Transcript The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon
Description
• 277 miles in length
• Covers 1.2 million acres (larger than state of
Rhode Island)
• Width varies from half a mile to 18 miles
• Highest elevation point: 9165 feet above sea level
• Maximum canyon depth from rim: 6000 ft.
• Hike from Canyon’s South Rim to the North Rim
is 21 miles
• Colorado River is at Canyon floor
History
• Piute Indians believe Canyon was shaped by the
god Tavwoats
• First European visitor was Garcia Lopez de
Cardenas in 1540
• First American to survey region was Lt. Joseph
Christmas Ives
• John Wesley Powell led first river expedition in
1869; sparked national interest in the Canyon.
• Established as national park in 1919
Geology and Weather
• Some rocks are 2 billion years old
• Colorado River began to form Canyon about 6
million years ago
• Major rocks are limestone, sandstone, and some
igneous from extinct volcanoes
• Semi-arid climate: avg. rainfall 14 in/yr; avg.
snowfall 65 in/yr
• Warmest month is July: avg. temperature is 69.5
degrees
Visitor Activities
• Guided and self-guided tours
• Picnicking, camping, backcountry hiking,
horseback riding, and biking
• White-water rafting, kayaking, and fishing
• Bus tours, mule trips, and river tours
Lodging
• South Rim: Red Feather Lodge, 602-6382414, and Canyon Squire Motel, 602-6382681
• North Rim: Kaibab Lodge, 602-638-2389;
Jacob Lake Lodge, 602-643-7232; and
Moqui Lodge, 602-638-2424
For Information
• Write Superintendent, Grand Canyon
National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand
Canyon, AZ 86023
• Phone 602-638-7888 for recorded info
about weather, road conditions, and
interpretive activities