Grand Canyon: Becoming America's National Treasure

Above, the Watchtower at Grand Canyon National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Although the Colorado River has been carving it for eons, it has been only 100 years this month since the Grand Canyon in Arizona became a national park.

In commemoration of the centennial of Grand Canyon National Park, the Washington Post has an article on our national treasure.

They begin it with:

Native peoples knew it by several names, but it’s the one that explorer John Wesley Powell gave it in 1869 that stuck: the Grand Canyon. 

Though not the world’s longest or deepest canyon, it is grand. Some 6 million tourists descend on northern Arizona each year for the stunning views from its north and south rims, 18 miles apart at the widest point. More adventurous visitors hike or ride mules to the canyon floor a mile below, or raft down the Colorado River, whose currents carved the canyon millions of years ago. Humans arrived in the area 12,000 years ago, and some native tribes live there today. 

In February 1919 the Grand Canyon became one of our earliest national parks. It’s also one of the largest, about the size of Delaware. The Colorado River winds through it for 277 miles, longer than the distance between Washington, D.C., and New York City. 

As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the canyon is a huge outdoor lab for geologists (who study rocks) and others interested in studying its past and protecting its future.

To read more, go here.