Companies allowed under federal law to run public river trips in Grand Canyon National Park cannot be sued over injuries or deaths from a trip's inherent risks, and can avoid ordinary negligence claims if a participant signs a liability release, but not if they are grossly negligent or act wilfully, wantonly or intentionally.
Official title: commercial river outfitters; limited liability
- September 12, 2026
What changes
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NowA commercial river outfitter does not have a duty to alter, eliminate, control or decrease the inherent risks of a river trip in Grand Canyon National Park, and is immune from claims for injury or death that arise out of those inherent risks.
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NowThe outfitter and a participant may identify the trip's inherent risks in a contract, and that identification is determinative and binding.
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NowA person may voluntarily release an outfitter from liability for injury or death from a Grand Canyon river trip. The outfitter is immune from ordinary negligence claims only if those claims are waived in a contractual liability release.
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NowThe inherent-risk protection and the release protection do not apply to an outfitter that is grossly negligent or commits wilful, wanton or intentional acts or omissions.
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NowThe inherent-risk protection also does not apply if the outfitter knows or should have known of a hazardous condition and fails to disclose it to a participant.
Who it affects
- People who take commercial river trips in Grand Canyon National Park
- Entities allowed under federal law to provide river trips to the public in Grand Canyon National Park, and their employees acting in the course and scope of their employment
What you need to do
Nothing is required. Participants may be asked to sign a contract identifying a trip's inherent risks or a liability release; under this law a contractual identification of inherent risks is binding.
What the law doesn't answer
- What counts as an inherent risk when no contract identifies the risks
- Whether a parent or guardian can sign a release for a minor
- How or when a hazardous condition must be disclosed to participants
- What counts as gross negligence or ordinary negligence
- Whether the law applies to injuries or lawsuits that happened before it took effect
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.