The Grand Canyon covers an area of 277 miles of the Colorado River in Arizona. Its large walls span 18 miles wide and up to a mile deep. The massive canyon it is today was formed by 5 million years of erosion by the Colorado River. As a national park, it currently gets about 5 million visitors annually.
The park has a rich history dating back hundreds to even thousands of years. Evidence of early Native American tribes show settlement of the area as far back as 12,000 years ago. More recently however, the area became a forest reserve in 1893. Eventually the park gained National Park status in 1919 with a visitor level of about 44,000 a year, very low compared to the current level. Many buildings in the park were built in the early 1900's including hotels, park service buildings and even a gift shop.
The Canyon From the Air
The South Rim
The beautiful canyon and many attractions give visitors a lot to do at the park. A visitor can see the canyon in several different ways and from different places. Most visitors travel to the south rim area to see some of the best views of the canyon. A more adventurous visitor might see the canyon from within by whitewater rafting, hiking or by a mule ride overnight. From above you can see the canyon by airplane, helicopter and especially the Grand Canyon Skywalk. No matter how you might want to see the canyon it will ofter a wonderful view of the expansive canyon system.
Whitewater Rafters on the Colorado
Visitors on Muleback
The Skywalk
One other attraction of the area is its magnificent wildlife. Large birds of prey such as eagles, peregrine falcons, california condors and vultures stalk the walls of the canyon looking for a meal. Large mammals such as elk, coyote and big horn sheep may also be found in the area. However the wildlife also reminds us of the fragility of nature in the park. With such a large number of visitors the trails and natural areas of the park are constantly in danger of wear by the large volume of foot traffic in the park. That also means that reservations for tours and activities may be booked up to a year in advance, so you should plan early if you expect to take a trip anytime soon.
California Condor soaring above the Canyon
Bighorn near the Canyon
