Man banned from the Grand Canyon after illegally guiding backcountry trips, feds say

An Arizona man can’t go to the Grand Canyon for two years after pleading guilty to organizing illegal backpacking trips, the National Park Service said.

A Flagstaff man was ordered to serve two years of supervised probation after he pleaded guilty April 8 to operating a business without a permit in the Grand Canyon’s backcountry, the National Park Service said.

He is banned from Grand Canyon National Park and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for two years.

The National Park Service launched an investigation into the guide after he was accused of organizing a backpacking trip on the Colorado Plateau. He did not have a permit, according to park officials.

“Further investigation revealed (the man) illegally advertised guided trips in the park’s backcountry under the company names of Blue Marble Guides, Canyons and Chefs, Blue Marble Adventure Geotourism, LLC, and Red Rock Culinary,” the National Park Service said in an April 26 news release.

Park officials said the man had previously been warned about “his illegal operation,” but he continued to organize trips.

All businesses need a permit for any hiking and backcountry activities in the Grand Canyon National Park. If someone makes a profit, a commercial use authorization is required before backcountry use.

“Commercial Use Authorizations (CUAs) are required for all commercially-guided activities, including backcountry hiking, that results in compensation, monetary gain, benefit or profit within Grand Canyon National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area,” park rangers said.

There are several rules and regulations for operating within the Grand Canyon.

In March, a Washington man pleaded guilty to violating group size limitations on a rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike, the National Park Service said.

The man organized a 139-person hiking group to go through the inner canyon without a permit on Oct. 24, 2020, park officials said.

Only between 12 and 30 hikers have been allowed on organized rim-to-rim hikes since 2014, according to the National Park Service. Nonprofit groups are also allowed to organize hikes with a permit.

This story was originally published April 26, 2022 at 12:53 PM with the headline "Man banned from the Grand Canyon after illegally guiding backcountry trips, feds say."