Highway 89A closed north of Slide Rock after storm damage
Business owners in Oak Creek Canyon report flood damage to properties and lost revenue during the fall peak season.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Highway 89A remains closed north of Slide Rock Park, cutting off access to numerous resorts and stores in Oak Creek Canyon. The Arizona Department of Transportation reopened the section leading to the park after flooding last weekend, but damage in the northern switchbacks keeps the rest of the corridor blocked.
This closure lands during the autumn peak season, a period when local businesses rely heavily on visitors for their annual revenue. The canyon has endured a string of natural disasters in under six months, including the Pocket Fire and subsequent post-wildfire flooding that closed the Oak Creek earlier this year.
Jennifer Kittredge, whose family owns the Forest Houses Resort, said the resort suffered financial strain during the summer closures. She had expected the stable weather of early fall to help the business recover before the recent storms struck.
Heavy rain last weekend sent floodwaters onto the resort's deck. Kittredge watched the water rise over the structure and into one of the guest houses. She noted that she had lived in the area for 33 years and had never personally witnessed a flood of that magnitude.
Tim Carter, the Coconino County emergency services director, confirmed substantial damage to the roadway infrastructure in the switchback sections. His team is currently developing a plan to assess the feasibility of reopening the road to local traffic and vehicles from unaffected areas.
Kittredge stated that her property escaped severe structural damage, a contrast to neighboring businesses that suffered worse outcomes. She emphasized that the community relies on long-standing relationships to support one another during these disruptions.
The road remains closed to through traffic north of Slide Rock Park while engineers inspect the damaged sections.
