Grand Canyon National Park

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Horseshoe Bend at Grand Canyon Pixabay Public Domain

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon National Park, located in northwestern Arizona, is a massive area filled with unique combinations of geologic color and erosion forms. This park was recognized and federally protected in 1893, receiving national park status in 1919 and World Heritage Site status shortly thereafter. The canyon itself is overwhelmingly large and gorgeous, at 18 miles wide, one mile deep, and 277 miles long. This grandiose size (a total of 1,218,375 acres) and picturesque backdrop has given this park an average of five million visitors every year!

The history of this park is also very impressive, with over 4,300 archaeological resources found making it one of the most studied landscapes in the world. There has been evidence of 11 major tribes calling this area home, as well as three out of the four geological eras of time being seen within the canyon walls. Your group will find a rich and diverse fossil record, a vast array of rock types, and numerous prehistoric and geological information-filled caves within the park. Your group will also find over 1,500 species of plants, 355 species of bird, 89 mammal species, 17 fish, and nine reptiles. The entire park encompasses five out of seven of the natural life and habitat zones as well!

While here, your group can take advantage of the many walking and hiking trails, rim donkey trail rides, or Trail of Time tours. You can utilize your smartphone for downloadable and personalized park tours, or head over to the visitor center or museum for more in-depth information and tour narration. Your group can take advantage of the Colorado River recreation for an active adventure, or stick with the roads and see it all by car tour. Be sure to bring a camera and walking shoes, because your group won’t want to miss a moment of this massive, marvelous, magical trip to the Grand Canyon!