Search for New Jersey man at Grand Canyon continues 1 week later
A man from New Jersey who was visiting the Grand Canyon has been missing for more than a week.
Thomas Daniel Gibbs, 35, of Freehold, New Jersey, was last heard from around noon on Tuesday, July 22. His family reported him missing on Monday, July 28, and the same day, his Tesla Cybertruck was found in the Grand Canyon's Grandview Point parking lot on the South Rim, according to a National Park Service news release. Gibbs is believed to have been in the Grandview Trail and Horseshoe Mesa area on July 22.
The National Park Service describes Gibbs as 6 feet 1 inch tall, with no tattoos and brown hair and eyes.
Park rangers are asking anyone who was on the Grandview Trail around July 22, or who may have seen Gibbs, to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009. Tips can also be submitted online at nps.gov/ISB or via email at nps_isb@nps.gov.
As of Aug. 1, the National Park Service has not shared an update on Gibbs' whereabouts.
Dragon Bravo Fire: Wildfire raging near Grand Canyon grows into a 'megafire'
Dragon Bravo Fire rages on at Grand Canyon
Gibbs went missing amid what officials have deemed a "megafire" in the Grand Canyon, the largest wildfire in 2025.
Arizona's Dragon Bravo Fire began from a lightning strike on July 4 and has surpassed more than 105,000 acres along the canyon's North Rim. The National Interagency Fire Center classifies a wildfire as a "megafire" when it exceeds 100,000 acres. As of Aug. 1, the fire was 9% contained.
The Dragon Bravo Fire is about 30 miles through the canyon from where Gibbs' vehicle was spotted at Grandview Point on the South Rim. As of Aug. 1, the South Rim of the park remained open to visitors.
According to a National Park Service alert, the Dragon Bravo Fire has destroyed about 70 structures along the North Rim, including the Grand Canyon Lodge, North Rim Visitor Center and guest cabins. As a result, the North Rim of the park will remain closed to the public for the 2025 season.
On July 10 and July 11, National Park Service staff evacuated more than 900 people, including visitors and staff, from the North Rim area. As of Aug. 1, no lives have been lost and no injuries have been reported due to the fire, according to the National Park Service alert.
Contributing: Brandi D. Addison & Doyle Rice, USA TODAY Network
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
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