Grand Canyon Travel Information
The Grand Canyon is an awesome place. Its overwhelming size and its
intricate
and colorful landscape make it without question one of the seven
marvels of the
natural world.
While it is not the deepest canyon in the world, it is unmatched
throughout
the world for the vistas it offers to visitors. Geologically it is
hugely significant
because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully
preserved
and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record
much of the
early geologic history of the North American continent.
Most of the 5 million annual visitors to the Grand Canyon arrive at
the South
Rim and experience its beauty from the many overlooks along the
canyon edge.
There are many miles of paved and unpaved walkways along the rim.
The North
Rim of the Grand Canyon shares similar outstanding views from a
vantage point
1000 feet higher than on the South Rim. Here too are walkways and
overlooks
that let you take in the grandeur of the canyon. Because the North
Rim is less
easily accessed, visitorship is far lighter than on the South Rim.
For the truly adventurous, the inner canyon awaits. Strong hikers
can climb
down to the Colorado River via the Bright Angel Trail or South
Kaibab Trail.
For a less exhausting experience, mule pack trips use the same
trails to take
their riders down and up canyon.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a new and
quite unique tourist attraction located literally on the edge of the
Grand Canyon. The Skywalk is a glass-bottom horseshoe-shaped walkway
projecting 70 feet out over the edge allowing visitors to look
straight down, nearly 4,000 feet below to the bottom of the canyon.
Possibly the best way to experience the canyon is on a Grand
Canyon Rafting Trip down the roaring Colorado River.
To learn more about your options at the Grand Canyon , select one
of the topics
to the left. A more detailed orientation to the park can be found by
selecting
Park
Orientation.
The Grand Canyon is located in Northern Arizona. The South Rim is
about 80
miles north of Flagstaff. The North Rim is most easily accessed
from southern
Utah or the Lake Powell area. View
Area Map.
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