Facts about the Grand Canyon

Majestic, awe inspiring and scary are just some of the few adjectives that can aptly describe the mighty stretches of the Grand Canyon, the most celebrated tourist spot in the US state of Arizona. Mountains, plateaus, gorges, deep ridges, cliffs and valleys impart an uneven topography to this wonder place whose scenic beauty is unparalleled to any other natural architecture in the world. The vastness of the Grand Canyon and its sheer size is the result of numerous geographical phenomena (soil erosion, tectonic plate movements, volcanic eruptions, river flow) that has been occurring for over a period of six million years, say geologists. This mesmerizing vacation destination is world renowned for its breathtaking natural landscape. So, get ready to be awestruck after you are done reading numerous facts about the Grand Canyon, mentioned further in this article.

Initial Milestones
Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the US, initiated the establishment of Grand Canyon National Park and declared it as a forest reserve in 1893. Later, on 11th January,1908, owing to the efforts of the then US President Roosevelt, Grand Canyon was named as a national monument. After a lot of political debate, the Grand Canyon was officially announced to be a United States National Park on 26th February, 1919. In 1979, the park was declared as a World Heritage Site.

Its Geography, Simply Spell Binding
The Grand Canyon is spread over an area of around 1,218,376 acres (4,931 square km, approx.) of land. It is 277 miles or 446 km long, and has a width of 18 miles or 29 km. The depth of gorges and valleys range between 5000 (1,524 meters) feet to 6000 feet (2,134 meters). The mountains and valleys have rocks of different colors and they give the Canyon a unique look. Gypsum, limestone and chert are found on an elevation of around 1000 ft, on top of mountains. There are huge towers, turrets, edges and crags spread all over the Grand Canyon.

It is interesting to note that the Grand Canyon National park is bisected into two places - the North and South Rim by the mile deep (1.6 km) Colorado river. The North Rim village, at a height of 8000 feet (2438 m) opens only from May to October, and is more wild and secluded as compared to the South Rim. Point imperial, at a height of 8000 feet, is the highest point of the Grand Canyon, and is located in the North Rim. Fredonia, Arizona, and Kanab and Utah are some towns that are near North Rim side of this amazing park. There is no rail or air connectivity to the North Rim and it can only be reached by road.

South Rim is the best place for sight seeing. It is opened all through the year and is very easy to reach. It is usually very busy in summers. Excellent transport facilities in the form of air and rail service make South Rim the most popular area to visit in the Grand Canyon. Williams, Flagstaff, Phoenix and Arizona are closely situated to the South Rim part of the Grand Canyon.

The diversity in ecology of the North and South Rims can be attributed to the difference of nearly 1500 feet in the elevations of these places. Visiting both the Rims in a single trip of Grand Canyon demands excellent planning and help of experienced guides. North and South Rims are usually under surveillance of the authorities due to bad weather, storms and rocky terrains. They are opened seasonally depending on the situation of weather.

Interesting Facts About Grand Canyon National Park
Arizona's Crowning Glory, the Grand Canyon National Park is worldwide popular as an ecological wonder and has many features that will leave you bewildered. The visual appeal of this gigantic natural wonder evokes a sense of deep admiration for the mighty nature.

• The Grand Canyon park roughly includes 1500 types of plants, 75 species of mammals, 300 species of birds, 50 species of reptiles and 5 amphibians.
• Mule deer, desert bighorn, bobcats and coyotes are the commonly found animals in the Grand Canyon.
• The park is a home to rabbits, bats and squirrels. Endangered bird species such as Grand Canyon bald eagle and willow flycatcher are a part of the wildlife of this park.
• The weather in the Grand Canyon varies drastically in the South and North Rim. The inner parts of the Canyon exceed 100ºC during summers and temperatures often drop below 0ºC during winters. Rainfall is accompanied by a snowfall in most of the areas.
• Nearly 5 million tourists visit Grand Canyon each year.
• A world-class hotel El Tovar was built in 1905, to provide visitors better facilities.
• Desert view watchtower was built in 1932, and is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Mary Colter, a famous American architect.
• Grand Canyon's Railway depot, Hopi House and Verkamp's Curios are other places that were constructed to attract people from all over the world.
• The central Phoenix in Arizona is just 4 - 5 hours from Grand Canyon.
• The Colorado river that flows through the Grand Canyon provides visitors an opportunity for various outdoor activities like white water rafting and kayaking, hiking, and mountaineering.
• In 1540, Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, a Spanish explorer became the first European to visit the Grand Canyon.
• The earliest inhabitants of Grand Canyon included the American-Indians such as the Hopi tribes, Navajo tribes, Havasupai, Paiute and Hualapai tribes. European, Spanish and American explorers have explored this rocky terrain thousands of years ago.
• The Grand Canyon Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped glass walkway is famous as one of the highest man-made structures in the world. Although technically, it is not a building, it extends from the canyon walls 4000 feet above the Canyon floor. So if you tour the glass walkway, you will be walking above 4000 feet from the ground that will let you to witness some magnificent natural beauty!

The scenic beauty of the Grand Canyon can transcend you to a world of solace and timelessness. To say the least, these facts about the Grand Canyon are just a tip of the iceberg, when it comes to describing this greatest wonder of Earth. Every moment spent in the topography of this mesmerizing place brings with it new sets of challenges and thrills. You will have to be at Grand Canyon to feel its grandeur. A trip to the Grand Canyon would surely be a 'once in a lifetime' experience for nature lovers!