Explore Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (UNESCO site)

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The Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, is located in the USA’s desert Southwest. The gorge averaging 4,000 feet deep for its entire 277 miles. It is 6,000 feet deep at its deepest point and 18 miles at its widest. The Grand Canyon National Park is divided by the river into the North Rim and South Rim. Visitors viewing the magnificent gorge from either rim observe impressive waterfalls and buttes, spires and mesas that are in fact mountains viewed from above. The strata revealed by the cut made from the flowing river reveals over 2 Billion years of the earth’s geological development. The massive gorge and the relentless river that created it winds its way through a broad spectrum of climactic and habitat zones, from alpine to desert. Within the magnificent park are found over 1,000 plant species (11 of which are considered “threatened”), 76 mammal species, nearly 300 different birds and over 40 reptiles and amphibians. The park also presents over 2,500 prehistoric ruins left behind by archaic cultures as evidence of their ability to adapt to the severe landscape and extreme weather conditions that range through the canyon’s expanse The Grand Canyon National Park with its awesome and inspiring landscape attracts millions of visitors each year to experience the unforgettable vistas, natural power and beauty and prolific plant and wildlife. The South Rim and Grand Canyon Village is the primary hub of activity for visitors to The Grand Canyon. The South Rim is open year round and maintains lodges, restaurants, campgrounds and shops to accommodate tourists. The train depot is also located in Grand Canyon Village. The North Rim Visitor Center is open from mid-May to mid-October each year due to the more extreme winter weather that is typical. The Hualapai Native American Indian Tribe (“People of the Tall Pines”) has constructed a “Skywalk” on west end of the canyon that consists of a horseshoe shaped steel frame with glass floor and sides that projects about 21 meters from the canyon rim affording unmatched views of the grandeur that is The Grand Canyon. Other activities of interest in the Grand Canyon National Park includes Guided Tours, Mule Trips, Hiking, River Trips (including whitewater rafting), Art Exhibits, Archaeological and Astronomical Study programs and Art Exhibits. Helicopter and fixed wing tours of the region are also popular ways to include a visit to the famous chasm for those on a tight schedule. The Grand Canyon National Park is found in the northwest corner of Arizona near its borders with Utah and Nevada. The South Rim has its own airport, is accessible by major highway from Phoenix and by train or highway from Williams and Flagstaff, all cities in Arizona. The North Rim is reachable only by road with visitors often using Salt Lake City, Utah or Las Vegas, Nevada as their starting point. Your dream of visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site can be fulfilled by including a trip to the Grand Canyon National Park on your list. Spending time absorbing the grandeur that Mother Nature has produced will make for memories that will last your lifetime.

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