was released for public review on July 21, 1995. A record of decision supporting the selection of the proposed action as the approved plan was signed on August 21, 1995.