Located near not too far from Kanab, Utah is Grand Canyon National Park. It is perhaps one of the most well known National Parks or geographical areas in all the world. The size is incredibly huge. Its notarity hard to rival. Annually the Grand Canyon National Park averages 4.7 million visitors. The South Rim alone gets over 3 million of those visits. 500,000 a year are now visit the Grand Canyon West and the popular growing attraction Skywalk. Evey single moment of the day in this natural wonder is a picture that changes with every new angle of the sun. The light dances and changes colors on the walls of the canyon from sunrise to sunset.
Quick Facts of the Grand Canyon
Park Statistics
Grand Canyon Geographic Statistics
The Grand Canyon itself is a spectacular 1 mile deep, and 277 miles long. The canyon was formed over a 6 million year period of geological activity and erosion by the Colorado River.
The Colorado River divides the oark into to sections, the North Rim and the South Rim, which both overlook the 10 mile wide canyon.
The continuous erosion by both the seasonal and permanant rivers create incredible waterfalls and rapids through out the canyon. There are over 100 names for the rapids and white water rafting enthusiasts come from all over to run these rivers.
Park Size:
1,217,403.32 acres/ 487,350 hectares
1,904 sq. miles/ 4,950 kilometers
The “Grand Canyon”
Length: 277 river miles/ 433km
Width:
Minimum (Marble Canyon) – 10 miles/16km
Average Rim to Rim – 600 feet/ 180 meters
Maximum Rim to Rim – 18 miles/ 28.8km
Average Depth – 1 mile/ 1.6km
Rim Elevations
South Rim – 7,000 feet/ 2100m
North Rim – 8,000 feet/ 2400m
Lake Mead Boundary – 1,200 feet/ 360m
Volume
Cubic Yards – 5.45 trillion
Cubic Meters – 4.17 trillion
The “Colorado River” (within park)
Length – 277 miles/ 443km
Average Width – 300 feet/ 90m
Minimum Width – 76 feet/ 23m
Average Depth – 40 feet/ 12m
Greatest Depth – 85 feet/ 25.5m
Average Gradient – 7 feet per mile/ 12m per 1.6km
Elevation at Phantom Ranch 2,400 feet/ 720m
The Colorado River is 1,450-miles/ 2,333km long
from its source in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado
to the Gulf of California.
What is there to Do At Grand Canyon National Park
Hiking: The Grand Canyon National Park offers lots of hiking. Many trails are available for visitors to hike in many degrees of difficulty. There are hikes that will take you to some of the most incredible waterfalls, vistas, and hidden gems the Grand Canyon have to offer.
Camping: There are several campsites in the Grand Canyon area that allow you to rough it and enjoy the park in a very natural way. Of course there is hotels available in the area.
White Water Rafting: There are several independent companies that offer White Water Rafting tours down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. There are tours available for the experienced as well as the beginner.
Helicopter Tours: There are plenty of helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon. These tours are a popular, but more expensive way to see the canyon. You will however expect to have views of the canyon unlike any other
Motor-coach Tours: For those of you that are not too crazy about driving yourself, there are motor-coach tours of the canyon that will allow you to look out the window and enjoy the views
Skywalk: Skywalk is literally a bridge that jets out over the Grand Canyon floor 2000 feet below.
River Rating: If it is a real adventure that you seek, then river rafting down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon just might
Here are some useful links:
http://grandcanyon.com/backcountry-maps.html
http://grandcanyon.com/faq.html