The head of Grand Canyon National Park is returning to her job after a four-month federal investigation found unspecified allegations against her were 鈥渦nfounded.鈥�

Superintendent Chris Lehnertz became the first woman to take charge of one of the nation鈥檚 most popular national parks in 2016. She arrived shortly after federal investigators found widespread evidence of sexual harassment in Grand Canyon鈥檚 River District. Lehnertz was tasked with changing the culture there, but had met resistance.

鈥淐hris has been fully exonerated of all allegations,鈥� wrote P. Daniel Smith, acting director of the National Park Service, in an email to employees Thursday. 鈥淸She] will be returning to the park soon to join all of you and assume her duties as superintendent.鈥�

Credit Courtesy Grand Canyon National Park

Lehnertz was in October 2018. While Smith鈥檚 email doesn鈥檛 describe the reasons why, government officials familiar with the matter say the investigation was spurred by two management-level employees at Grand Canyon National Park. They complained that Lehnertz had created a hostile workplace.

Martha Hahn, a friend of Lehnertz and a former employee at Grand Canyon National Park, was driving back from a ski trip when she heard the news.

鈥淚t鈥檚 exactly what I figured was going to happen, but it鈥檚 good to have it verified,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 great.鈥�

Questions still linger as to why Lehnertz was removed from her post during the investigation.

  This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado. 

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