Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
At 277 river-miles long, an average of ten miles wide and nearly one mile deep, the Grand Canyon is widely proclaimed as one of the wonders of the natural world. Unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms decorate this immense canyon that will surely overwhelm your senses.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Stephen MartinPhone Number: 928-638-7888
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $12; Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $25
Sights: Grand Canyon of the Colorado River; Bright Angel Lodge; Canyon View Plaza; Desert View Watchtower; El Tovar Hotel; Hermit's Rest; Kolb Studio; Mather Point; Yavapai Observation Station
Endangered Species: Humpback Chub; Razorback Sucker; Kanab Ambersnail; California Brown Pelican; Yuma Clapper Rail; Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
Important Dates
Established as Park: February 26, 1919By The Numbers
Acres: 1,217,400.00Highest Point: Lookout Tower Ridge (9180 feet)
Annual Visitation: 4,279,439 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :36.114530 / -113.240010 (map it)
State: AZ
Nearby Big City: Grand Canyon, AZ
Gateway Communities: Grand Canyon, AZ; North Rim, AZ
Nearby Airports: Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS); Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX); Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : Yes
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Upcoming Events
- Jul 21 2008 - 9:00am - Jul 21 2008 - 7:00pm
- Jul 23 2008 - 9:00am - Jul 23 2008 - 7:00pm
Park Photos
Bright Angel Trail Hike
Tom Grundy
Canyon Landscape
Sourav and Joyeeta Chowd...
Cedar Ridge
Ryan Morgan
View More Grand Canyon Photos
In Detail
Activities & Programs The South Rim of the park is open all year. Each magical season has its own mood and activities. SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL Spring comes late in the high country, but a trip into the canyon brings dese ... read more.
At Your Fingertips Park Headquarters and Information: (928) 638-7888; www.nps.gov/grca Emergencies—911: If calling from a lodge: 9-911 Emergency Vehicle Repair/Towing: (928) 638-2631, ext. 6502 Backcountry Inform ... read more.
Field Institute In its 14th season, the Grand Canyon Field Institute (GCFI) offers visitors the opportunity to explore one of North America's premier destinations in the company of seasoned guides. A program of the ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Because the Grand Canyon ranges from 1,200 feet at the canyon's western bottom to more than 9,100 feet on the North Rim, it supports a variety of plant and animal life indigenous to both desert and m ... read more.
Fred Harvey Known as the "Civilizer of the West," Fred Harvey helped make the West more comfortable for travelers. An immigrant from England, he started his first restaurant in 1876 in Topeka, Kansas. Eventually ... read more.
Getting to the North Rim By Air: Delta Connection serves St. George, Utah, the near--est public transportation departure points to the North Rim. Airlines also serve Las Vegas, Nevada, where you can take connecting flights ... read more.
Grand Canyon Campgrounds ON THE RIM Mather Campground Located one mile southwest of Canyon View Information Plaza, the most popular of the South Rim campgrounds, Mather requires reservations from March 1 through mid-November ... read more.
Grand Canyon Camping Campers have their choice of two campgrounds and one RV campground on the South Rim. There are numerous primitive backcountry campgrounds, as well as two campgrounds located just outside the park. Pa ... read more.
Grand Canyon Geology Grand Canyon attracts the attention of the world for many reasons, but perhaps its greatest significance lies in the geologic record preserved and exposed here. The rocks at Grand Canyon are not inhe ... read more.
Grand Canyon History The Paiutes call the plateau that the canyon cuts through Kaibab, or "Mountain Lying Down." John Wesley Powell was the first to consistently use and publish the name, "Grand Canyon," in the 1870s. N ... read more.
Grand Canyon Railway ALL ABOARD TO THE GRAND CANYON! More than 100 years ago the first passenger train arrived at the South Rim. Today, Grand Canyon Railway continues this tradition by providing daily service between Wi ... read more.
Grand Canyon Regulations More than 4 million people visit Grand Canyon every year. Help preserve and protect the park for your fellow visitors and for future generations. Honor these key NPS regulations: Camping To protect ... read more.
Hopi House Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987, Hopi House has been selling authentic American Indian arts and crafts to visitors since the Fred Harvey Company opened its doors in 1905. Hopi House w ... read more.
In A Nutshell Open year-round, the South Rim has two entrances. The South Entrance is on Highway 64, from Flagstaff or Williams. The East Entrance is on Highway 64, via Cameron and Highway 89. Fees and Passes En ... read more.
Indian People The American Indian communities surrounding Grand Canyon actively maintain their ancient cultures and traditions. They have long been associated with exquisite but functional crafts which reflect the ... read more.
John Hance Captain John Hance, who built a trail and guest ranch east of Grandview Point, was one of Grand Canyon's most colorful characters. One visitor declared: "To see the canyon only, and not to see Captai ... read more.
Just For Kids Here are just a few of the many activities kids can enjoy at Grand Canyon National Park. Become a Junior Ranger By completing a list of activities -described in the Junior Ranger Activity Book, kid ... read more.
Lodging & Dining LODGING After an active day exploring Grand Canyon, visitors can relax at any of Xanterra's 922 rooms, cabins and suites. Choose from among three historic rustic lodging establishments and four mot ... read more.
Mary Elizabeth Architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter was fascinated by Southwestern and American Indian cultures. Her talent and determination to reflect the heritage of the region led to her designs of the Desert V ... read more.
North Rim Activities The North Rim offers spectacular scenery on the cool, moist Kaibab Plateau. Warm-weather activities include hiking, camping, sightseeing, photography, wildlife observation, pack tours, ranger program ... read more.
Recent News
- Grand Canyon Is Subject of Free Photo Workshops July 11, 2008, 11:45 am
- Cast Of Thousands Keeps Grand Canyon Humming July 2, 2008, 10:51 am
- New Train Debuts at the Grand Canyon June 26, 2008, 11:18 am
- Hitting the trail with Fido May 14, 2008, 2:23 pm
- Carjacking suspects sought at Grand Canyon May 14, 2008, 2:19 pm
- A rush for uranium May 14, 2008, 2:08 pm
- Fire raging toward Grand Canyon April 30, 2008, 12:37 pm
Grand Canyon In Depth
News from the Parks
Denali National Park Goes Greener With New Hybrid Commercial Bus From IC Bus
July 18, 2008 - 12:55pm
DENALI, Alaska, July 17, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ----Visitors to Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve, one of the largest protected intact ecosystems in the world, will now have the opportunity to explore the park with the aid of an environmentally friendly vehicle -- a fuel-efficient and emissions-reducing hybrid bus. IC Bus, North America's largest school bus and commercial bus manufacturer, is delivering the Park's first hybrid bus on July 17.
July 18, 2008 - 12:55pm
DENALI, Alaska, July 17, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ----Visitors to Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve, one of the largest protected intact ecosystems in the world, will now have the opportunity to explore the park with the aid of an environmentally friendly vehicle -- a fuel-efficient and emissions-reducing hybrid bus. IC Bus, North America's largest school bus and commercial bus manufacturer, is delivering the Park's first hybrid bus on July 17.
Canyoneering Heaven At Zion National Park
July 18, 2008 - 10:17am
Lee and Brian are loaded like sherpas, each hauling an end of the 700-foot-long rope and moving in lockstep as they hike down a dry creek bed through a ponderosa pine forest atop a mesa about 6,000 feet above sea level. Behind us, at the end of a wretched logging road that almost made a couple of people in our group sick, is Lee's truck, which we'll come back for the next day. Ahead of us is . . . one big drop. The creek bed ends at a sheer cliff that plunges into what looks like an enormous hole. Walking to the edge, I peer over and can't see the bottom. This is the start of Engelstead Canyon.
July 18, 2008 - 10:17am
Lee and Brian are loaded like sherpas, each hauling an end of the 700-foot-long rope and moving in lockstep as they hike down a dry creek bed through a ponderosa pine forest atop a mesa about 6,000 feet above sea level. Behind us, at the end of a wretched logging road that almost made a couple of people in our group sick, is Lee's truck, which we'll come back for the next day. Ahead of us is . . . one big drop. The creek bed ends at a sheer cliff that plunges into what looks like an enormous hole. Walking to the edge, I peer over and can't see the bottom. This is the start of Engelstead Canyon.
Shenandoah National Park Launches Multimedia Tour Inviting Visitors to Experience the Blue Ridge Mountains Like Never Before
July 18, 2008 - 9:30am
Austin, Texas - Greta Miller, Executive Director of the Shenandoah National Park Association announced today the launch of a new interpretive tool, the GPS Ranger™, for visitors at Shenandoah National Park. Visitors to the park can experience the Blue Ridge Mountains and learn more about the park’s unique history, land, plants, and animals with the assistance of the multimedia GPS Ranger™ tour guide system. Informative and educational ranger-narrated videos automatically play as guests hike.
July 18, 2008 - 9:30am
Austin, Texas - Greta Miller, Executive Director of the Shenandoah National Park Association announced today the launch of a new interpretive tool, the GPS Ranger™, for visitors at Shenandoah National Park. Visitors to the park can experience the Blue Ridge Mountains and learn more about the park’s unique history, land, plants, and animals with the assistance of the multimedia GPS Ranger™ tour guide system. Informative and educational ranger-narrated videos automatically play as guests hike.
Hiker tackles every mile of trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
July 18, 2008 - 9:28am
Sixty-three year old Diane Scarbrough loves to spend time in the Smoky Mountains. "Anybody that can be out there for any length of time," she says. "It's uplifting." Diane's passion for hiking turned into a mission to hike every mile of trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. "We call it the 900 mile club. Actually it comes out to be 845, but I think they round that off because it takes a long time to get to a trail. We may hike 4 miles to get to the trail we are hiking on," Diane explains.
July 18, 2008 - 9:28am
Sixty-three year old Diane Scarbrough loves to spend time in the Smoky Mountains. "Anybody that can be out there for any length of time," she says. "It's uplifting." Diane's passion for hiking turned into a mission to hike every mile of trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. "We call it the 900 mile club. Actually it comes out to be 845, but I think they round that off because it takes a long time to get to a trail. We may hike 4 miles to get to the trail we are hiking on," Diane explains.
Rabid bat in Olympic National Park puts visitor, three employees in treatment
July 18, 2008 - 9:25am
The Olympic National Park's first possible case of rabies since 1977 has struck a woman who was in the Ozette campground late last week. The 55-year-old woman is getting rabies prevention treatment after a bat scratched her in the Ozette campground. Three Olympic National Park employees who responded to the incident are also receiving treatment. The bat approached the woman at her campsite. She knocked the bat to the ground and got scratched. The stunned bat remained on the ground until the next morning. Park employees removed the bat for rabies testing. The rabies virus was found in the bat. The only other known case of rabies in Olympic National Park was recorded 33 years ago in July 1975, when a child was bitten by a bat in the Elwha Valley.
July 18, 2008 - 9:25am
The Olympic National Park's first possible case of rabies since 1977 has struck a woman who was in the Ozette campground late last week. The 55-year-old woman is getting rabies prevention treatment after a bat scratched her in the Ozette campground. Three Olympic National Park employees who responded to the incident are also receiving treatment. The bat approached the woman at her campsite. She knocked the bat to the ground and got scratched. The stunned bat remained on the ground until the next morning. Park employees removed the bat for rabies testing. The rabies virus was found in the bat. The only other known case of rabies in Olympic National Park was recorded 33 years ago in July 1975, when a child was bitten by a bat in the Elwha Valley.
