- Mount Hayden sandstone in Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park.
James Phelps
The Grand Canyon in Arizona, is not the largest, nor the longest, nor the deepest canyon in the world. However, the gorge cut ages ago by the Colorado River earns its name not from its size, but from its spectacular beauty and awe-inspiring vistas. And, it’s still unimaginably large. In fact, the canyon is so big that one can usually find a peaceful spot to contemplate this behemoth of a landmark, even with five million visitors a year at Grand Canyon National Park.
The colorful layers of rocks exposed in the Grand Canyon are old, 2,000 million years by some estimates. The park itself seems infantile by those standards, although it is actually one of the oldest national parks in the country, designated as such in 1919, three years after the creation of the National Park Service. However, it was first afforded federal protection in 1893 as a Forest Reserve and later as a National Monument. The stream of visitors has been steady ever since, with most arriving at the South Rim, which is 30 miles and is accessible by park roads. For those wanting to forego air-conditioning, the Grand Canyon offers amazing hiking, from short loops on well-maintained trails to serious and lengthy treks through the wilderness.
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Grand Canyon, From Rim to Rim
by Debbie K. Hardin April 24, 2009Read our tips for taking in the best vistas and historic sites of this national treasure, one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
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10 National Park Treasures
by Debbie K. Hardin May 22, 2009Read our picks for five essential national parks to see before you die, and five worthy ones that are under-the-radar.
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Grand Day Hikes in the Grand Canyon
by Debbie K. Hardin April 24, 2009Read our expert’s tips on the best trails for day hikes in the Grand Canyon.
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Chow’s On! Best Grand Canyon Dining
by Debbie K. Hardin April 24, 2009Dine where presidents once supped or grab fried chicken to go at these casual yet enticing Grand Canyon eateries.
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