For other Grand Canyons, see Grand Canyon .
Grand Canyon Grand Canyon view from Pima Point 2010.jpg View of the Colorado River flowing through the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon (Hopi: Ongtupqa; Yavapai: Wi:ka i:la, Navajo: Tsekooh Hatsoh, Spanish: Gran Canon) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the U.S.
It is contained inside and managed by Grand Canyon National Park, the Kaibab National Forest, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, the Hualapai Tribal Nation, the Havasupai citizens and the Navajo Nation.
President Theodore Roosevelt was a primary proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on various occasions to hunt and appreciate the scenery.
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of modern while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While some aspects about the history of incision of the canyon are debated by geologists, a several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the region about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon.
The Pueblo citizens considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was Garcia Lopez de Cardenas from Spain, who appeared in 1540. 7 Grand Canyon tourism Image of the Grand Canyon and encircling area taken from the International Space Station The Grand Canyon from an aircraft , with the Colorado River visible The Grand Canyon is a river valley in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata, and is also one of the 19 distinct physiographic sections of the Colorado Plateau province.
However, the Grand Canyon is known for its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape.
The higher altitude has also resulted in greater rain in the Colorado River drainage area, but not enough to change the Grand Canyon region from being semi-arid.
The uplift of the Colorado Plateau is uneven, and the Kaibab Plateau that Grand Canyon bisects is over a one thousand feet (300 m) higher at the North Rim (about 1,000 ft or 300 m) than at the South Rim.
Almost all runoff from the North Rim (which also gets more precipitation and snow) flows toward the Grand Canyon, while much of the runoff on the plateau behind the South Rim flows away from the canyon (following the general tilt).
The result is deeper and longer tributary washes and canyons on the north side and shorter and steeper side canyons on the south side.
Main article: Geology of the Grand Canyon region Diagram showing the placement, age and thickness of the modern units exposed in the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon is part of the Colorado River watershed which has advanced over the past 40 million years.
Previous estimates had placed the age of the canyon at 5 6 million years. The study, which was presented in the journal Science in 2008, used uranium-lead dating to analyze calcite deposits found on the walls of nine caves throughout the canyon. There is a substantial amount of controversy because this research suggests such a substantial departure from before widely supported scientific consensus. In December 2012, a study presented in the journal Science claimed new tests had suggested the Grand Canyon could be as old as 70 million years. However, this study has been criticized by those who support the "young canyon" age of around six million years as " attempt to push the interpretation of their new data to their limits without consideration of the whole range of other geologic data sets." The primary geologic exposures in the Grand Canyon range in age from the 2-billion-year-old Vishnu Schist at the bottom of the Inner Gorge to the 230-million-year-old Kaibab Limestone on the Rim.
The great depth of the Grand Canyon and especially the height of its strata (most of which formed below sea level) can be attributed to 5 10 thousand feet (1,500 to 3,000 m) of uplift of the Colorado Plateau, starting about 65 million years ago (during the Laramide Orogeny).
This increased the rate of erosion and cut nearly all of the Grand Canyon's current depth by 1.2 million years ago.
Main article: History of the Grand Canyon region They were the first citizens known to live in the Grand Canyon area.
In addition to the Ancestral Puebloans, a number of distinct cultures have inhabited the Grand Canyon area.
The Cohonina lived to the west of the Grand Canyon, between 500 and 1200 CE. The Cohonina were ancestors of the Yuman, Havasupai, and Walapai citizens s who inhabit the region today. The Sinagua were a cultural group occupying an region to the southeast of the Grand Canyon, between the Little Colorado River and the Salt River, between approximately 500 and 1425 CE.
The Hualapai inhabit a 100-mile (160 km) stretch along the pine-clad southern side of the Grand Canyon.
In September 1540, under orders from the conquistador Francisco Vazquez de Coronado to search for the fabled Seven Cities of Cibola, Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, along with Hopi guides and a small group of Spanish soldiers, traveled to the south rim of the Grand Canyon between Desert View and Moran Point.
In their report, they noted that some of the rocks in the canyon were "bigger than the great fortress of Seville, Giralda " It is speculated that their Hopi guides likely knew routes to the canyon floor, but may have been reluctant to lead the Spanish to the river.
Fathers Francisco Atanasio Dominguez and Silvestre Velez de Escalante were two Spanish priests who, with a group of Spanish soldiers, explored southern Utah and traveled along the north rim of the canyon in Glen and Marble Canyons in search of a route from Santa Fe to California in 1776.
Building good relations with small-town Native Americans Hualapai Nation and white settlers, he found the Crossing of the Fathers, and the locations what would turn into Lees Ferry in 1858 and Pearce Ferry (later directed by, and titled for, Harrison Pearce) only the latter two sites suitable for ferry operation. He also acted as an advisor to John Wesley Powell before his second expedition to the Grand Canyon, serving as a diplomat between Powell and the small-town native tribes to ensure the safety of his party.
William Bell's photograph of the Grand Canyon, taken in 1872 as part of the Wheeler expedition On September 19, near present-day National Canyon, they came upon what May Humphreys Stacey described in his journal as "...a wonderful canyon four thousand feet deep.
Walker and six men, traveled up the Colorado River to a point where it joined the Virgin River and continued east into Arizona, traveling along the Grand Canyon and making short exploratory side trips along the way.
Powell set out to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon.
Passing through (or portaging around) a series of dangerous rapids, the group passed down the Green River to its confluence with the Colorado River, near present-day Moab, Utah and instead of the journey with many hardships through the Grand Canyon on August 13, 1869. In 1871 Powell first used the term "Grand Canyon"; previously it had been called the "Big Canyon". He, his chief engineer Robert Brewster Stanton, and 14 the rest started to explore the Grand Canyon in poorly designed cedar wood boats, with no life preservers.
The Grand Canyon became an official nationwide monument in 1908 and a nationwide park in 1919.
Grand Canyon Village: Ralph H.
President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Grand Canyon in 1903.
An avid outdoorsman and staunch conservationist, Roosevelt established the Grand Canyon Game Preserve on November 28, 1906.
Grand Canyon National Park was finally established as the 17th U.S.
The Grand Canyon National Park superintendent is Steve Martin, appointed on February 5, 2007 to replace retiring superintendent Joe Alston.
Martin was previously the National Park Service Deputy Director and superintendent of a several other nationwide parks, including Denali and Grand Teton. Federal officials started a flood in the Grand Canyon in hopes of restoring its ecosystem on March 5, 2008.
The canyon's ecosystem was permanently changed after the assembly of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963. There are a several historic buildings positioned along the South Rim with most in the vicinity of Grand Canyon Village.
Until September 2008, it was run by his descendants; in November 2008, the building reopened as a visitor center focusing on the history of the Grand Canyon Village community.
4960 at the Grand Canyon Depot.
Grand Canyon Railway Depot was instead of in 1910 and contains 2 levels.
Gordon Chappell, Regional Historian for the Park Service, claims that this depot building is one of only three log-cabin-style train stations presently standing, out of fourteen ever assembled in the U.S. The depot is the northern end of the Grand Canyon Railway which begins in Williams, Arizona.
Situated at the far easterly end of the South Rim, 27 miles (43 km) from Grand Canyon Village, the fortress stands 70 feet (21 m) tall.
Inside the lodge is a small exhibition honoring Fred Harvey (June 27, 1835 February 9, 1901), who played a primary part in popularizing the Grand Canyon.
A storm over the Grand Canyon Weather in the Grand Canyon varies as stated to elevation.
Conditions in the Grand Canyon region are generally dry, but substantial rain occurs twice annually, amid cyclic pattern shifts in winter (when Pacific storms usually bring widespread, moderate precipitation and high-elevation snow to the region from the west) and in late summer (due to the North American Monsoon, which brings waves of moisture from the southeast, causing dramatic, localized thunderstorms fueled by the heat of the day). Average annual rain on the South Rim is less than 16 inches (41 cm), with 60 inches (150 cm) of snow; the higher North Rim usually receives 27 inches (69 cm) of moisture, with a typical snow flurry of 144 inches (370 cm); and Phantom Ranch, far below the canyon's rims along the Colorado River at 2,500 feet (762 m) gets just 8 inches (20 cm) of rain, and snow is a rarity.
Grand Canyon veiled with snow Temperatures vary wildly throughout the year, with summer highs inside the Inner Gorge generally exceeding 100 F (37.8 C) and winter minimum temperatures sometimes falling below zero degrees Fahrenheit ( 17.8 C) along the canyon's rims. Visitors are often surprised by these potentially extreme conditions, and this, along with the high altitude of the canyon's rims, can lead to unpleasant side effects such as dehydration, sunburn, and hypothermia.
For accurate weather in the canyon, hikers should consult the National Weather Service's NOAA weather radio or the official National Weather Service website. The Grand Canyon region has some of the cleanest air in the United States.:p.5-2 However at times the air character can be considerably affected by affairs such as forest fires and dust storms in the Southwest.
In 1990, amendments to the Clean Air Act established the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission (GCVTC) to advise the US EPA on strategies for protecting visual air character on the Colorado Plateau.
In 1999, the Regional Haze Rule established a goal of restoring visibility in nationwide parks and wilderness areas (Class 1 areas), such as the Grand Canyon, to natural background levels by 2064.
There are approximately 1,737 known species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen found in Grand Canyon National Park. This range is largely due to the 8,000 foot (2,400 m) altitude change from the Colorado River up to the highest point on the North Rim. Grand Canyon boasts a dozen endemic plants (known only inside the Park's boundaries) while only ten percent of the Park's flora is exotic. Sixty-three plants found here have been given special status by the U.S.
Grand Canyon Clouds time lapse VP8 Natural seeps and springs percolating out of the canyon walls are home to 11% of all the plant species found in the Grand Canyon. The canyon itself can act as a connection between the east and the west by providing corridors of appropriate surrounding along its length. The canyon can also be a genetic barrier to some species, like the tassel-eared squirrel. The aspect, or direction a slope faces, also plays a primary part in adding range to the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon National Park contains 129 vegetation communities, and the composition and distribution of plant species is influenced by climate, geomorphology and geology. The three most common amphibians in these riparian communities are the canyon tree frog, red-spotted toad, and Woodhouse's Rocky Mountain toad. Leopard frogs are very rare in the Colorado River corridor, and are known to exist at only a several sites. There are 33 crustacean species found in the Colorado River and its tributaries inside Grand Canyon National Park.
River otters may have disappeared from the park in late 20th century, and muskrats are extremely rare. Beavers cut willows, cottonwoods, and shrubs for food, and can decidedly affect the riparian vegetation. Other rodents, such as antelope squirrels and pocket mice, are mostly omnivorous, using many different vegetation types. Grand Canyon bats typically roost in desert uplands, but forage on the abundance of insects along the river and its tributaries. In addition to bats, coyotes, ringtails, and spotted skunks are the most various riparian predators and prey on invertebrates, rodents, and reptiles. Eleven aquatic and 26 terrestrial species of mollusks have been identified in and around Grand Canyon National Park. Of the aquatic species, two are bivalves (clams) and nine are gastropods (snails). Twenty-six species of terrestrial gastropods have been identified, primarily territory snails and slugs. There are approximately 47 reptile species in Grand Canyon National Park.
Ten are considered common along the river corridor and include lizards and snakes. Lizard density tends to be highest along the stretch of territory between the water's edge and the beginning of the upland desert community. The two biggest lizards in the canyon are gila monsters and chuckwallas. Many snake species, which are not directly dependent on surface water, may be found both inside the inner gorge and the Colorado River corridor.
Female elk near the walking path, Grand Canyon South Rim, 2015 Ponderosa pine forests expanded at elevations between 6,500 and 8,200 feet (2,000 and 2,500 m), on both North and South rims in the Transition life zone. The South Rim includes species such as gray fox, mule deer, bighorn sheep, modern squirrels, pinyon pine and Utah juniper. Additional species such as Gambel oak, New Mexico locust, mountain mahogany, elderberry, creeping mahonia, and fescue have been identified in these forests. The Utah tiger salamander and the Great Basin spadefoot toad are two amphibians that are common in the rim forests. Of the approximately 90 bird species that breed in the coniferous forests, 51 are summer inhabitants and at least 15 of these are known to be neotropical migrants. Grand Canyon National Park is one of the world's premier natural attractions, attracting about five million visitors per year.
Rafters in the Grand Canyon pass one of the rapids of the (mud-)"colored" Colorado River All overnight camping below the rim requires a backcountry permit from the Backcountry Office (BCO). Each year Grand Canyon National Park receives approximately 30,000 requests for backcountry permits.
A 6-minute video of a flight over the Grand Canyon (view in high character) Tourists wishing for a more vertical perspective can go skydiving, board helicopters and small aircraft s in Boulder, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Grand Canyon National Park Airport (seven miles from the South Rim) for canyon flyovers.
However, some helicopter flights territory on the Havasupai and Hualapai Indian Reservations inside Grand Canyon (outside of the park boundaries).
In 2007, the Hualapai Tribe opened the glass-bottomed Grand Canyon Skywalk on their property, Grand Canyon West.
The Skywalk is about 250 miles (400 km) by road from Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim. The skywalk has thriving "thousands of visitors a year, most from Las Vegas". In 2016 skydiving at the Grand Canyon turn into possible with the first Grand Canyon Skydiving operation opening up at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, on the South Rim.
In 2014, a developer announced plans to build a multimedia complex on the canyon's rim called the Grand Canyon Escalade.
Guano Point - a prominent vantage point for tourists, situated on the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, Hualapai Indian Reservation This point is positioned to the east of the Grand Canyon Village along the Desert View Drive.
Grand Canyon fatalities Grand Canyon rescue helicopter, 1978 About 600 deaths have occurred in the Grand Canyon since the 1870s.
Main article: 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision In 1956 the Grand Canyon was the site of the deadliest commercial aviation disaster in history at the time.
The wreckage of both planes fell into the easterly portion of the canyon, on Temple and Chuar Buttes, near the confluence of the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers.
Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon Suite Grand Canyon Ultra Marathon List of trails in Grand Canyon National Park "Formation of the Grand Canyon 5 to 6 million years ago through integration of older palaeocanyons".
"Pueblos join forces to oppose Grand Canyon Escalade Project".
Geologic Formations of the Grand Canyon National Park Service Retrieved 2009-11-17 Carving Grand Canyon: Evidence, Theories, and Mystery.
Grand Canyon Association.
D This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Nature and Science".
"60-Million-Year Debate on Grand Canyon's Age".
"Study Says Grand Canyon Older Than Thought".
"Grand Canyon as old as the dinosaurs?".
Secrets in The Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks (Third ed.).
Grand Canyon, The Great Abyss.
"Grand Canyon Facts".
"Steve Martin titled Superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park" (PDF).
"Three-Day Grand Canyon Flood Aims to Restore Ecosystem".
"Demand for uranium threatens Grand Canyon biodiversity".
"Grand Canyon Desert View Watchtower".
"Grand Canyon National Park Weather".
"Grand Canyon National Park Climate Summary".
"Grand Canyon National Park Climate Summary".
"Grand Canyon National Park Climate Summary".
"Grand Canyon News Release - Fire Managers Prepare to Implement Several Prescribed Fires" (PDF).
"Recommendations for Improving Western Vistas, Report of the Grand Canyon Visibility Transport Commission to the United States Environmental Protection Agency" (PDF).
"Grand Canyon National Park Fire Management Plan".
P q This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Plants" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
J k This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Animals" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
M This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Mammals" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Endangered Fish" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Amphibians" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Crustaceans" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
D e This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Birds" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
D This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Insects, Spiders, Centipedes, Millipedes" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Mollusks" (retrieved on 2010-10-22).
G This article incorporates enhance domain material from the National Park Service document "Grand Canyon National Park Reptiles".
"Executive Summary of Grand Canyon Tourism" (PDF).
"Operating Hours & Seasons - Grand Canyon National Park".
Grand Canyon National Park.
Grand Canyon National Park.
"Where 2 Rivers Meet, Visions for Grand Canyon Clash".
"Grand Canyon Development Plan Sparks Dispute Among Navajo".
Grand Canyon Grand Canyon National Park Service Grand Canyon Backcountry Use Areas - Map Grand Canyon Bibliography bibliography of the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon Explorer: History timeline from 10,000 years ago to 1994.
Grand Canyon Chamber & Visitor's Bureau 36 Hours at the Grand Canyon by The New York Times, May 31, 2009 Grand Canyon 3-D perspective view looking southwesterly, showing North Rim and Canyon.
Grand Canyon - Street View - Google Maps Grand Canyon Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon National Park - Canyons and gorges of Arizona - Colorado Plateau - Colorado River - Landforms of Coconino County, Arizona - Landforms of Mohave County, Arizona - Physiographic sections - Southwestern United States
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