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A Grand Canyon Vacation
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Due to its immense panorama, The Grand Canyon can be explored on foot, by air, by water and interestingly, on the back of a mule. The early Civil War explorer, Major John Wesley Powell, called the canyon, “the most sublime spectacle on earth,” when he stepped foot on the Colorado River in 1869.
All the beauty, awe and magnificence of naturally-sculptured spires, buttes, gorges, mesas, and mesmerizing rock formations looked like ancient temples blown and shaped by the wind. Sightseers gasp in admiration, artists are delighted. Its enormity of 277 miles long, 10 miles wide and 1 mile deep will make you think that the heart of the earth has been laid right before you eyes.
How was the Grand Canyon formed?
The Grand Canyon is the result of about 70 millions of years of natural sculpture when tectonic plates collided that caused the Colorado Plateau to rise from seal level to 10,000 feet. The Colorado River cut through the rock with a powerful natural force carving out limestone, sandstone, shale, schist and gneiss. The different seasons contributed to the erosion. Big and small rocks broke down. The oldest rocks at the bottom of the canyon date back 2 billion years!
The Colorado River continued to flow and winding its unending snaky waves through the Grand Canyon. The chiseling went on and on, one inch every 500 years! And slowly, but truly in a most fascinating manner, the geological formation of the canyon walls turned into its magical shape that we see now.
That breathtaking beauty dumbfounds over 5 million visitors per year.
All four seasons of the year capture magnificent panorama on the seemingly limitless beautiful horizon. Summer is the peak season for a Grand Canyon vacation, if you want to hike down the canyon or cool off from Arizona’s heat. During winter, Grand Canyon’s bird’s-eye view shows white powdered snow on mountain top that’s really a stunner.
Majority of the Grand Canyon's visitors drive along the South Rim, to get a glimpse of Desert View, Mather Point and Grandview Point, and the Vishnu Temple. The exquisite varied colors of the sunlight from sunrise to sunset - from pale pinks and creams, to purples, crimsons, sandy yellows and blacks – creates the most stunning display of nature.
If you have more time, take the West Rim, on the Hermits Rest Route, and stop at Pima Point. Some still take the five-hour drive to opposite North Rim but closes during winter because of snow. Most are satisfied with the mere sight of the abyss-like depths of the Grand Canyon, but there’s more.
Still, there are trails to trek, mules or horses to joy-ride, river-rafting in the canyon’s 60 rapids, and the immensity of the canyon to comprehend what only a bird sees in its horizon if airborne in helicopters and planes. You can do this with a package tour of “The Grand Discovery” at the Grand Canyon Airlines. Experience also the wonder of the Imax Theater at the South Rim showcasing a seven-story, giant-screen presentation that puts viewers right inside the canyon walls, sometimes only feet above the foaming waters of the Colorado River.
Panoramic surprises such as otherwise inaccessible canyons, surprise waterfalls, unanticipated flowering gardens, and memorable camping experiences, or bathing in the river without a care in the world, put one in a different world.
By foot you’ll encounter over 300 species of birds, 50 species of mammals and 25 species of amphibians that call the canyons their home. Fifteen trails are in the South Rim, to include most trekked Bright Angel, Hermit Trail, Grandview Trail and South Kaibab. The main trail on the North Rim is the North Kaibab. The South Rim and its village is where you can go to find all the amenities of Grand Canyon’s nice resorts, coupled with adventure services to make the most of your vacation.
The East and West Rims provide lengthy scenic delight when you take your car for a drive. The North Rim gives superb perspective sights and hiking trails that are more rugged.
Your family will enjoy the Grand Canyon vacation hike trails with the comforts of water stations and rest areas. And as you hike, you look across pure pristine grandeur that will embed a lifetime magic moment.
Grand Canyon is Arizona’s treasure. Wouldn’t your family want to captivate the thrill of a lifetime?
Pure, sheer awe.. That’s how a Grand Canyon vacation will hit you.
Come to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
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