State Parks and National Parks

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon is not the deepest in the world, or even in the United States, but it is known throughout the world for its overwhelming size, colorful landscape and incomparable vistas. In carving this vast canyon, the Colorado River has exposed ancient rock layers that record much of the early geologic history of North America.

The canyon is 277 river miles long, beginning at Lees Ferry near the Utah border and ending at the Grand Walsh Wash Cliffs near the edge of Lake Mead. The Grand Canyon is located entirely within Arizona and most of the canyon lies within Grand Canyon National Park. The park includes more than 1.2 million acres of land.

At its deepest, the canyon is 6,000 vertical feet from rim to river. At the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village, it's a vertical mile from rim to river, or 7.5 miles by hiking trail. A trip to the bottom of the canyon and back, on foot or by mule, is at least a two-day journey.

Overnight hikers may stay and eat at Phantom Ranch (reservations required).

Hikers must pack plenty of water. While summer temperatures on the South Rim are a relatively pleasant 50-80 degrees F, temperatures in the canyon can be extreme, with daytime highs at river level often exceeding 100 degrees F.

More than 4 million people see the Grand Canyon each year, most from their cars at overlooks along the South Rim. The South Rim is the most accessible part of the park and is open year-round. Fewer visitors see the canyon from the North Rim, only 10 miles from the South Rim as the crow flies, but a 220-mile journey by car or 21-mile, three-day hike by way of the North and South Kaibab Trails. Because of its higher elevation and greater snowfall, the road to the North Rim is closed from late October to mid-May.

The only way to cross the canyon by car is on the Navajo Bridge, just a few miles downstream from Lees Ferry where the canyon is still only 400 feet wide.

For those who want to see the canyon from the Colorado River, about 16 operators offer trips on motorized or oar-powered rafts and dories. River trips range from a few days to three weeks; there are no one-day river trips through the Grand Canyon!

Grand Canyon Village at the South Rim has food, lodging, campgrounds and a full range of services. The North Rim has food, lodging, a campground and other services. Reservations are essential for lodging, camping and mule trips, which often are booked a year ahead.

To reserve North and South Rim lodging, RV camping on the South Rim or a mule trip from the South Rim, call Xanterra Parks and Resorts at 888-297-2757 (114001 E. Illiff, Suite 600, Aurora, Colo., 80014.) To reserve a mule trip from the North Rim call Grand Canyon Trail Rides at 435-679-8665.

For South and North Rim campground reservations, call 800-365-2267 or 877-444-6777. All overnight camping below the rim, as well as camping in undeveloped areas on the rim, requires a permit from the Backcountry Information Center, Grand Canyon National Park, P.O. Box 129, Grand Canyon, Ariz., 86023. The phone number is 928-638-7875.

Only experienced paddlers should kayak on the river. Most paddlers use rafts of various designs. A list of permitted river- running concessionaires is found at www.nps.gov/grca.

Private rafting parties must have a permit available through the Backcountry Information Center. Call 800-959-9164 for river rafting information.

Photo credits in order: Photo by Tom Bean, courtesy of National Park Service. Photo by Tom Bean, courtesy of National Park Service. Courtesy of Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau.