There's no simple way to write a short story about the Grand Canyon just as my weekend camping trip to its south rim confirmed there's no simple way to visit such a vast and complex national park. The park protects a large corner of northwestern Arizona that's been eroded over millions of years by the Colorado River between present day Lake Powell in the northeast to Lake Meade in the southwest.
A mile deep, extending for more than a hundred miles in length and sometimes a dozen miles wide, the canyon's dimensions will overwhelm even the most jaded statistician when witnessed in person.
Besides a geological story that's almost as old as Earth itself, the canyon is a tale of flora and fauna that have evolved and thrived at over 7,000 feet on its forested rims and of the contrasting life much lower in the deserts along the river. Just as long as people have been on the continent, there's a millennia long account of natives, conquistadors, explorers, miners, settlers, tourists and thrill-seekers.
But in its simplest story, Grand Canyon National Park is a sight of spectacular beauty, where anyone can witness the power of time, nature and conservation. It's not just a single awesome chasm but a complex array of canyons, lives and stories that a few pictures only begin to recount.
A mile deep, extending for more than a hundred miles in length and sometimes a dozen miles wide, the canyon's dimensions will overwhelm even the most jaded statistician when witnessed in person.
Besides a geological story that's almost as old as Earth itself, the canyon is a tale of flora and fauna that have evolved and thrived at over 7,000 feet on its forested rims and of the contrasting life much lower in the deserts along the river. Just as long as people have been on the continent, there's a millennia long account of natives, conquistadors, explorers, miners, settlers, tourists and thrill-seekers.
But in its simplest story, Grand Canyon National Park is a sight of spectacular beauty, where anyone can witness the power of time, nature and conservation. It's not just a single awesome chasm but a complex array of canyons, lives and stories that a few pictures only begin to recount.
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| Sunset view near Trailview Overlook. |
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| Morning view from the Trail of Time. |
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| Morning view from the Trail of Time. |
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| Juniper tree and view along the Trail of Time. |
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| Vista between Yavapai Point and Grand Canyon Village. |
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| View from Mather Point looking east. |
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| Crowded Mather Point viewpoint. |
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| From Hopi Point at end of day. |
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| From Hopi Point at end of day. |
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| Hopi Point view. |
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| End of day view from Hopi Point with cloud shadows. |
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| Sunset near Mohave Point where the Colorado River a mile below is visible. |
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