Some places must be experienced first hand in order to grasp their grandeur. We have seen Imax shows, TV shows and many photos of
the Grand Canyon. Nothing can convey the magnitude of such an overwhelming
experience.
Our first glimpse of the Canyon was just a teaser. In the
far distance is The Painted Desert.
Each viewpoint provides a new perspective of the Canyon.
The Canyon goes on forever and the Watchtower is just discernible at 17
miles away.
The Canyon is approximately 1 mile deep.
It's from 10 to 19 miles across.
It stretches 277 miles.
The Colorado River averages 300 feet across.
The white dots on the river are 30-foot rafts.
At 1,900 square miles Grand Canyon National Park preserves
more than half the Canyon.
The rocks in the Canyon formed over thousands of millions of
years as the continental basement shifted and sank, allowing layer upon layer
of sediment to build up.
By 5 million years ago the Colorado River began carving the
Grand Canyon. Today rockfalls, landslides and flash floods continue to reshape
the Canyon walls.
In 1873 John Wesley Powell led an expedition through Grand
Canyon. He invited artist Thomas Moran to accompany his geologic survey. Moran's vibrantly coloured paintings helped inspire Western tourism and brought Grand
Canyon to life for a nation and the world.
Today Grand Canyon Village provides tourist facilities and
information. Hopi House was built in 1905 to provide Hopi artisans a place to
sell their arts and crafts.
Our visit to Grand Canyon was everything we expected and so
much more.
Words and photos can only begin to convey the immensity of
one of God’s evolving creations.
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