Grand Canyon, Official Site! Grand Canyon Tours! How Big is the Grand Canyon? How Old is the Grand Canyon? Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours! Fabulous Grand Canyon Sight Seeing Tours from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon via Helicopter!
HOW BIG IS THE GRAND CANYON?
The Grand Canyon National Park includes over 1,218,376 acres of land or 1,904 square miles (4,931 square km). Most people measure the canyon in Colorado River miles. By that standard, Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long. It begins at Lees Ferry and ends at Grand Wash Cliffs.
The Colorado River is longer than the Grand Canyon, flowing 1,450 miles (2333 km) from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in Mexico. The Grand Canyon is only one of the many beautiful canyons carved by the river. Others include Cataract Canyon and Glen Canyon, the latter now lying beneath the waters of Lake Powell. Most people agree however, that the Grand Canyon is by far the most spectacular. It is unique on earth.
Width and depth of the canyon vary from place to place. At the South Rim, it's a vertical mile or about 5000 feet from rim to the river, or 7 miles (11.3 km) by trail. At its deepest, it is 6000 vertical feet (1829 km) from rim to river. The width of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village is 10 miles (16 km) rim to rim, though in places it is as much as 18 miles (29 km) wide.
ARE THERE DAMS IN THE GRAND CANYON? No dams exist within the Grand Canyon National Park. At the lower end of the canyon is Lake Mead, formed by the waters behind Hoover Dam (Formally called Boulder Dam). The Hoover Dam, just outside of Las Vegas was completed in 1936.
HOW OLD IS THE GRAND CANYON? The rocks exposed in the walls of the canyon are geologically quite old, however if you go down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon or take a Helicopter tour, you will see rock formations that are close to 2000 million years old.
GRAND CANYON HISTORY
The Grand Canyon is unmatched throughout the world, spectacular views, awe inspiring to all visitors. The Grand Canyon is known for its overwhelming size, its intricate and colorful landscapes, beautiful sunsets, and serenity. Geologically it is significant because the thick layers of rock, beautifully preserved, expose ancient walls and early geological history.
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