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The Grand Canyon and More for You Discovery Now

It is the king of all the canyons, wonderful, endless, and indescribable. No photo can actually adequately illustrate the grandeur of the Grand Canyon. A visit to https://grandcanyondestinations.com makes things easier for you now.

https://grandcanyondestinations.com

Geographical Location

The Grand Canyon is 443 km long from Lee’s Ferry just past the Glen Canyon Dam, south of Lake Powell to Lake Mead. The average width is 16 km, but at the narrowest point, this is reduced to only 8 km. The Grand Canyon National Park covers an area of ​​4931 sq. Km. the rocks that form the walls are between 250 million years old of the Kaibab Limestone, which is located at the top, and the two billion years of the valley floor.

Each rocky layer represents a distinct geological era, and in the opinion of many, there is no other place in the world where the geological history of the earth is so clearly legible. A third of our planet’s history is visible by exploring the Grand Canyon. The north rim (North Rim) has an average height of about 2438 m, while its highest point, Point Imperial, reaches 2682 m.

The average height of the south rim (South Rim) is 2072 m, but at Grandview Point, it touches 2255 m. The Colorado River flows at the bottom of the canyon at an average height of about 670 m above sea level. From Grand Canyon Village, from where the path called Bright Angel Trail starts, you have to descend 1524 m. to reach the Colorado River.

At every step along the edge, new perspectives are discovered, while, as the hours go by, the sunlight turns the shadows on and off.

Crossing it on foot is no small feat:

You have to go down to the Colorado River, cross a suspension bridge and go up the other side. Normally the company requires at least 3 days, and it is made a bit complicated by the need to book a place in the campground or in the lodges of the valley floor well in advance. The real problem in summer is the scorching heat that increases as you descend towards the river. In the bookshops of the area, a small volume is full of creepy stories of travelers and tourists who have embarked on a journey of no return.

We have limited ourselves given the unavailability of places in the valley floor campsites to partially cross two of the best-known trails that start from the south side (South Rim): Bright Angel Trail and Kaibab Trail. Descending along with the first of the two, you can reach Plateau Point, from where you have a beautiful view of the Colorado River. The return journey is approximately 18.5 km, with an altitude difference of over 900 m. and it is quite hard, especially in summer, when you have to deal with the risk of dehydration or insolation, even though there is no lack of water along the path.

Easily reached with a daily walk

Who knows, perhaps it was here that the first European conquistador arrived in 1540, Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, sent by the Spanish governor Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in search of the fabulous seven golden cities of Cibola. Cardenas tried for three days to find a passage that would allow him to reach the river, but he had to give up and go back. Only after three centuries, in 1869, an American of European origin.