On our beautiful planet there are many beautiful and wonderful places that excite the observer’s imagination and take your breath away, showing the splendor of nature and speaking about the uniqueness of our mother earth. One of these places, of course, is the Grand Canyon (USA). We will talk about him in this article.
The Grand Canyon is a national park located in the southwestern United States of America on the Colorado Plateau in Arizona. Its area is approximately 5 thousand km². The greatest depth is approximately 1900 m. In length, it stretches for almost 450 km. And the width in different areas varies: from 7 km to almost 30 km. But at the very bottom where the Colorado River runs , the canyon narrows to almost 100 meters.
The Grand Canyon was first discovered by the Spaniards in 1540 while they were searching for gold. But the American Indians knew about it thousands of years ago. This is evidenced by many cave paintings, which are more than 2.5 thousand years old.
The status of the Grand Canyon National Park was received in 1919. And in 1979, it became one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This canyon is considered one of the deepest on Earth. After all, it was formed for more than 10 million years. The plain along which the Colorado River flows, under the influence of various underground forces, gradually rose until the water came across the plateau itself. Then the water stream began to make its way and began to wash out soft rocks. Even now, the canyon is increasing in size due to erosion of soil layers and weathering.
A huge variety of flora and fauna are represented here. At the bottom you can find yucca, agave, cacti, pear, hips, ferns. Above there are pines, oaks, spruce, willow, juniper. The total number of different plant species exceeds 1,500. As for living creatures, about 90 species of mammals, more than 300 species of birds, more than 40 different species of reptiles and many species of fish live in the canyon.
Many come here to see with their own eyes all the diversity of centuries-old rocks, various types of plants and rare species of birds and animals. There are also people who visit the Grand Canyon for outdoor activities: the possibility of walking on the extreme Bright Angel Trail, visiting the Skywalk observation platform, mountain descent to the river in mules, canoeing and kayaking, helicopter flight over the canyon.
For lovers of solitude, there is also the opportunity to find a corner for their liking - this may be a specific place Fern Glen Canyon, reminiscent of an oasis in the desert, or North Canyon Bosh, where transparent and calm lakes lie right at the foot of the cliffs.
The Grand Canyon is full of attractions. This article is not enough to list even half of them. This, of course, apart from the fact that he himself is a tourist attraction.
Human language is not able to convey all the beauty of the Grand Canyon. It is impossible to describe the whole gamut of feelings and sensations that arise in the mind when you contemplate the magical sunset of the blood-red sun or try to grasp with your own eyes the endless distances of the landscape. This can even lead to a trance state. In such places, people can experience an unforgettable experience.
Therefore, the Grand Canyon is one of the most visited places in the world (second place after Niagara Falls). It is visited by more than 2 million people a year.
Every resident of the United States wants to visit the Grand Canyon National Park at least once in his life. And many go here not just to wander around the area for 2-3 hours and go back, but come here for a few days, or even a week. This makes it possible to feel at least a fraction of the atmosphere that surrounds the unknown and unknown world away from civilization.
Even not being Americans, but simply being lovers of travel and new discoveries, you should definitely visit this truly magical place, saturated with secrets and beauties - the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Residents of the Russian Federation note. In St. Petersburg on Suzdal Avenue there is a wonderful ice rink "Grand Canyon Ice". Nearby are also the entertainment complex with the same name and a furniture center.