The main tourist attraction of the American state of Arizona is the Grand Canyon, which stretches for hundreds of kilometers. For a long time, these lands were ruled by tribes of Indians, whose reservations still exist here. I propose to go together on a virtual journey to this grandiose natural monument that was created for centuries and today not only amazes with its scale, but also makes you think about what this place was like thousands of years ago.
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Grand Canyon of the United States
The attraction is a huge gorge, which is conventionally divided into several areas. Part of the Canyon is part of the National Park of the same name. For tourists, an area called South Rim is considered more accessible and attractive. But special tourist gourmets prefer to climb further into the remote area of Notre-Rim.
If you want to get acquainted with the life of modern Indians, we advise you to go on a visit to the southwestern part of the gorge. The reservations of the Havasupai and Walapai tribes are a real live attraction and are always glad to see new visitors. Although, as in ancient times, some members of the tribe still have a wary attitude towards strangers, who at one time drove them out of the occupied thousands of hectares of land.
Each area of the great gorge has its own unique features. Here, each visitor will find something to their liking, and will also be able to independently choose an option for their vacation. But everyone should visit the National Park, whose foot will set foot on the lands of the Grand Canyon. It is South Rim that today is a kind of "pearl" of this place, which attracts, like a beacon, tourists from all over the world. Several million visitors come here every year.
And this despite the fact that the canyon in Arizona does not hold the record for depth, size, or other physical data. There are deeper and wider gorges on the planet. But there is a special atmosphere, an atmosphere of greatness, antiquity, which makes a person think once again about his insignificant role on planet Earth. That is why the canyon in Arizona is called “grandiose”.
History
The canyon provides us with a unique glimpse into the ancient corners of history, displaying, like in a museum, a range of geological features. This place is one of the most striking examples of how the process of erosion can change the appearance of almost any territory on the planet, regardless of its features and location.
This is a real paradise for geologists. Well, where else can you study the features of an ancient breed, bark with such ease and at minimal cost? Scientists have found that in the arches of the canyon there are almost 40 layers of various rocks, the minimum age of which is 270 million years, and the maximum - 1 billion 840 million years.
It was possible to determine that some of the rocks formed in a shallow sea, the waters of which in ancient times washed the western part of the North American continent. Later, there were sand dunes, which also disappeared irretrievably under the influence of time and climate.
About 75 million years ago, the earth's crust began to rise in this place, which caused it to stretch and form a huge gorge. Well, to complete the grandiose business of the formation of the Grand Canyon remained the river system that existed here. The waters have laid a new channel deep into the gorge, carving, like a real sculptor, the original relief of the walls, which we are all lucky to see now.
With the arrival of a humid climate on the territory of modern Arizona, accompanied by an ice age, only accelerated the erosion process, and the Grand Canyon appeared before us in all its glory.
The uniqueness of the gorge
The Grand Canyon stretches over 487 hectares, with a total length of 433 km and an average depth of 1.6 km. But these are just numbers that cannot convey the grandeur of the local landscapes. A special dry climate, almost complete absence of vegetation make it possible to call this place one of the most significant and striking monuments of geological nature, and the landscape presented here deserves the title of “fantastic”.
The Colorado water stream conditionally divides the entire area of the National Park into two areas, which are at different levels. This led to such a difference in climate, landscape features and flora. The park is so huge that it is simply impossible to see two parts of it in one day.
Two areas of one park
South Rim is very popular today among connoisseurs of unique landscapes and just tourists. Every year millions of tourists come to see the local beauty, for whom truly comfortable conditions have been created here. In particular, the territory of the National Park is accessible on any day of the year, and the doors are not closed even at night. Here you can stay overnight in one of the campsites or hotels, and local restaurants will easily satisfy hunger after long walks.
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There is also a free area for transport, which will especially appeal to those who travel by private car. Well, you can appreciate the beautiful landscapes of the canyon from any of the observation platforms, which are located so that each visitor can appreciate both the scale and the uniqueness of the Great Gorge.
Another part of the Canyon is represented by the Notre-Rim area, which is 305 m higher than the previous area. The remote part of the gorge is visited by about 10% of the total mass of tourists arriving. Accordingly, the conditions here are much more modest. They are represented by only one cottage town and one campground. But you can get to Notre Roma only in summer, as the roads can be blocked by snow during the rest of the year. True, such adversity is not a serious obstacle for extreme lovers who go to a wonderful place on foot or ski.
But this area of the Canyon will be a real boon for those who love silence and want to be alone with the gorge.
Indian Reservations
In the southwestern part of the park, there is a reservation of the smallest ethnic group represented by the indigenous people of America - the Havasupai Indian tribe. Today the population does not exceed 650 Indians. The tribe has occupied the area since the 13th century.
The main occupations of the tribe were agriculture and hunting. They cultivated land plots that were located at the bottom of the canyon, and the upper part of the plateau rose to hunt. Such a measured life of the aborigines was interrupted by the decree of President Charles Arthur, who since 1882 all lands were transferred to the ownership of the state. In 1975, part of the tribe's land was returned. Once in these places, we recommend visiting the Havasu Falls, which is considered one of the most striking sights of the Grand Canyon.
Another representative of the ancient Indian peoples is the Walapai tribe. The reservation was created on an area of 404 hectares in 1883. There are significantly more Indians here than their neighbors - there are approximately 2,300 members. In addition to traditional activities in the form of cattle breeding and agriculture, the Indians began to provide tourist services for everyone.
In particular, the local attraction Hualapai Ranch, which is built in the image of the western town, causes a lot of delight among visitors. Everyone can have fun here, riding on old stagecoaches, horses or feel like a real Wild West cowboy. The Walapai Indians are pleased to offer boat rides on the Colorado River on homemade motor boats.
Skywalk
Nearby is one of the most beautiful and highest areas for a panoramic view, which will allow you to appreciate all the delights of the Grand Canyon. This is Skywalk. The glass bottom of the observation deck creates the impression of weightlessness, allowing you to look into the very depths of the gorge. The site is built in the form of a horseshoe, the most distant point of which is located at a distance of 21 meters from the surface of the gorge. The originality of the platform lies in the fact that it is fastened only with the help of huge bolts and does not have a single support. The thickness of the glass panels is 10 cm.
But there is one small "but". Access to the site is paid and is $ 90! This is a lot of money even for such vivid impressions. And that is not all. Taking pictures from the site is prohibited. All cameras and cameras are taken by security guards at the entrance, and it is possible to capture the happy moment of being on the observation "horseshoe" only by using the services of professional photographers and for a fee.
How to get there
If you are not a resident of Arizona or any other part of the United States, you will have to take a plane. It is recommended to buy a ticket to Las Vegas or Phoenix, and then get on the bus. [Tp_search_shortcodes id = 4 origin = ”” destination = ”LAS”]
Alternatively, you can transfer and fly directly to the Grand Canyon Airport. It is located just three kilometers from the entrance to the park.
From virtually anywhere in the United States, you can reach the Grand Canyon by train. But such a trip will have to spend much more time.
What else can you see interesting in the USA? There are a lot of options, for example - Lake Powell, Thor's Well, Antelope Canyon.
