| | Grand Canyon National Park, a World Heritage Site, encompasses 1,218,375 acres and lies on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and more than 5000 feet deep.Grand Canyon is heavily visited for most of the year and it is imperative to plan ahead for lodging, camping, backcountry permits, or mule trips. Persons planning day visits only should arrive early in the day, as parking is limited.Parts of the northern rim of the Grand Canyon are forested. Vegetation in the depths of the Grand Canyon valley consists principally of such desert plants as agave and Spanish bayonet. In general the entire canyon area has little soil. The climate of the plateau region above the canyon is severe, with extremes of both heat and cold. The Grand Canyon floor also becomes extremely hot in summer, but seldom experiences frost in the wintertime.The Grand Canyon has been sculpted by the downward cutting of the Colorado River, which flows through the canyon's lowest portions. Other factors have also played a part. The Kaibab Plateau, which forms the northern rim of the Grand Canyon, is about 365 miles higher than the Coconino Plateau, which forms the southern rim. |  | | | |
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