The Grand Canyon - an amazing place! The scale of the canyon is massive, and difficult to comprehend when you stand at the edge. If you have seen it from the air you can better understand just how grand it is! In places it is 18 miles wide, and at it's deepest point is 6000 feet from the rim to the Colorado River at the bottom. The Canyon was formed by erosion, and the oldest rocks at the bottom are estimated to be 2000 million years old. It has been a National Park since 1919, and receives almost 5 million visitors each year. The south rim is easily accessible, but the north rim is more difficult to reach, and sometimes the roads in the north are covered with snow. As you drive along the south rim there are many overlooks with spectacular views.
Before reaching the main part of the Grand Canyon, I drove past several large fissures. These fissures are the beginning of the erosion that formed the canyon.
Welcome to the Grand Canyon!
The Desert Watchtower is a 70 foot tall stone structure designed by architect Mary Colter, and built in 1932. It was constructed in the manner and style of ancient Pueblo buildings, though it's size is far greater. Today it contains a gift shop and a viewing area that looks out to the eastern end of the Canyon.
Some views into the Canyon -
The next time I visit the Grand Canyon, I hope I'm on a raft on the Colorado River!
No comments:
Post a Comment