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  Grand Canyon - Arizona - Culture

The Grand Canyon is irreplaceable - from a scenic perspective alone, it is unique on the planet. It is an immense canyon cut by the Colorado River into the high-plateau region of north-western Arizona , U.S., and is noted for its fantastic shapes and coloration. 

It lies in the south-western portion of the Colorado Plateau , which is a large area of the south-western United States consisting essentially of horizontal, layered rocks and lava flows. The broad, intricately sculptured chasm of the canyon contains between its outer walls a multitude of imposing peaks, buttes, gorges, and ravines. It ranges in width from about 0.1 to 18 miles (0.2 to 29 km) and extends in a winding course from the mouth of the Paria River, near Lees Ferry and the northern boundary of Arizona, to Grand Wash Cliffs, near the Nevada line, a distance of about 277 miles (446 km). Its greatest depths lie more than a mile (some 6,000 feet [1,800 meters]) below its rim. The canyon includes many tributary side canyons and surrounding plateaus. The deepest and most impressively beautiful section, 56 miles (90 km) long, is within the central part of Grand Canyon National Park, which encompasses the river's length from Lake Powell (formed by Glen Canyon Dam in 1963) to Lake Mead (formed by Hoover Dam in 1936).

In its general color, the canyon is red, but each stratum or group of strata has a distinctive hue--buff and grey, delicate green and pink, and, in its depths, brown, slate-grey, and violet. At approximately 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) above sea level, the North Rim is some 1,200 feet (350 meters) higher than the South Rim.

Grand Canyon, National park status, the highest form of land protection in the United States was granted on February 26,1919, to form Grand Canyon National Park. It now contains 1,904 square miles (4,931 square km) and its area was greatly enlarged in 1975 by the addition of the former Grand Canyon National Monument and Marble Canyon National Monument and by portions of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, as well as other adjoining lands. In 1979 the park was designated a World Heritage site in recognition of its significant value to the world. The North and South rims are connected by a 215-mile- (346-km-) long paved road and by a 21-mile- (34-km-) long trans-canyon trail. Scenic drives and trails lead to all-important features. Mule-pack trips down into the canyon and rides down the river in rafts are intensively sought-after ways of viewing and experiencing the vast beauty of the canyon. A haven for wildlife – mountain lion, desert bighorn sheep, mule deer – many wild creatures live out their entire lives within the protected park area.  It is also a temporary sanctuary for migratory species.  Some five million people visit the national park each year. There are five Indian tribes living on nearby reservations.

Plant and animal fossils are not abundant in the Grand Canyon's sedimentary rocks because of the age of the rocks and are confined mostly to primitive algae and molluscs, corals, trilobites , and other invertebrates.

Animal life in the Grand Canyon area today, however, is varied and abundant. The common animals are the many varieties of squirrels, coyotes, foxes, deer, badgers, bobcats, rabbits, chipmunks, and kangaroo rats . Plant life is also varied. In the bottom of the canyons, where temperatures in the summer can reach a high of 120° F (49° C), are willows and cottonwoods, which require abundant water during the growing season. Drought-resistant plants include the tamarisk , yucca , Agave , and numerous species of cactus.

On the canyon rims, north and south, there is a wide assortment of plant life. Typical of the South Rim, which receives about 15 inches (380 mm) of precipitation annually, is a well-developed ponderosa pine forest, with scattered stands of piñon pine and juniper. Bush vegetation consists mainly of scrub oak, mountain mahogany, and large sagebrush. On the North Rim, who receives 26 inches (660 mm) of precipitation annually, are magnificent forest communities of ponderosa pine, white and Douglas fir, blue spruce, and aspen. Under less optimum conditions the plant life reverts to the desert varieties.

The Grand Canyon Railway is an Historic Train Ride to the Grand Canyon. You must experience the locomotive power of a steam engine, see cowboys, and visit the museum

At Grand Canyon National Park, the buildings, roads, trails, and parking areas were designed and constructed to accommodate one million visitors each year. In 1997 alone, the park hosted five million visitors.

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