The terraces
Over the drop.
Romain — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Grand Canyon National Park — CC BY 2.0 · Grand Canyon National Park — CC BY 2.0 · Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mgimelfarb — CC0 · Grand Canyon National Park — CC BY 2.0 · Grand Canyon National Park — Public domain · Grand Canyon National Park — CC BY 2.0
The Grand Canyon is a vast, steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, 446 kilometres long, up to 29 kilometres wide and more than 1,850 metres deep. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1979, and it draws about five million visitors a year. Mather Point on the South Rim, at 2,170 metres, is the first view most visitors get, as it sits close to the main visitor centre, with stone terraces jutting out over the drop and layers of coloured rock stretching to the distant North Rim. The canyon's layers tell the story of the Earth over millions of years in reds, oranges and purples that shift with the sun, and from here the Rim Trail runs along the edge to the village and other viewpoints. Park entry is $35 per vehicle or $20 per person for seven days, and non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person, per the National Park Service. Sunrise and sunset are the best times, and it is cold up on the rim in winter, so bring suitable clothes and plenty of water.
Over the drop.
On the layers.
To the village.
South Rim, near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, Arizona
$35 per vehicle or $20 per person, and non-US residents aged 16+ pay an extra $100 each, per the National Park Service.
Spring and autumn for mild weather; sunrise and sunset are the best hours.