Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Grand Canyon is spectacular! It is not just a simple canyon but rather a whole maze of canyons, fissures and gorges worn into the rock with unusual buttes, mesas and rock spires standing between them. The exposed multicolored sedimentary layers take on varying hues as the angle of the sun and shadow change throughout the day. It is truly one of the great natural wonders of the world.
The Grand Canyon is immense. It is almost 200 miles long and about 10 to 15 miles wide. Its deepest parts along the Colorado River channel lie over one vertical mile (1.6 km) below the plateau at its rims.
The rock layers were created at the bottom of a vast sea millions of years ago when sedimentary deposits accumulated to a thickness of nearly a mile. Later, a collision of tectonic plates raised the entire region thousands of feet to form the great Colorado plateau that now lies 7000 to 9000 feet (2100 to 2750 meters) above sea level. The Colorado River slowly formed a basin to carry away water from this region and over the millennia it eroded down through the numerous sedimentary layers. Eventually the river cut this mile-deep channel that we have named the Grand Canyon.
Hiking
One of the best ways to experience the canyon, is to hike down into it. Bright Angel Trail that departs from Grand Canyon Village is the most popular route. The trail is a well maintained and has drinking water supplies at several points. Most cautious tourists hike only a short distance down this trail, as the climb back to the rim is much more strenuous than the trip down. Indian Gardens on the Tonto Plateau is about 4 miles (6 km) and about 1,500 vertical feet (500 meters) below the rim. That makes a nice day hike, but remember to always carry a supply of water and some snack food. The temperature down in the canyon is usually much warmer than on the rim. Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the canyon is 12 miles (20 km) and 5,000 feet (1,650 m) below the rim and is normally attempted as a two-day hike with an overnight stay at the Phantom Ranch Campround. There are many trails down into the canyon for serious hikers and backpackers, but you must obtain camping permits from the park rangers before attempting overnight hikes.
The National Park Service maintains Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. It contains several hotels and restaurants, a gas station, grocery store, laundromat and several souvenir shops. You can make reservations at the hotels via the National Park Service web site. All of the hotels usually fill up many months in advance
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