【地质旅游赏读】The Grand Canyon, Colorado, USA. (科罗拉多大峡谷)

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. Vast, magnificent and inarguably beautiful, the Grand Canyon is easily Arizona’s most distinguishable landmark – and a natural wonder that you simply have to see to believe. It is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,093 feet or 1,857 meters). 

The Grand Canyon is a river valley in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata, and is also one of the six distinct physiographic sections of the Colorado Plateau province. It is not the deepest canyon in the world (Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal is much deeper). However, the Grand Canyon is known for its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically, it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are well preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. 

The canyon is the result of erosion which exposes one of the most complete geologic columns on the planet. The major geologic exposures in the Grand Canyon range in age from the 2-billion-year-old Vishnu Schist at the bottom of the Inner Gorge to the 230-million-year-old Kaibab Limestone on the Rim. For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon National Park (大峡谷国家公园), the Kaibab National Forest (凯巴布国家森林), Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument (Parashant国家纪念碑), the Hualapai Indian Reservation (瓦拉派印地安保留区), the Havasupai Indian Reservation (哈瓦苏派印第安保留地) and the Navajo Nation (纳瓦荷民族).

The Grand Canyon is divided into three unique areas that each offer a distinct and unique experience and vantage point.

1. The South Rim and Grand Canyon Village

Due to its proximity to Flagstaff and Williams, the South Rim is the Grand Canyon’s most popular destination. Home to park headquarters, Grand Canyon Village features the park’s largest collection of services, including hotels and lodges, restaurants, a general store, laundry and shower facilities, a bank with an ATM, and a public garage for emergency repairs. Grand Canyon National Park is the jewel of the American Southwest. It is open year-round and regarded by many as the Grandest of the Canyons. Most Grand Canyon photographs you have seen have been of none of other than the Grand Canyon South Rim.

2. The North Rim

While high elevation and heavy snow keep the North Rim closed during the winter months, this less-traveled area – far away from the crowds of Grand Canyon Village – is a remote, relaxing place to enjoy the beauty of the canyon in solitude. Usually accessible from mid-May to October, the North Rim offers visitors a campground, general store, and camper facilities. It’s also home to the historic and rustic Grand Canyon Lodge. Additional campgrounds, lodging options, and stores are available at the Jacob Lake Inn year round, approximately 45 miles north, outside the entrance to the park.

3. The West Rim

Between the entertainment capitol of the   world, Las Vegas, and Grand Canyon's South Rim lies a place known simply as   the Grand Canyon West Rim. Here, you're surrounded by the Tribal Indian   reservation of The Hualapai from the ground to the sky. In the old days, the most thrilling view you could get of   the Grand Canyon came standing at its edge. In 2007, that view got even   better with the opening of the Skywalk at Eagle Point. This 10-foot-wide,   horseshoe-shaped glass bridge extends 70 feet out over the rim of the Canyon.   Look down and you can see right through the glass platform 4,000 feet to the   floor of the Canyon below. While it's not as lush as   the South Rim, the colors of the West Rim are a sight to be reckoned with,   showcasing the result of millions of years of weathering and erosion.

4. A Bird View of Grand Canyon

鸟瞰科罗拉多大峡谷

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