National Parks of ChinaOverview
| Designation | UNESCO World Heritage (natural, 1979) US National Park |
| Location | Arizona, on the Colorado River |
| Latitude, longitude | 36.1, -112.0 Google Maps |
| Highlights | Giant canyon, waterfalls |
| Top sights | Hermit Road, the canyon floor |
| Wildlife | Mountain lions |
| Area | 1,217,000 acres |
| Length | 277 miles |
| Depth | 6,000 ft |
| Nearby cities | Las Vegas |
| Nearby sites | Antelope Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Petrified Forest National Park |
| Themes | Canyons, Rivers, Deserts, Stamps |
About
Grand Canyon National Park is in Arizona, in the southwestern United States. The Colorado River carved the canyon over six million years. It is 277 miles long, up to 6,000 feet deep and up to 18 miles wide.
The oldest rocks in the canyon formed 2 billion years ago. The national park was created in 1919.
You can enter the Grand Canyon from the South Rim or the North Rim.
Most visitors base themselves at Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.
On day one, explore Hermit Road, west of Grand Canyon Village.
On day two, drive Desert View Drive, east of Grand Canyon Village.
With more time, consider going down to the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. The park offers guided mule rides, but you must book ahead.
Stamps
Grand Canyon Skywalk
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is in Grand Canyon West, on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in Arizona. It opened on March 20, 2007. Built on a cliff at Grand Canyon West, 4,000 feet above the canyon floor, it is a 10-foot-wide, U-shaped glass viewing platform. From a distance it looks like a giant horseshoe, and it juts 70 feet out from the cliff edge. The project cost about $41 million.
Grand Canyon West is not part of Grand Canyon National Park.
The tribe puts up no railings or fences there, so visitors can walk right up to the cliff edge to take in the view.
Accidents
In February 2008 a 44-year-old male visitor fell to his death from a cliff on the South Rim.
Park staff noticed his abandoned car and began a search, and finally found his body.
In October 2007 a 4-year-old girl fell to her death at Mather Point.
From 1925 to 2005, a total of 45 people died in accidental falls at the Grand Canyon.
Even more visitors died of heart attacks brought on by the strain of hiking.
On the morning of February 25, 2008, four young Chinese women, including two government-sponsored students from China, were in a car crash near the Grand Canyon in Arizona while passing in the oncoming lane. Three died at the scene. The driver was badly injured and taken to hospital, and survived.