The Grand Canyon, including its extensive system of tributary canyons, is valued for its combination of size, depth, and exposed layers of colorful rocks dating back to Precambrian times. The canyon itself was created by the incision of the Colorado River and its tributaries after the Colorado Plateau was uplifted, causing the Colorado River system to develop along its present path.

The primary public areas of the park are the South and North Rims, and adjacent areas of the canyon itself. The rest of the park is extremely rugged and remote, although many places are accessible by pack trail and backcountry roads. The South Rim is more accessible than the North Rim, and accounts for 90% of park visitation.

Established: February 26, 1919

Size: 1,201, 647 acres

Rank: 11

#Visitors in 2018: 6,380,495

(February 2009)  I have only made 2 short visits to the Grand Canyon, falling way short of what I consider an official visit to a park as large and grand as this.  Both visits were side trips from the primary trips to Las Vegas.   My ex-husband and I drove  over 4  hours one-way to arrive at the South Rim Village area.  We did a half-day hike partway down into the canyon on South Kaibab Trail.  We really didn’t want to leave, but we had the 4+ hr drive back to do yet that day…. I was much younger and a lot crazier back then. 

 In 2009, I had not yet gotten serious about photography.  I had my first Nikon DLSR (D40) with a single lens (18-200mm) and did the best I knew how at the time.  I haven’t even looked at these photos for the past 10 years, until I dug them out of my iPhone files yesterday (March 28, 2020- WOW!!).  I did the best I could to fix a few of these to be passable photos to document my visit.  it definitely makes me anxious to return.  I don’t like the idea of competing with over 6 million visitors a year, so we’ll have to plan carefully and go during the shoulder season.  

My 2nd visit was on a helicopter; taken out of Vegas and landing along the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon.  Sadly, I either took no photos or cannot find them.