Grand Canyon National Park is one of the oldest national parks in the United States and one of the most perfect creations of nature on earth. The canyon is in Arizona, and before the arrival of Europeans (1540), it was inhabited by a tribe of Pueblo Indians who built dwellings in the form of caves in the canyon. The popularity of this place was brought by President Theodore Roosevelt, who liked to hunt and just rest.

The entrance is ~ 20 USD, the ticket is valid for 7 days. In the Canyon there are lodges, shops, restaurants, car parks and bus service.

Climate of the Grand Canyon

The climate of the national park is complex and diverse, as it consists of several ecosystems. The lower level is close to the desert climate of Arizona with a dry hot summer. In the upper, wooded part of the canyon, snow falls in winter. The air temperature in summer reaches 37 ° C, in winter -17 ° C.

The southern part of the canyon is open all year round, 24 hours a day. The northern part - from May to October.

Entertainment, excursions and attractions of the Grand Canyon

The length of the canyon is 446 km, width - 28 km and depth - 1, 6 km. This is the biggest canyon on earth. Billions of years ago, here began the process of erosion of soils caused by the flow of the Colorado River and its tributaries, which continues to this day. The history of the canyon consists of 3 or 4 geological eras. Many fossils are found here, which are of interest not only to geologists, but also to archaeologists, paleontologists and biologists. More than 1, 500 plants grow here, 355 species of birds, 89 mammals, 47 reptiles, 9 amphibians and 17 species of fish live.

Canyon Regions

The southern edge of the canyon is the most visited, and here are the popular observation platforms. North - for some reason is much less attractive for tourists. The rest of the canyon is remote and inaccessible, although many of them are accessible by footpaths and country roads.

Sights

The beauty of the magnificent gorge in its beauty have independent names, the poetry of which does not occupy: Vishnu Temple, Shiva Temple, Tron Wotan and t .e .Above the river stands Bukans Stone - black ash cone, the remains of volcanic rocks 10 thousand years old, the terrace of red sandstone Esplanade invitingly brightens in the rays of the setting sun, Fern Glen Canyon - an amazing oasis of tropical vegetation in the wild desert .In the North Canyon-Bosch Lake gently washed the foot of the centuries-old stone walls .Captures the spirit at the sight of one of the most beautiful dams - the Hoover Dam, with a viewing platform which offers a fantastic view of the largest man-made lake in the United States - Lake Mead .

Journey through the canyon

Traveling along the canyon can be done in several ways: take advantage of hiking trails, enjoying the changing landscapes depending on the time of day, rafting on rubber rafts along the Colorado River, whose waters are riddled with the bottom of the gorges. Another "cowboy" way - a walk on a horse. The cost of such a pleasure: from $ 40 per hour. Also there is a train that you can ride along the edge of the gorge, or a small plane, a flight over it over the Grand Canyon will cost about $ 150.

Observation areas

The Grand Canyon is equipped with a lot of observation platforms, the most expensive of which is Skywalk, the cost of the visit is about $ 70. A giant platform with a transparent bottom hanging over a bottomless abyss, painted with bright ocher paint. But a special excitement is a walk along the Celestial Trail, a glass bridge in the form of a horseshoe, hanging in the air at an altitude of 1219, 2 meters. The cost of the ticket to the Celestial Trail is only $ 26.

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Photos of the Grand Canyon (11)