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Grand Canyon National Park
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More than 4 million people travel here each year; 90 percent first see the canyon from the South Rim with its dramatic views into the deep inner gorge of the Colorado River. So many feet have stepped cautiously to the edge of major overlooks that in places the rock has been polished smooth. But most of the park’s 1,904 square miles [4,931.3 square kilometers] are maintained as wilderness. You can avoid crowds by hiking the park’s many trails or driving to the cool evergreen forests of the North Rim where people are fewer and viewing more leisurely.
Orientation
The road to the Grand Canyon from the south crosses a gently rising plateau that gives no hint at what is about to unfold. You wonder if you have made a wrong turn. All at once an immense gorge a mile [1.6-kilometer] deep and 18 miles [29 kilometers] wide opens up. The scale is so vast that even from the best vantage point only a fraction of the Grand Canyon’s 277 miles [445.8 kilometers] can be seen.
Canyon views are not always clear, though you can see 100 miles [161 kilometers] on a good day. Increasingly, air pollution blurs vistas that had once been sharp and rich hued. Hazy days have become more common, with visibility dropping as low as 20 miles [32.2 kilometers]. Haze from forest fires and pollen has always been present, but the recent increase is traced to sources outside the park, like copper smelters and urban areas in Arizona, southern California, and even Mexico.
It’s hard to look at the canyon and not be curious about geology. Some of the oldest exposed rock in the world, dating back 1.7 billion years, lies at the bottom. Exactly how the river formed the canyon is still unclear, but geologists generally agree that most of the cutting occurred within the last five million years.
When to Go
South Rim is open all year; North Rim is closed from mid-October to mid-May due to deep snows. Hikers and mule riders to the inner canyon, where temperatures reach 118°F [47.8°C], prefer spring and fall; the prime river season is April through October. During summer months on the South Rim, time your visit to midweek, arriving early to avoid the crowds.
Statistics
- Area: 1,218,375 acres [493,058.9 hectares]
- Date Established: February 26, 1919
- State: Arizona
Getting There
By Plane - Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) 80 miles [129 kilometers] southeast of the park
By Car
By Train (Nearest Station)
How to Visit
On a 1-day visit to the South Rim take the West Rim Drive for classic views of the main canyon. In summer the drive is closed to automobiles, but buses take you to the overlooks. The best second-day activity is the East Rim Drive tour for great views of the Colorado River and eastern canyon. On a longer stay take the North Rim's Cape Royal Road for broad panoramic vistas. You may also enjoy a hike on a backcountry trail; a mule ride down the Bright Angel Trail; a week-long raft trip through the canyon on the Colorado River; and a scenic flight for a bird's-eye view of the canyon. The mule and raft trips and backcountry hikes require reservations far in advance.
Activities
Free ranger-led activities: day and evening nature walks, slide shows, talks, cultural demonstrations, and campfire programs.Also available, horse and mule trips, hiking, bicycling, fishing, riverrafting, air tours, cross-country skiing. For recorded visitor activities call +1 520638 7888. Write headquarters for list of concessioners offering wide variety of tours.
Park Information
Headquarters P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023.Phone +1 520 638 7888. Fax +1 520 638-7797. Seasons & Accessibility South Rim open year-round. North Rim closed to vehicles October to May. For weather and road information, call +1 520 638 7888. Visitor & Information Centers South Rim Visitor Center in Grand Canyon Village open all year. Call +1 520 638 7888. North Rim Contact Station open mid-October through mid-May. Call +1 520 638 7864. Entrance Fee $20 per car per week. Pets Allowed, leashed, on rim trails, but on the South Rim not below the rim. Kennels available; phone +1 520 638 2631. Facilities for Disabled Visitor center is wheelchair accessible.Free brochures available. West Rim Drive open to vehicles carrying disabled persons,with permit. Special Advisory Be very careful near the rim; protective barriers are intermittent. Overnight Backpacking Permits needed; $20 fee plus $4 per person per night. Contact Backcountry Office, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Ariz. 86023. +1 520 638 7875. Campgrounds & RV Parks Three campgrounds, all with 7-day limit, all in South Rim except North Rim. Mather open all year; reservations recommended March to December. Other times first come, first served. Desert View (first come, first served) and North Rim open mid-May to mid-October. Trailer Village open all year; reservations recommended. Contact Xanterra Parks & Resorts, +1 303 297 2757 or toll-free from within the U.S. +1 888 297 2757. Fee $22 per night. Showers at North Rim and Grand Canyon Village. Tent and RV sites at all campgrounds; hookups only at Trailer Village. Group campsites; must reserve. Food services in park.
Lodging
Hotels, Motels, & Inns (unless otherwise noted, rates are for two persons in a double room, high season) The first 8 hotels and lodges listed below are operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts +1 303 297 2757; toll-free from within the U.S. +1 888 297 2757. Reservations should be made 6 to 9 months in advance. For same-day reservations, try +1 928 638 2631. INSIDE THE PARK: (On South Rim): Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins 89 units, some share baths. Cabins $82-$238; rooms $49-$67. Restaurant. El Tovar Hotel 78 units. $129-$299. AC, restaurant. Kachina Lodge 49 units. $122-$132. Maswik Lodge 288 units. Cabins $73 (open June-Aug.); rooms $76-$120. Cafeteria. Phantom Ranch (reached by hiking, mule, or raft trips) Dormitories $28 per person. Restaurant, shared showers. Mule trip packages from $366.38 per night, per person, includes meals. Reserve early. Thunderbird Lodge 55 units. $122-$132. Yavapai Lodge East 198 rooms. $109. AC. Yavapai Lodge West 160 rooms. $92. Cafeteria. Open March to November. (On North Rim): Grand Canyon Lodge +1 303 297 2757 or toll-free from within the U.S. +1 888 297 2757. 200 units. $94-$124. Restaurant. Open mid-May to mid-Oct. OUTSIDE THE PARK: In Grand Canyon, Ariz. 86023: Quality Inn (on Arizona 64) P.O. Box 520. 800 228 5151 or +1 520 638 2673. 176 units. $142-$175. AC, pool, restaurant. Seven Mile Lodge (on Arizona 64) P.O. Box 56. (520) 638-2291. 20 units. $75-$82. No reservations; first come, first served. AC. Closed January.
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