Grand Canyon

o 1 • to £ o +- f* tO •£ £E °- to if '13 0 Z D 2 to c o to z c c to c I O C 2 (3 North Rim to South Rim Vistas Canyon Extraordinary Grand Canyon Country Grand Canyon has some of the most spectacular vistas imaginable. On the South Rim you can see the Colorado River from Hopi, Mohave, Lipan, and Pima Points, and at Desert View. For sunrises, or sunsets, try Pima, Hopi, Yavapai, Yaki, and Lipan Points. For views toward the Painted Desert, go to Desert View. On the North Rim the ideal place for sunrises and sunsets is Bright Angel Point. For a vista toward the Painted Desert, go to Vista Encantadora, Walhalla Overlook, and Cape Royal. Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is not only awesome in its depth and mind-boggling in its extent, but it possesses a dazzling, constantly changing display of colors, light, and shadow. The canyon's statistics are truly extraordinary. It is approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) deep. From rim to rim it ranges from 180 meters to 30 kilometers (600 feet to 18 miles) wide. And measuring all the twists and turns of the river, the canyon is 443 kilometers (277 miles) long. Moving at only a moderate speed, the river can easily carry boulders weighing more than a ton. It is the power of moving water that has created this canyon. In concert with the water, wind, gravity, and the energy of expansion and contraction caused by fluctuating temperatures, earth and rock have moved downward to the river, leaving a multitude of smaller canyons behind. The process has taken millions of years, and it is still going on The map at right shows how to travel between the two main sections of Grand Canyon National Park: the South Rim and North Rim. While you're in this area, you also might want to visit other National Park System sites. South of the park, Montezuma Castle, Tuzigoot, Walnut Canyon, and Wupatki National Monuments preserve the ruins of pueblos built by prehistoric peoples. Sunset Crater National Monument protects the remains of a volcano active about A.D. 1065. North of the park, Pipe Spring National Monument honors Mormon pioneers in northern Arizona. Lake Mead and Glen Canyon National Recreation Areas provide water activities on dammed-up portions of the Colorado River. And Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah feature colorful scenery. World Heritage Status: Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site whose universal significance is to be protected as a common legacy for all people. Safety Do not throw any object over the canyon rim. Hikers and people on mules below can be struck and injured. The canyon's two rims are a five-hour drive apart. Besides the road connection, they also are linked by a trail that crosses the Colorado River on a small suspension bridge wide enough to carry a person and a mule. The North Rim is on the average about 300 meters (1,000 feet) higher than the South Rim, and the weather is correspondingly cooler and wetter. The North Rim is largely a spruce-fir forest while the South Rim is drier and its plantlife adapted to these conditions. These differences make a visit to both rims well worth your while. Guide and Adviser newspaper, containing up-to-date information about the park. The Colorado River is cold the year round and the current can be fast, so do not swim in it. One additional note: The North and South Rims are only 16 kilometers (10 miles) apart as the crow flies. By road, however, they are about 345 kilometers (215 miles) apart. The South Rim has a greater range of facilities and is open all year. Because of its higher elevation and greater snowfall, the North Rim is closed from late October to mid-May. Most of the rock is crumbly, so do not attempt to climb the canyon walls. The maximum park speed limit is 75 kilometers (45 miles) per hour, 40 kph (25 mph) in developed areas, and 25 kph (15 mph) in campgrounds. Activities Because of the park's size and the time it takes to travel from rim to rim, plan what you want to do carefully. The information in this folder, used in conjuction with the four maps, will give you an idea of the variety of activity available and help you plan your time. On the South Rim there are three places—the Yavapai Museum, theTusayan Museum, and the visitor center at headquarters—where you can get information from the staff and schedules of current activities. Besides being a place to get answers to your questions, the Yavapai Museum, a short way east of the visitor center, has exhibits that explain the geology of the canyon. The Tusayan Museum, on the road to Desert View, tells the story of the peoples who made the Colorado Plateau and this canyon their home. Pick up a copy of The Guide, a free • Grand Canyon Village The map below shows where you can find a full range of tourist accommodations and services. The staff at the visitor center can help provide answers to your questions. One way to gain an easy introduction to the canyon is to go along the East and West Rim Drives on the South Rim. If you enter the park from the east, you will naturally follow the East Rim Drive on your way to Grand Canyon Village. On the North Rim the drive from Grand Canyon Lodge to Cape Royal and to Point Imperial give you a chance to look across the canyon toward the Painted Desert and to see spectacular canyon views. For those who wish to go below the rim into the canyon itself, one of the most exciting ways is by mule. From the South Rim oneday trips to Plateau Point and overnight trips to Phantom Ranch run year round, weather permitting. From the North Rim mule trips go only as far as Roaring Springs, a one-day trip. For these trips from the South Rim you should have an advance reservation. For Thor Temple 2048 m Elevations are given in meters, with feet below in italics. I Unpaved road Trail reservations from the South Rim, write: Reservations Dept, Grand Canyon National Park Lodges, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. From the North Rim, write to: Grand Canyon Trail Rides, Box 1638, Cedar City, UT 84720. Horse trips are offered on both rims, too. The park's trails, both along the rims and down into the canyon, give the hiker a chance to see many differing aspects of the canyon. Permits are not needed for day hikes but must be obtained for overnight hikes into the canyon. Contact the Backcountry Reservations Office, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023, for information on getting a permit. Whatever the length of your hike, make sure that you carry and drink at least 2 liters (2 quarts) of water per person per day. Summer temperatures in the canyon average 40°C (104°F), so wear a hat and do not overexert yourself. Remember, too, that the easy part, the descent, comes first when you are fresh and rested; the ciimb back out— and it is a steady, uninterrupted climb—comes when you are tired. Pets are not allowed on any trails below the rim. Ask for safety suggestions from a ranger at an information station. Services Grand Canyon Village has a full range of services. The roads and most tourist businesses are open all year. Available in the village are lodging, food, service station, ambulance, medical clinic, pharmacy, trail equipment, taxi, pet kennels, beauty and barbershops, dry cleaner, bank, souvenir shops, post office, and tent and trailer campgrounds. Desert View has a general store, service station, food, and souvenir shops. Some of these places are closed in the winter. The North Rim has food, lodging, service station, post office, laundry, showers, general store, and tent campground. These are usually open from Memorial Day to midOctober. Tourist services and airports can be found in the communities outside the park. Use the area map above to see which town is nearest you. The U.S. Forest Service also operates campgrounds north and south of the park. South of the park, tourist services are available at Tusayan, Cameron, Flagstaff, and Williams. To the north, Jacob Lake, Marble Canyon, and Fredonia, Arizona, and Kanab, Utah, offer tourist services. Many people like to see the canyon from the river. About two dozen operators offer trips down the river either on motorized rafts or oar-powered rafts and dories. Most trips begin at Lees Ferry, Arizona. Trips vary in length up to three weeks and reservations are needed in most cases. Ask at the visitor center for a complete listing of the operators. For information write to the superintendent, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, AZ 86023. l £ j Ranger station Restrooms U J Gasoline station I I I Picnic area Public telephone Ci3 Campground A . Primitive campsite C I o c E (3 :-GPO 1984-421-578/459