| Grand Canyon National Park | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Grand Canyon from the South Rim at dawn | |
 Interactive map of Grand Canyon National Park | |
| Location | Coconino andMohave counties, Arizona, United States |
| Nearest city | Fredonia, Arizona (North Rim) Tusayan, Arizona (South Rim) |
| Coordinates | 36°03′19″N112°07′19″W / 36.0552608°N 112.1218355°W /36.0552608; -112.1218355[2] |
| Area | 1,217,262 acres (4,926.08 km2)[3] |
| Established | January 11, 1908; 118 years ago (1908-01-11) as a national monument February 26, 1919; 106 years ago (1919-02-26) as a national park |
| Visitors | 4,919,163 (in 2024)[4] |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | nps |
| Criteria | Natural: vii, viii, ix, x |
| Reference | 75 |
| Inscription | 1979 (3rdSession) |
Grand Canyon National Park is anational park of the United States located in northwesternArizona, the 15th site to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is theGrand Canyon, agorge of theColorado River, which is often considered one of theWonders of the World. The park, which covers 1,217,262 acres (1,901.972 sq mi; 4,926.08 km2) ofunincorporated area inCoconino andMohavecounties, received more than 4.9 million recreational visitors in 2024.[5] The Grand Canyon was designated aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO in 1979. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.[6]
The Grand Canyon became well known to Americans in the 1880s after railroads were built and pioneers developed infrastructure and early tourism.[7] In 1903, PresidentTheodore Roosevelt visited the site and said,
The Grand Canyon fills me with awe. It is beyond comparison—beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world .... Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is. Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness. You cannot improve on it. But you can keep it for your children, your children's children, and all who come after you, as the one great sight which every American should see.[8]
Despite Roosevelt's enthusiasm and strong interest inpreserving land for public use, the Grand Canyon was not immediately designated as a national park. The first bill to establish Grand Canyon National Park was introduced in 1882 by then-SenatorBenjamin Harrison, which would have established Grand Canyon as the third national park in the United States, afterYellowstone andMackinac. Harrison unsuccessfully reintroduced his bill in 1883 and 1886; afterhis election to the presidency, he established the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve in 1893. Theodore Roosevelt created the Grand Canyon Game Preserve byproclamation on November 28, 1906,[9] and the Grand CanyonNational Monument on January 11, 1908.[10] Further Senate bills to establish the site as a national park were introduced and defeated in 1910 and 1911, before the Grand Canyon National Park Act (Pub. L. 65–277) was finally signed by PresidentWoodrow Wilson on February 26, 1919.[11] TheNational Park Service, established in 1916, assumed administration of the park.
The creation of the park was an early success of theconservation movement. Its national park status may have helped thwart proposals to dam the Colorado River within its boundaries. (Later, theGlen Canyon Dam would be built upriver.) A second Grand Canyon National Monument to the west was proclaimed in 1932.[12] In 1975, that monument andMarble Canyon National Monument, which was established in 1969 and followed the Colorado River northeast from the Grand Canyon toLees Ferry, were made part of Grand Canyon National Park. In 1979,UNESCO declared the park aWorld Heritage Site. The 1987 the National Parks Overflights Act[13] found that"Noise associated with aircraft overflights at the Grand Canyon National Park is causing a significant adverse effect on the natural quiet and experience of the park and current aircraft operations at the Grand Canyon National Park have raised serious concerns regarding public safety, including concerns regarding the safety of park users."
In 2010, Grand Canyon National Park was honored with its own coin under theAmerica the Beautiful Quarters program.[14] On February 26, 2019, the Grand Canyon National Park commemorated 100 years since its designation as a national park.[15]
The Grand Canyon had been part of the National Park Service's Intermountain Region until 2018.[citation needed] Today, the Grand Canyon is a part of Region 8, also known as the Lower Colorado Basin.[16]
On July 9, 2025, theDragon Bravo Fire led to multiple structures on the North Rim being destroyed, including theGrand Canyon Lodge.[17] The fire burned for more than a week using confine and contained strategies before firefighters started more aggressively tackling the fire. The fire is concurrent with another fire, the White Sage Fire.[18]
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 toPrecambrian times. The canyon itself was created by the incision of the Colorado River and its tributaries after theColorado 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 bypack trail and backcountry roads. The South Rim is more accessible than the North Rim and accounts for 90% of park visitation.[24]
The park headquarters are atGrand Canyon Village, not far from the South Entrance to the park, near one of the most popular viewpoints.
Most visitors to the park come to the South Rim, arriving onArizona State Route 64. The highway enters the park through the South Entrance, nearTusayan, Arizona, and heads eastward, leaving the park through the East Entrance.[25]Interstate 40 provides access to the area from the south. From the north,U.S. Route 89 connectsUtah,Colorado, and the North Rim to the South Rim.[26] Overall, some 30 miles of the South Rim are accessible by road.[27][citation needed]
Grand Canyon Village is the primary visitor services area in the park. It is a full-service community, including lodging, fuel, food, souvenirs, a hospital, churches, and access to trails and guided walks and talks.[28]
Several lodging facilities are available along the South Rim.[29] Hotels and other lodging includeEl Tovar,Bright Angel Lodge, Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge, andMaswik Lodge, all of which are located in Grand Canyon Village, andPhantom Ranch, located on the canyon floor.[29] There is also an RV Park named Trailer Village. All of these facilities are managed byXanterra Parks & Resorts, while the Yavapai Lodge (also in the village area) is managed byDelaware North.[29]
TheEl Tovar Hotel was built in 1905 as a luxury hotel for the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, on the South Rim near the railway's main line. It was designed by Charles Whittlesley, a staff architect for the railway. The hotel is reminiscent of a Swiss chalet or Norwegian villa, combined with local materials for a rustic appearance[30] sometimes called "National Park Service rustic."[31][32] It consists of 4 stories, with a gift shop and restaurant located inside the hotel.
Bright Angel Lodge was built of logs and stone in 1935.Mary Colter designed the lodge and it was built by theFred Harvey Company.[33] Inside the lodge is a small museum honoring Fred Harvey (1835–1901), who played a major role in popularizing the Grand Canyon. In the History Room is a stone fireplace layered in the same sequence as those in the canyon.[34][35]
The North Rim area of the park is located on theKaibab Plateau and Walhalla Plateau, directly across the Grand Canyon from the principal visitor areas on the South Rim. The North Rim's principal visitor areas are centered around Bright Angel Point. The North Rim is higher in elevation than the South Rim, at over 8,000 feet (2,400 m) of elevation. Because it is so much higher than the South Rim, it is closed from December 1 through May 15 each year, due to the enhanced snowfall at elevation. Visitor services are closed or limited in scope after October 15. Driving time from the South Rim to the North Rim is about 4.5 hours, over 220 miles (350 km).[24]
A popular destination on the North Rim has been the historicGrand Canyon Lodge,[29] along with the nearbyGrand Canyon Inn and Campground.[44] The main building of the Grand Canyon Lodge has been destroyed twice by fire—first in September 1932, in a fire that started in the kitchen,[45] and again in July 2025, due to theDragon Bravo Fire.[17]
According to theKöppen climate classification system, Grand Canyon National Park has five climate zones; Cold Semi-Arid (BSk), Humid Continental Dry Cool Summer (Dsb), Humid Continental Dry Warm Summer (Dsa), Warm Summer Mediterranean (Csb), and Hot Summer Mediterranean (Csa). Theplant hardiness zone at Grand Canyon Visitor Center is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 3.3 °F (−15.9 °C).[46]
| Climate data for Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–1967, 1976–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 64 (18) | 69 (21) | 77 (25) | 82 (28) | 92 (33) | 101 (38) | 97 (36) | 97 (36) | 93 (34) | 89 (32) | 74 (23) | 65 (18) | 101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.2 (12.9) | 58.8 (14.9) | 66.0 (18.9) | 74.6 (23.7) | 82.5 (28.1) | 91.4 (33.0) | 93.8 (34.3) | 89.9 (32.2) | 85.2 (29.6) | 77.5 (25.3) | 66.6 (19.2) | 58.1 (14.5) | 93.3 (34.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.3 (6.8) | 46.3 (7.9) | 53.6 (12.0) | 60.9 (16.1) | 69.9 (21.1) | 82.0 (27.8) | 84.9 (29.4) | 82.1 (27.8) | 75.8 (24.3) | 64.6 (18.1) | 53.2 (11.8) | 43.0 (6.1) | 63.4 (17.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.7 (−0.2) | 33.7 (0.9) | 39.3 (4.1) | 44.9 (7.2) | 52.8 (11.6) | 62.5 (16.9) | 67.7 (19.8) | 65.9 (18.8) | 59.8 (15.4) | 49.0 (9.4) | 39.0 (3.9) | 30.6 (−0.8) | 48.1 (8.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.2 (−7.1) | 21.1 (−6.1) | 25.0 (−3.9) | 28.8 (−1.8) | 35.6 (2.0) | 43.0 (6.1) | 50.4 (10.2) | 49.8 (9.9) | 43.7 (6.5) | 33.3 (0.7) | 24.7 (−4.1) | 18.2 (−7.7) | 32.7 (0.4) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 3.8 (−15.7) | 7.5 (−13.6) | 14.9 (−9.5) | 20.3 (−6.5) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 36.2 (2.3) | 44.2 (6.8) | 44.8 (7.1) | 35.3 (1.8) | 23.4 (−4.8) | 11.8 (−11.2) | 4.2 (−15.4) | 0.4 (−17.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −17 (−27) | −20 (−29) | −7 (−22) | 8 (−13) | 11 (−12) | 25 (−4) | 35 (2) | 35 (2) | 22 (−6) | 8 (−13) | −6 (−21) | −20 (−29) | −20 (−29) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.76 (45) | 1.23 (31) | 1.85 (47) | 0.64 (16) | 0.40 (10) | 0.22 (5.6) | 2.33 (59) | 2.19 (56) | 1.50 (38) | 1.23 (31) | 0.77 (20) | 1.25 (32) | 15.37 (390.6) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 12.9 (33) | 7.8 (20) | 8.1 (21) | 2.8 (7.1) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.1 (2.8) | 2.2 (5.6) | 8.0 (20) | 43.0 (109) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 6.4 | 6.1 | 5.9 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 7.0 | 10.1 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 64.1 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 4.0 | 3.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 17.0 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 217.0 | 226.0 | 279.0 | 330.0 | 372.0 | 390.0 | 341.0 | 341.0 | 300.0 | 279.0 | 240.0 | 217.0 | 3,532 |
| Mean dailysunshine hours | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| Mean dailydaylight hours | 10.0 | 10.9 | 12.0 | 13.1 | 14.1 | 14.6 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 9.8 | 12.2 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 70 | 73 | 75 | 84 | 85 | 89 | 77 | 81 | 81 | 80 | 78 | 71 | 79 |
| Averageultraviolet index | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| Source 1: NOAA[47][48] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather Atlas (sun data)[49] | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Grand Canyon National Park North Rim (Bright Angel Ranger Station), Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, 1925–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 63 (17) | 64 (18) | 67 (19) | 74 (23) | 85 (29) | 91 (33) | 92 (33) | 90 (32) | 88 (31) | 82 (28) | 66 (19) | 68 (20) | 92 (33) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 49.4 (9.7) | 50.8 (10.4) | 58.1 (14.5) | 66.2 (19.0) | 76.4 (24.7) | 84.1 (28.9) | 87.7 (30.9) | 83.9 (28.8) | 78.6 (25.9) | 68.4 (20.2) | 58.5 (14.7) | 50.3 (10.2) | 88.0 (31.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 36.2 (2.3) | 37.3 (2.9) | 44.3 (6.8) | 52.2 (11.2) | 62.0 (16.7) | 73.4 (23.0) | 77.2 (25.1) | 74.1 (23.4) | 67.1 (19.5) | 55.6 (13.1) | 44.7 (7.1) | 36.4 (2.4) | 55.0 (12.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 27.1 (−2.7) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 33.6 (0.9) | 40.2 (4.6) | 48.8 (9.3) | 58.2 (14.6) | 63.3 (17.4) | 61.2 (16.2) | 54.5 (12.5) | 44.3 (6.8) | 34.3 (1.3) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 43.4 (6.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 18.0 (−7.8) | 19.0 (−7.2) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 35.6 (2.0) | 42.9 (6.1) | 49.3 (9.6) | 48.3 (9.1) | 41.9 (5.5) | 33.0 (0.6) | 23.9 (−4.5) | 17.4 (−8.1) | 31.7 (−0.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −0.3 (−17.9) | 2.0 (−16.7) | 6.5 (−14.2) | 15.0 (−9.4) | 23.6 (−4.7) | 31.3 (−0.4) | 40.1 (4.5) | 40.4 (4.7) | 30.4 (−0.9) | 20.1 (−6.6) | 6.7 (−14.1) | −0.9 (−18.3) | −5.3 (−20.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) | −23 (−31) | −14 (−26) | −4 (−20) | 10 (−12) | 22 (−6) | 26 (−3) | 24 (−4) | 18 (−8) | 6 (−14) | −11 (−24) | −22 (−30) | −23 (−31) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.56 (90) | 3.48 (88) | 2.95 (75) | 1.56 (40) | 0.79 (20) | 0.37 (9.4) | 1.78 (45) | 2.75 (70) | 1.93 (49) | 1.75 (44) | 1.40 (36) | 1.86 (47) | 24.18 (613.4) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 33.0 (84) | 26.6 (68) | 23.6 (60) | 11.4 (29) | 2.7 (6.9) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 3.4 (8.6) | 10.3 (26) | 15.0 (38) | 126.2 (321.01) |
| Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) | 30.6 (78) | 36.3 (92) | 36.6 (93) | 18.0 (46) | 2.4 (6.1) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 2.5 (6.4) | 7.5 (19) | 15.0 (38) | 44.3 (113) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 7.3 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 9.1 | 11.0 | 7.1 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 6.5 | 75.2 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 6.9 | 6.8 | 5.0 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 6.1 | 33.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA[50] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[51] | |||||||||||||
There are few roads on the North Rim, but there are some notable vehicle-accessible lookout points, including Point Imperial, Roosevelt Point, and Cape Royal. Mule rides are also available to a variety of places, including several thousand feet down into the canyon.
Many visitors to the North Rim choose to make use of the variety of hiking trails including theWidforss Trail, Uncle Jim's Trail, the Transept Trail, and theNorth Kaibab Trail. The North Kaibab Trail can be followed all the way down to the Colorado River, connecting across the river to theSouth Kaibab Trail and theBright Angel Trail, which continue up to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.
TheToroweap Overlook is located in the western part of the park on the North Rim. Access is via unpaved roads offRoute 389 west ofFredonia, Arizona. The roads lead throughGrand Canyon–Parashant National Monument and to the overlook.
A variety of activities at the South Rim cater to park visitors. A driving tour (35 miles (56 km)) along the South Rim is split into two segments. The western drive to Hermit's Point is eight miles (13 km) with several overlooks along the way, including Mohave Point, Hopi Point, and thePowell Memorial.[28] From March to December, access to Hermit's Rest is restricted to the free shuttle provided by the Park Service. The eastern portion to Desert View is 25 miles (40 km), and is open to private vehicles year round.
Walking tours include the Rim Trail, which runs west from the Pipe Creek viewpoint for about eight miles (13 km) of paved road, followed by seven miles (11 km) unpaved to Hermit's Rest. Hikes can begin almost anywhere along this trail, and a shuttle can return hikers to their point of origin. Mather Point, the first view most people reach when entering from the south entrance, is a popular place to begin.
Private canyon flyovers are provided byhelicopters andsmall airplanes out ofLas Vegas,Phoenix, andGrand Canyon National Park Airport. Due to a crash in the 1990s, scenic flights are no longer allowed to fly within 1,500 feet (460 m) of the rim within the Grand Canyon National Park.[52]
The Grand Canyon Association (GCA) is the National Park Service's officialnonprofit partner. It raises private funds to benefit Grand Canyon National Park by operating retail shops and visitor centers within the park, and providing educational opportunities about the natural and cultural history of the region. Its goals include:
Media related toGrand Canyon at Wikimedia Commons (image gallery)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)The Grand Canyon National Park Quarter is the fourth coin of 2010 in the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program. The reverse image features a view of the granaries above the Nankoweap Delta in Marble Canyon near the Colorado River.
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