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There are so many tourist attractions in the world, some are man-made like monuments, museums and other architectural wonders while majority are naturally-made such as mountains, lakes, falls, gorges... |
There are so many tourist attractions in the world, some are man-made like monuments, museums and other architectural wonders while majority are naturally-made such as mountains, lakes, falls, gorges and other natural wonders.
In the United States, many of its natural wonders such as the Niagara Falls, Old Faithful Geyser, The Everglades, the Rocky Mountains and many more are visited by a lot of vacationers the whole year round. But there’s one natural wonder that is considered as one of the greatest tourist attractions in America and that is the Grand Canyon, which attracted approximately 5 million tourists every year.
A brief description of the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is considered as a steep-sided gorge located in the state of Arizona. The canyon was created by the Colorado River over a period of 17 million year time span due to the natural process of erosions. It is situated within the Grand Canyon National Park, which is one of the first national parks in the country.
The canyon is 446 km (277 miles) long, which attains a depth of more than 1.6 km and ranges in width from 6.4 to 29 km (4 to 18 miles).
The rock layers that are exposed in the canyon are like pages of a great story book, nearly 2 billion years of the Earth’s history. While the Colorado Plateau was uplifting, the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their conduit through stratum upon stratum of rock.
The canyon was inhabited by Native Americans and built their homes within the canyon and its various caves. The Pueblo people also made settlement in the canyon and considered it as a holy site. They even made pilgrimage on the canyon.
It is not the deepest canyon, however, it is known for its awe-inspiring size and its colorful and intricate landscape. It is even unrivaled throughout the world for the panorama it offers to vacationers on the rim.
Historical buildings and other attractions
There are a lot of historical buildings you can visit along the South Rim and most of them are located in the Grand Canyon Village. Some of these buildings include Buckey O’Neill Cabin, the El Tovar Hotel and the Grand Canyon Railway Depot.
Buckey O’Neill Cabin is considered as the longest continually standing structure located in the South Rim. It was built by William Owen O’Neill during the 1890s. Presently, the cabin is used as a guest house for vacationers who want to visit the Grand Canyon.
The El Tovar Hotel, on the other hand, is considered as South Rim’s most luxurious lodge. This 4 story hotel was constructed in 1905 and was planned by Charles Whittlesley. Located inside the hotel is a restaurant and a gift shop.
Of the fourteen train stations ever built in the United States, the Grand Canyon Railway Depot is one of only three log-cabin-style railway depot existing today. It was constructed in 1909.
Other attractions include Lipan Point and Toroweap Overlook. Lipan Point is a promontory or headland situated on the South Rim. By visiting in this place, you can have a great view of the Unkar Creek area in the inner canyon as well as the various rock strata in the area. Toroweap Overlook or Tuweep provides the most heart-stooping view of the canyon below. It is located 3,000 feet above the Colorado River. According to the National Park Service, this is the most remote in the country.
Recreational activities you can engage to
Other options you can do to have a more leisurely view of the canyon is through the Coconino Canyon Train, which is a ninety-minute train ride that start at the old Grand Canyon Depot in the Grand Canyon National Park and passes through 24 miles of the canyon’s landscape.
If you’re the more adventurous type, you can view the canyon in a more vertical perspective by going on board a small airplane or a helicopter. However, some scenic flights are not permitted if they fly within the 1,500 feet of the rim due to recent incidence of crash.
Aside from the usual sightseeing of the Grand Canyon, you can do a lot of recreational activities. Among the popular activities are hiking, running, whitewater rafting and camping. While you’re at the floor of the valley you can traverse it on the back of a mule, by foot or by raft from upriver.
Truly, the Grand Canyon is an impressive and must visited tourist attraction. If you haven’t visited the place yet, then it is about time for you to experience the excitement and the adventure of a lifetime.