AMERICA'S ONE AND ONLY - THE GRAND CANYON

Andrew J. Wein - Nov 29, 2010
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The Grand Canyon is a wonder of nature which usually makes the top ten of most popular places to visit in America. It is strikingly beautiful and some 4.5 million visitors come there every year to admire its phenomenal vistas.

 

The Grand Canyon lies mostly in Arizona and belongs to the world's most amazing natural wonders. Its geographical features are fascinating; it was carved by Colorado River over a period of 3-6 million years and is nearly 1/3 of the Earth's age. The Great Canyon is a hiker's dream but all who plan to come there should be aware that it is both gorgeous and challenging.

Visitors choose to come here either in spring or autumn when the weather is less extreme; the inner canyon may heat up to 40° Celsius and hiking in such temperatures and hot sun may easily become a health hazard. In winter, some parts become rather dangerous and the North rim is only accessible with skis. The canyon is 6-28 km wide and 445 km long and interestingly enough, it is slightly tilted. The Northern rim is actually 60 meters higher.

There are many recommended trails of varying difficulty, but all allow one to witness the ingenious creation of the canyon, layer after layer. Even if it is rather dry and not much vegetation grows there apart from the ever-present cacti, the scenery never fails to impress with its striking color schemes and ancient magnificence. Hikers may spend the night at ranches or campgrounds. Delicious food is provided, but modern amenities such as TV or internet are a taboo.

The Grand Canyon features a triumph of nature; its vastness is overwhelming and many rare species of birds, mammals and reptiles live here. It makes no difference it is not the deepest or widest canyon in the world. The Grand Canyon has no equal.

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