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Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon National Park,
found in the state of Arizona, is the one of the oldest national
parks in the nation, and this magnificent gorge astride the Colorado
River is one of the major natural wonders of the world. Sprawling
over 1902 miles of the unincorporated regions of Coconino and Mohave
Counties, most visitors come to the park via Arizona State Route 64,
entering in at the south entrance by Tusayan, Arizona. Almost 30
miles of the south rim are accessible by the road, with another
entrance on the north rim, but no connection in between, except
going over the Navajo Bridge, which means you are going to have a 5
hour detour. The two rims are connected by Las Vegas, Nevada and the
Hoover Dam. The remainder of the canyon is really rugged and remote,
but you can get there by using pack trails or backcountry roads. The
surrounding region was made a national monument in 1908, and became
a national park in 1919. The Grand Canyon, and its expansive system
of tributary canyons is invaluable for its unique combination of
size, depth and exposed rock layering that is most colorful and
dates back to the Precambrian period. The beautiful landscape was
designed by the incision of the Colorado River, and its tributaries,
when the Colorado Plateau was lifted up and the river ran through
any place that would let it. There are a plethora of tours available
to bring you to the most impressive and extraordinary views, plus
you can go whitewater rafting down the Colorado River, hopefully
getting some viewing time to enjoy all the colors and formations, as
well as the occasional wild animal. You can fly over the canyon in
small plane or helicopter flights which leave Las Vegas, take a
river rafting tour from Sedona or Las Vegas; or even travel down the
slopes of the canyon on mules. However, the mule train route is
fairly difficult and if you are unsure of yourself at heights,
perhaps you would be better off taking a rafting tour. Whatever way
you choose, the canyon is beautiful and incredibly impressive. As
mentioned before, it is certainly one of the natural wonders of the
world and will be one of the most memorable trips you will ever take
in your life. The canyon gets over 5 million visitors each
year, which means it can get crowded at times, but especially during
the spring, summer and fall months. The least crowded period to
visit is from November to February; but you must remember that it is
winter all over and could affect your traveling. Planning is the
best way to start since you will absolutely reserve where you plan
on staying, whether camping or lodging at one of the many places to
stay. The south rim is open all year, but the north rim is open mid
May through mid October, but has fewer facilities and is 200 miles
from one rim to the other. Also be sure to say what rim you want to
explore and the elevation can be troublesome to people with
respiratory problems. The entire site is located in a remote part of
the state, so if you are driving you own vehicle or renting one, a
set of extra keys is well worth the amount of hours you would have
to wait for a locksmith. Always carry extra water when traveling in
this part of the country, since cell phone service is very limited,
if at all possible, and keep your gas tank full. You can bring your
pets, but they must be on a lease, unless it is a certified service
dog.
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