The Grand Canyon is one of the oldest national parks in the United States. The canyon is located in Arizona. Before the first Europeans came here in 1540, the canyon was inhabited by the Pueblo Indians. They lived in caves that they carved right into the canyon. But once the beauty of the landscape of these places was appreciated by President Theodore Roosevelt, who loved to come here to hunt, and the Grand Canyon quickly became very popular.
The name of the canyon is not accidental: it really is the largest canyon on the planet, its length is almost 500 km, width – 28 km, and a depth of 1.6 km. This canyon is not the deepest in the world, but obviously the most impressive in its landscape. The relief as we can see it today began to form about 75 million years ago. Then the Colorado Plateau rose about 3 kilometers, a huge crevasse formed, and 18 million years ago the waters of the surrounding rivers began to flow into it. The soft rocks have been washed away over time, and today the canyon (especially its bottom) is a structure of hard rock, the destruction is very slow and will stretch for more than another million years for sure.
To this day, archaeologists work in the canyon and often find fossils that are curious to science. As for the living inhabitants, there are 355 species of birds, 89 mammals, 47 reptiles, 9 amphibians and 17 species of fish.
Grand Canyon Climate
The climate of the national park is complex and varied, as it consists of several ecosystems. The lower level is close to the desert climate of Arizona with dry, hot summers. The upper, wooded part of the canyon, on the other hand, receives snow in the winter. Temperatures reach +37 °C in summer and -17 °C in winter.
The southern part of the canyon is open year round, 24 hours a day. The northern part is from May to October.
3 things to do at the Grand Canyon
Capture with your camera the commemorative sign on one of the paths leading to the observation deck, emblazoned with the words, “Tribes that call the Grand Canyon their home: Apache, Navajo, Zuni, etc.”
Take advantage of a helicopter tour over the Canyon.
Repeat the route of the Powell Expedition by rafting on the swift waters of the Colorado River.
Canyon Regions.
The most popular region of the canyon is the South Rim. It is where all the lookouts and other attractions are located. In the southern part of the park are preserved reservations of the Havasupai and Walapai tribes. Outsiders are treated here warily, as they were thousands of years ago, but today the locals already feel safe and ready for visitors.
The northern region is less adapted to tourists. There are many hard-to-reach trails, and in winter, this part of the park is completely closed to visitors. However, those who are not lazy to get here are not disappointed: the northern canyon has very interesting flora, fauna, landscape, and even a slightly different climate.
Attractions
Almost all of the Grand Canyon’s sights have poetic names: the Temple of Vishnu, the Temple of Shiva, the Throne of Wotan, etc. Above the river you can see Bucan’s Stone, a black ash cone, and the red sandstone Esplanade terrace, which is especially beautiful in the sunlight at sunset.
North Canyon Bosch has very picturesque lakes at the foot of centuries-old stone walls. And one of the most beautiful dams, Hoover Dam, has an incredibly beautiful view of the largest man-made lake in the United States, Lake Mead. For the convenience of tourists there is a specially built observation deck.
Canyon Trekking
You can travel through the canyon in several ways: on foot (there are many convenient hiking trails in the park). The beauty of this journey is that you can take your time to enjoy the ever-changing scenery. For example, the same place at sunrise and at night after sunset can look completely different.
You can go rafting on the Colorado River. Well, the most curious and “cowboy” way – horseback riding or travel on mules. The cost of this pleasure: from 45 USD per hour. There is also a train to ride on the edge of the gorge, bike rentals and car rentals. For the extreme, there is a small plane (a flight over the Grand Canyon will cost about 389 USD) and a hot air balloon. Prices on the page are for June 2021.
The Grand Canyon has quite a few observation decks in different parts of the park. The most expensive of these is the Skywalk. It is a huge platform with a transparent bottom, it costs 83 USD to visit it. Also popular with tourists is the Skywalk – a glass bridge in the form of a horseshoe, which hangs in the air at a height of 1219 m.
Practical information
How to get there: take a plane to Las Vegas, then train to Flagstaff (about 330 km), and from Flagstaff to Grand Canyon (another 100 km) there are buses and shuttles; however, given the not always convenient schedule of public transportation, experienced travelers recommend renting a car.