The Grand Canyon Astounds Visitors with Its Beauty and Geological Formations
What is It? - The Grand Canyon is not the largest gorge in the world. However, its natural beauty and ancient geologic formations have awed scientists and visitors for over 150 years. The Grand Canyon was first publicized by John Wesley Powell, a Civil War Major and professor of natural history, who explored the canyon and traversed the rapids of the Colorado River with a small team of adventurers in 1869. Powell’s expedition was preceded by Spanish explorer Lopez de Cardenas who viewed the canyon from the south rim in 1540 while searching for gold, and by the numerous Hopi and Navajo natives who inhabited the region. By the early 20th century, Grand Canyon Village on the south rim of the canyon emerged as the prime destination for tourists who came to see the sights. They usually arrived on a train that rans from Williams, Arizona to the Village and stayed at local lodges and inns such as the majestic El Tovar Hotel.
More than four million people visit the Grand Canyon National Park every year to gaze at portions of the 217-mile-long gorge that is almost a mile deep and four to eighteen miles wide. The canyon was eroded over millions of years by the activities of the Colorado River, wind, rain, and the freezing and melting of ice. The steep slopes of the canyon walls contain beautiful rock formations made of sandstone, limestone, and shale, which exhibit sediment from geologic eras dating back two billion years. The colors of the canyon are resplendent throughout the day.
Things to Do Here - Over ninety percent of the people coming to the canyon still visit the south rim since it is open year-round and features many of the popular canyon viewpoints and activities. The best place to start is to take the South Entrance Road to the Grand Canyon Visitors Center and Theater. The Visitors Center provides comprehensive orientation information and is a short walk from the canyon overlooks at Mather Point and Yavapai Point. Since private vehicles are not allowed to drive along the south rim during warm weather months, the National Park Shuttles are the best way to see most of the sites. The Hermit Road Blue Route Shuttle stops at the Visitor’s Center and continues west along the rim making stops at the historic buildings, shops, and hotels in Grand Canyon Village. From the Village, visitors can take the Red Route Shuttle along the rim for seven miles and enjoy excellent views of the canyon. It also stops at numerous viewpoints along the south rim including Maricopa Point, the Trailview Overlook, and Hopi Point.
Some people prefer to visit the less active north rim of the canyon which has a cooler and damper climate along with more foliage and more diverse animal life. This area is regarded as a peaceful place to hike and recreate, and offers a visitors center and a ranch lodge on the canyon floor. Another unique way to see the canyon is to visit the Grand Canyon Skywalk located closer to Las Vegas several hours away on reservation land of the Hualapai Indian Tribe at Grand Canyon West. At the skywalk, visitors can walk out over the rim of the canyon as if floating on air on a horseshoe shaped glass walkway built for $30 million in 2007.
For more adventurous travelers, there is a two-hour mule ride available from the south rim that goes down into the canyon and a full day hike on the Bright Angel Trail that descends along the narrow trails more than 4000 feet and then returns. Another popular activity is to take an overnight raft trip through the canyon floor on the Colorado River. Perhaps more than any other National Park, the Grand Canyon prohibits the deposit of any trash and works to prevent any ecological interference with the canyon.
When to Go- There is general agreement that the Grand Canyon is best enjoyed during April, May, September and October, when daytime temperatures are above 60 degrees, excursions to the canyon floor and the Colorado River are available, and there are no summer crowds. If a summer trip is the only time that will work, then make hotel reservations in advance and plan your activities for early or late in the day to avoid traffic and crowds at viewing spots and the hot and dry weather. Some beautiful places in the canyon can be viewed in March and November, but the north rim and many canyon activities are not open after the first snowfall.
How to Get Here-Most people heading to the south rim of the Grand Canyon from the west, east or south travel to Williams, Arizona on Interstate 40 which is located to the west of Flagstaff. From Williams, you follow Route 64 north for an hour where it connects to the South Entrance Road for entry to the National Park. The Grand Canyon Railroad also provides roundtrip train service to the Grand Canyon Village once a day on a 65 mile route from Williams. Access to the north rim of the Grand Canyon is more limited. The best route is to take Interstate 70 from Denver or Interstate 15 from Salt Lake City to Routes 89 and 89A and then follow Route 67 to the northern entrance to the North Rim Backcountry Information Center.
Where to Stay – There are only six conventional hotels or rustic lodges located inside of the National Park and Grand Canyon Village which are within walking distance of the south rim and the canyon viewpoints there. These include the classic El Tovar Hotel built in the early 1900s, the Maswik Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, Bright Angel Lodge, Kachina Lodge, and Yavapai Lodge. Another ten or so national franchise hotels and local motels are situated six to twenty miles south of the rim in Tusayan and Grand Canyon Junction. Reservations are difficult and expensive to obtain at these locations starting in March and ending in September, but it is possible to find vacancies in the spring and fall on weekdays. For this reason, Williams serves as the most popular gateway location for people traveling to the Grand Canyon. Some booking services state that Williams offers overs over 300 different hotels, motels, RV parks, bed and breakfasts and lodges for guests, so finding a reservation there is much easier.
Cost- The fee to enter the Grand Canyon National Park at either the south rim or the north rim is $25 per vehicle which includes vans holding up to 15 people. Individual permits for people entering by foot, bicycle or park shuttle bus are $20 per person and children under 15 are free.