Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona

Impressive wonder of nature

According to mcat-test-centers.com, the Grand Canyon with the Colorado River was formed in its present form over millions of years through the erosive effects of water, frost, heat and wind. You can see the different layers of rock from different eras of the Grand Canyon very well. Grand Canyon National Park is located in the US state of Arizona. A visitor pass for the Grand Canyon currently costs around 11 euros in 2021. The pass is valid for seven days.

A look into the history of the earth – Grand Canyon with Colorado River

Over the course of Earth’s history, what is now the Colorado Plateau has been raised about 2 kilometers from sea level. For about 6 million years, the Colorado River has been digging its bed deeper and deeper into the rock strata of the Grand Canyon.

Wonders of the World and Natural World Heritage

More than four million people visit Grand Canyon National Park every year. The most famous national park in the USA has an area of ​​4,900 km². The Grand Canyon was granted National Monument status in 1908 before becoming Grand Canyon National Park in 1919. In 1979, Grand Canyon National Park received World Heritage status from UNESCO. The canyon in northwestern Arizona is about 450 kilometers long.

Traveling on the Colorado River – Rafting with the inflatable boat

Colonization of the Grand Canyon

About 3,000 years ago, Native Americans lived in what is now Grand Canyon National Park. The Native Americans, now known as the Anasazi, arrived in the area 1,000 years later. They founded smaller settlements and subsisted on hunting and simple farming. Numerous Anasazi petroglyphs have recently been discovered high in the rocks of the gigantic gorge.

Homeland of Indian peoples

About 700 years ago the Anasazi left the area; the Hopi people settled there instead. Native Americans still live in the Grand Canyon area today. It’s the Hayasupi. White people first came to the Grand Canyon in the 16th century. It was Spaniards who explored the country on behalf of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado. The Spanish judged the Grand Canyon to be worthless territory. After that, no whites came to the inaccessible area of ​​northwestern Arizona for about 200 years.

Hoover-Staudamm am Colorado River

Flowing through the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River was an unpredictable and wild river until the Hoover Dam was completed in 1935. Floods and flash floods regularly occurred in the narrow passages of the gorge. The Colorado River was significantly tamed by the dam. However, the flora and fauna within canyons was visibly changed as a result. Over millions of years, nature within the canyon has adapted to the untamed Colorado River, with its floods and rapids. The natural processes in the canyon were strongly influenced and disturbed by the dam. Today the Grand Canyon is regularly flooded by the Colorado River, but it won’t be like before.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Outside of Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon Skywalk has been in existence since 2007. The Native Americans of the Hualapai have built a platform on the edge of the Grand Canyon, which extends far beyond the cliff edge. The bottom is made of bulletproof glass and is transparent. The Skywalk is located in the Hualapai Reservation. The walk across the Skywalk is part of a supporting program at Hualapai (ranch visit, shuttle service) and therefore costs $75 for an adult. Access to the free-seating platform costs $59 per person per year.

Only for brave contemporaries – Skywalk Grand Canyon

South Rim edge – high number of visitors

About 90% of visitors approach the Grand Canyon from the south. The journey to the canyon can be a bit stressful, especially during the holiday season, due to the high number of visitors. The accessibility of the canyon from the south side is very good. In summer, however, almost all parking spaces are occupied; Finding accommodation in the immediate vicinity during the holiday season is almost impossible. A well-developed road runs parallel along the Grand Canyon some distance away. So you can easily head for the popular vantage points. There are numerous hiking trails on the Colorado Plateau, as well as guided tours down into the Grand Canyon, some with sure-footed mules. Helicopter flights over the Grand Canyon are also available. The Grand Canyon Village is located on the south side of the canyon. The approach via the northern rim, the North Rim, is not as comfortable, but it is quieter and less stressful there as there are fewer visitors. Bright Angel Point and Angel Window are popular vantage points on the North Rim.

Camping am Grand Canyon

There are several campgrounds and RV parks for campers within Grand Canyon National Park in both the South Rim and North Rim areas. However, you should register in advance, especially in summer.

Grand Canyon in Northwest Arizona

Viewpoints – South Rim

• Grandview Point
• Yavapai Point
• Maricopa Point
• Hopi Point
• Navajo Point
• Desert View
• The Abyss