The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the first national parks in the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery.
The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet / 1,800 metres) Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. While the specific geologic processes and timing that formed the Grand Canyon are the subject of debate by geologists, recent evidence suggests the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River continued to erode and form the canyon to its present-day configuration.
A man was found dead along a trail in Grand Canyon National Park on Sunday.Grand Canyon National ParkMather Point, a short walk from the Visitor Center, parking lots and the shuttle bus transit station is one of the most popular and busiest viewpoints on the South Rim of Grand Canyon. For visitors entering the park on the South Rim, Mather Point is the first place to stop and see the canyon. The views are spectacular and there are many places to look down into and across the canyon.Grand Canyon NPS, Michael QuinYaki Point Winter in the WinterGrand Canyon National ParkAt Yaki Point, sea shells and corals are abundant in the limestone which forms the upper layer of the Grand Canyon walls and may be seen in the rocks at Yaki Point.Grand Canyon National ParkThe trail begins with a series of tight switchbacks known as "the chimney." This is where ice will most likely be encountered during the winter months. Hikers are reminded that during the spring freeze-thaw cycle an increase in naturally occurring rock falls should be expected.Grand Canyon National ParkPima Point is one of the best places on the rim to see and sometimes hear the river. The splash and grind of Granite Rapids below can be heard echoing up the canyon walls on quiet days. The Greenway Trail continues from here to Hermits Rest, allowing bicyclists and visitors using wheelchairs to share the path with pedestrians.Grand Canyon National ParkA German Tourist was killed by a lightning strike at Grand Canyon National Park on Thursday and five more were injured.Grand Canyon National Park
