GRAND CANYON
Nature's greatest example of sculpture, the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona is
the most spectacular canyon in the world. It is a 446-kilometre gorge cut through high
plateaus by the Colorado River. It is noted for its fantastic shapes and colours. Within the
walls of the canyon stand imposing peaks, canyons and ravines. In general, the colour of
the canyon is red, but each layer or group of layers has a distinctive hue - buff and gray,
delicate green and pink, and, in its depths, brown, slate-gray and violet. The canyon
extends in a winding course from the mouth of the Paria River, near the northern
boundary of Arizona, to Grand Wash Cliffs, near the Nevada line. Grand Canyon National
Park, which has 493,076 hectares, was established in 1919. Its area was greatly
enlarged in 1975 by the addition of adjoining lands so that it now extends from Lake
Powell to Lake Mead. The north and south rims of the canyon are connected by a paved
road and by a trans-canyon trail. Scenic drives and trails lead to all the canyon's
important features. Mule trips are a popular way of viewing and experiencing the beauty
of the vast canyon, as is river rafting on the Colorado River, which can be quite exciting
and dangerous as the gorge has many rapids. Many cliff-dweller ruins indicate prehistoric
occupation, while several Indian tribes continue to live on nearby reservations. No other
place on the Earth compares with the mile-deep Grand Canyon for its record of
geological events. Some of the canyon's rocks date back about 4 billion years. The
river's speed and such "cutting tools" as sand, gravel and mud account for its incredible
cutting capacity. The canyon has many varieties of wildlife. Willow trees and cottonwoods
grow at the bottom of the canyon where there is plenty of water. There are magnificent
forests on the north rim of the canyon where the soil is moist and deep. There are also
drought-resistant plants, including numerous species of cactus. The first sighting of the
Grand Canyon by Europeans is credited to the Coronado expedition of 1540. In 1869,
John Wesley Powell organized the first party to go through the canyon. His account
remains a classic of American travel. By the 1870s, extensive reports on the area were
being published.
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