10 fun facts about the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is found in Arizona, with much of the 277-mile canyon located in the Grand Canyon National Park. A section of the canyon, including the Grand Canyon Skywalk is contained in tribal lands outside the National Park.

The oldest rocks found in the Grand Canyon are around 1.84 billion years old, created when two plates on the Earth’s crust collided to form the dark Vishnu basement rocks in the inner gorge, and even the youngest rock layer, the Kaibab Formation, is 270 million years old.

However the canyon itself is much younger in geological terms. It’s thought that a series of smaller canyons may have formed by around 70 million years ago but the Grand Canyon as we know it wasn’t created until it was carved out of the landscape by the Colorado River.

And how long has the river been carving the Grand Canyon? Around five to six million years, since the river itself was formed – and it’s still slowly eroding the rocks today as it winds its way through the canyon floor.

The size of the Grand Canyon varies along its huge 277-mile length, but it’s 18 miles wide at the widest point and one mile deep. The widest point is near Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim village, although there are several other areas where you get a real sense of the sheer scale of this colossal geographical wonder. Even its average width is 10 miles across.

The Grand Canyon’s size affects the weather and temperature along the canyon, with the coldest temperature recorded of -30C on the North Rim in February 1985, while temperatures regularly rise to around 49C during the summer months at Phantom Ranch.

Unsurprisingly, the temperatures at the top and bottom of the canyon are also different, with the heat increasing around 3C for every 1,000ft that you descend, getting ever warmer as you reach the bottom of the canyon. In any month, it’s not uncommon to see differences of around 10C between the Rim and the canyon floor.

There are also some big differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures, with low humidity and clear skies allowing the area to heat up quickly during the day, but cool down just as fast overnight, with differences of as much as 16C during the course of a single day.

It’s not just temperature which the Grand Canyon affects, with the change in elevation also causing rain in different areas. Interestingly, the coolest, wettest weather station, which is at an altitude of 2,529m at Bright Angel Ranger Station on the North Rim, is less than eight miles from the hottest station and one of the driest, at Phantom Ranch, 750m up.

North Rim, Grand Canyon

The North Rim is the wettest part of the canyon overall, while Lees Ferry is the driest, getting around a quarter of the amount of average rainfall by comparison. Thunderstorms are also common in late summer; sometimes the rain evaporates before it reaches the ground, but at other times, it can cause flash flooding in the base of the canyon.

Needless to say, if you’re visiting the Grand Canyon, dressing in layers is a good plan to cope with the various temperature changes. And with the extreme heat of summer and the combination of high UV and snow on the Grand Canyon during winter, it’s vital to ensure you dress appropriately.

There are a series of caves known as the Grand Canyon Caverns, which were created over 65 million years ago in the limestone that once sat at the bottom of an ancient inland sea. Lying 64m below ground level a few miles east of Peach Springs, they are also the largest dry caverns in the United States.

Because of the lack of water, you won’t find stalagmites or stalactites here, but fossil bones of extinct animals and other prehistoric artefacts have been discoverd here. You can even see the claw marks of a giant sloth from around the time of the last Ice Age, when it attempted to climb out of the cave.

There’s also more quirky recent history, as the cavern was designated a fallout shelter by the government during the Cuban missile crisis of the 1960s and loaded with enough supplies to sustain 2,000 people.

Over 90 species of mammal make their home in Grand Canyon National Park, including mule deer and elk, as well as bighorn sheep, mountain lions, coyotes and grey fox. There are also a string of bat species to be found here, although most visitors will only see a few of the canyon’s four-legged inhabitants, usually mule deer, elk and squirrels. While there are very rare black bear sightings, you’re highly unlikely to see one during your visit.

The national park is also home to around 48 species of reptiles, including rattlesnakes and scorpions, while among the 350-plus species of birds living in the park, you could spot bald eagles near the river as they hunt for trout.

Only eight fish species are native to the Grand Canyon, six of which are found only in the Colorado River, but non-native species such as trout, bass, catfish and carp have been introduced to join species including humpback chub, razorback sucker, bluehead sucker, flannelmouth sucker, and speckled dace.

Grand Canyon vista point

It might come as a surprise to discover that many of the fossils found throughout the Grand Canyon are of marine creatures. But the rocks making up the canyon were once covered by prehistoric seas, with algae fossils dating back around 1.25 billion years found in the limestone.

There are other marine fossils, including of sponges and nautiloids with octopus-style tentacles, as well as various fish. As the area dried up, later fossils of leaves and dragonfly wings have also been uncovered, along with footprints left by reptiles, scorpions and centipedes.

One of the best places to search for ancient fish teeth is around Hermit’s Rest, while you can also follow the Trail of Time interpretive walk along the South Rim’s Rim Trail to learn more. If you do spot any fossils, you shouldn’t move them or attempt to take them.

And one thing you won’t find are dinosaur bones, as the rock making up the canyon walls is far more ancient than the dinosaurs themselves, while the canyon itself only formed after they became extinct.

Only one town is set in the Grand Canyon itself, within the Havasupai Indian Reservation. Supai Village is found right at the base of the Grand Canyon and can’t be reached by car. With a population of just over 200, it’s said to be the most remote community in the lower 48 states of the US and is the only place where mail is still delivered by pack mule.

In total, there are 11 tribes that have historic connections to the lands now within Grand Canyon National Park, including the Havasupai, the Hopi, the Navajo Nation and the Hualapai tribe. Part of the western Grand Canyon is located within land belonging to the Hualapai, a name meaning ‘people of the tall pines’, including the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

You can also explore the Grand Canyon Village during your visit, which sprang up after the first steam-powered trains reached the areas in 1901. Long abandoned, it has been preserved as it would have been in the early 1900s.

Otherwise, the closest town to the South Rim is Tusayan, around seven miles away, while the nearest big towns are over an hour away, including Flagstaff and Williams. The North Rim is similarly remote, with the closest towns of Fredonia and Kanab around 90 minutes’ drive across the state border in Utah. Or if you head to the less-visited eastern side of the canyon, the town of Page is not far from Horseshoe bend, a curving section of the Colorado River.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk, which opened to the public in 2007, juts 70ft out over the canyon. This horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge has a glass bottom, so as you walk across, it’s possible to imagine what it must be like to soar above the deep below.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Set on land belonging to the Hualapai, stepping onto the walkway might seem unnerving but it’s reassuring to know it’s strong enough to hold 70 fully loaded 747 passenger jets.

You can choose between a string of fantastic ways to experience the Grand Canyon, from active challenges and adventurous experiences to more relaxed walks and voyages back through history. Head to one of the viewing platforms for views to make your jaw drop. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the most unusual, with the glass-bottomed platform stretching out 70 ft from the rim. Or head to one of the string of viewpoints along the South Rim. Mather Point, near the main Visitor Center, is one of the highest, along with Grandview Point, both over 7,000ft up.

Desert View Watchtower has been decorated with murals of Native American life by a Hopi artist, with 85 steps leading up to the observation deck over 5,000ft above the canyon floor. For river views, Lipan Point looks out over a bend in the river. Or get an eagle’s eye view on a chartered helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon, some of which even land at the bottom so you can look back up towards the rims. One of the optional extras on our Awe-Inspiring National Parks itinerary, it’s a truly unforgettable experience.

There are walks for all abilities too. The Rim Trail includes some wheelchair accessible stretches, while there’s also a shuttle along the route if you prefer only to walk part of it (or to avoid retracing your footsteps back to the South Rim Visitor Center). If you have your heart set on hiking from the Rim to the river and back, you’re strongly advised not to attempt it in one day, so you’ll need an overnight stay in order to try this safely. Many day hikes cover steep terrain, so always ensure you’re well prepared before setting off.

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