The nearly century-old Grand Canyon Lodge in far northern Arizona was a refuge for ambitious hikers and adventurous tourists eager to bask in the magnificent views of one of the most remote and renowned landscapes in the world.

A wildfire that destroyed a historic Grand Canyon lodge is continuing to spread out of control after it had been allowed to burn for days.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's one and only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.

The Grand Canyon Lodge was one of dozens of structures destroyed in a fast-moving wildfire in Arizona over the weekend, the National Park Service confirmed.

The national parks of the West are a treasure, and once you are immersed in all their massive grandeur, it’s easy to assume they’ll always be there. I know it’s become a cliché, but the Joni Mitchell lyric from “Big Yellow Taxi” keeps running through my mind as I write this: “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.

The Dragon Bravo Fire has left a path of destruction in the Grand Canyon's North Rim, burning down the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. The National Park Service on July 19 released photos of the park, showing burned-down structures, charred mountainsides and a smoke-filled canyon.

The building was surrounded by vegetation on fire when a team of “helitack” firefighters arrived to protect the area on Tuesday. Grand Canyon National Park officials said the crews knew if the pump house fell, the consequences could cripple park operations for months.