The Grand Canyon is a massive canyon carved by the Colorado
River, approximately 800 metres deep. It is located in northern Arizona, near
the borders of Utah and Nevada. This elaborate crevice is around 446 kilometres
long, and is said to have been formed over millions of years, as the Colorado
River has cut through layer upon layer of rock and earth. The area is inhabited
by Native American tribes, who created settlements throughout the canyon and
its cave areas.
The weather in the Grand Canyon is insanely varied depending
on location along it, according to elevation above sea-level. The rim around
the Canyon is able to receive snowfall, as opposed to the inside of the Canyon
which resembles the desert locations of Arizona. Winter storms are also a
hazardous occurrence for hikers and visitors, but can be avoided if weather is
monitored. When I visited the Grand Canyon during August/September 2012 during summer,
the area was overcome with a storm and visibility was greatly affected, where
you could barely see across the Canyon.
The Grand Canyon attracts about 5 million visitors per year
from all over the globe, 17% of which are international visitors. Tourists are
able to visit the South Rim of the Canyon all year around, although the
Northern Rim is open from May-October. Tourist activities include rafting, hiking, and a helicopter tour that is generally extremely popular. There is a
primary vantage point on the Southern Rim called Lipan Point that is accessible
for viewing the canyon, and is where I went to view it. The Grand Canyon is certainly
something you should see in your lifetime and is one of the world’s most beautiful
attractions.
Information sourced from (link)
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