Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park is a special place in the southwestern United States, located in northwestern Arizona. It is famous for the Grand Canyon, a huge gorge carved by the Colorado River. Many people think of it as one of the Wonders of the World.

The park covers a large area of 1,217,262 acres, which is about 1,902 square miles or 4,926 square kilometers, in Coconino and Mohave counties. In 2024, over 4.9 million visitors came to enjoy its beauty. In 1979, the Grand Canyon was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.

History

The Grand Canyon became well known to Americans in the 1880s when railroads were built and pioneers started tourism there. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited and spoke about how amazing it is.

Even though Roosevelt liked the idea of preserving land for everyone, the Grand Canyon was not made a national park right away. The first bill to make it a national park was introduced in 1882 by Senator Benjamin Harrison, but it didn’t pass. Harrison tried again later, and after he became president, he made the area a forest reserve in 1893. President Theodore Roosevelt created the Grand Canyon Game Preserve in 1906 and made it a National Monument in 1908. More bills to make it a national park failed until 1919, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act.

The Grand Canyon became part of the National Park Service when it was created in 1916. In 1979, UNESCO named the park a World Heritage Site. In 2019, the park celebrated 100 years as a national park.

Legal history timeline

• 1882 First attempt to make Grand Canyon a national park failed
• 1893 Became a "forest reserve" by President Benjamin Harrison
• 1908 Became Grand Canyon National Monument by President Theodore Roosevelt
• 1919 Became Grand Canyon National Park on February 26
• 1975 Park was enlarged by an act of Congress on January 3
• 1979 Named a World Heritage Site on October 26

Administrators

• William Harrison Peters (acting): August 1919 – September 1920
• Dewitt L. Raeburn: October 1920 – December 1921
• John Roberts White (acting): December 1921 – February 1922
• Walter Wilson Crosby: February 1922 – January 1924
• George C. Bolton (acting): January 1923 – June 1923
• John Ross Eakin: January 1924 – April 1927
• Miner Raymond Tillotson: April 1927 – December 1938
• James V. Lloyd (acting): December 1938 – February 1939
• Harold Child Bryant (acting): February 1939 – January 1940
• James V. Lloyd (acting): January 1940 – August 1940
• Frank Alvah Kittredge: August 1940 – July 1941
• Harold Child Bryant: August 1941 – March 1954
• Preston P. Patraw: May 1954 – July 1955
• John Sherman McLaughlin: August 1955 – March 1964
• Howard B. Stricklin: March 1964 – February 1969
• Robert R. Lovegren: April 1969 – July 1972
• Merle E. Stitt: August 1972 – January 1980
• Bruce W. Shaw (acting): January 1980 – May 1980
• Richard W. Marks: May 1980 – December 1988
• John C. Reed (acting): December 1988 – January 1989
• John H. Davis: January 1989 – August 1991
• Robert Chandler: October 1991 – October 1993
• Boyd Evison (acting): January 1994 – July 1994
• Robert L. Arnberger: July 1994 – October 2000
• Dave Uberauga: 2011 - May 2016
• Christine Lehnertz: August 2016 - March 2019
• Ed Keable: April 2020 - present

Geography

The Grand Canyon is famous for its size, depth, and colorful rock layers. The canyon was formed by the Colorado River and smaller rivers after the land rose up.

Most visitors come to the South Rim because it is easier to reach. The South Rim has many places to stay, like hotels and lodges. It is close to trails and views. The North Rim is higher and usually closes in winter because of snow. It is far from the South Rim and takes about 4.5 hours to drive there.

Climate

Grand Canyon National Park has five different climate zones. These are Cold Semi-Arid, Humid Continental Dry Cool Summer, Humid Continental Dry Warm Summer, Warm Summer Mediterranean, and Hot Summer Mediterranean. The plant hardiness zone at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center is 7a, and winters can get very cold, averaging around 3.3 °F (−15.9 °C).

Activities

North Rim

There are few roads on the North Rim, but there are some great spots to see the view, like Point Imperial, Roosevelt Point, and Cape Royal. You can also ride mules to explore deep parts of the canyon.

Many people like to hike on trails such as the Widforss Trail, Uncle Jim's Trail, the Transept Trail, and the North Kaibab Trail. The North Kaibab Trail goes all the way down to the Colorado River and connects to the South Kaibab Trail and the Bright Angel Trail, which lead to the South Rim.

The Toroweap Overlook is in the western part of the park on the North Rim. You can reach it using unpaved roads from Route 389 west of Fredonia, Arizona. The roads go through the Grand Canyon–Parashant National Monument.

South Rim

The South Rim has many activities for visitors. You can drive a 35-mile tour split into two parts. The western part to Hermit's Point is eight miles with beautiful views, including Mohave Point, Hopi Point, and the Powell Memorial. From March to December, you need to take a free shuttle to reach Hermit's Rest. The eastern part to Desert View is 25 miles and open to private cars all year.

You can also walk on the Rim Trail, which starts at Pipe Creek viewpoint and goes west for about eight miles on a paved road, then seven miles on an unpaved path to Hermit's Rest. You can start hiking from almost any spot along this trail, and a shuttle will bring you back to where you started. Mather Point, the first view you see when entering from the south, is a popular starting point.

You can take flights over the canyon in helicopters and small airplanes from Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Grand Canyon National Park Airport. Because of a past accident, flights are not allowed within 1,500 feet of the canyon rim.

Grand Canyon Conservancy

Main article: Grand Canyon Conservancy

The Grand Canyon Association helps Grand Canyon National Park. It works with the National Park Service. The group raises money through shops and visitor centers in the park. It also offers learning programs about the park's nature and history. Its goals include helping different tribes share their culture, protecting dark skies for stargazing, helping people explore the park, and building and caring for trails.