Frequently Asked Questions about the Grand Canyon| GrandCanyonOnDemand.com

Grand Canyon FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about the Grand Canyon

How big is the Grand Canyon?

What is the width & depth of the Canyon?

How Old is the Canyon?

When was the Canyon discovered?

What type of rock is the Canyon composed of?

How many different plant species are found in the Canyon?

What types of Wildlife are found in the Canyon?

What types of activities are available at the Grand Canyon?

What is the weather like at the Grand Canyon?

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How big is the Grand Canyon?

This is easily the most frequently asked question about the Grand Canyon we receive; and of course, the answer all depends on how you look at it. The park includes over a million acres of land - 1,218,375.54 acres / 493,077 hectares, to be exact, or 1,904 square miles / 4931 square kilometers. But most people measure the canyon in river miles, along the course of the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon. By that standard, Grand Canyon is 277 miles / 446 km long. It begins at Lees Ferry (mile 0) and ends at the Grand Wash Cliffs (mile 277 / km 446). The Colorado River is longer, of course: 1,450 miles / 2,333 km long from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf of California in Mexico. The Grand Canyon is only one of many beautiful canyons that the river has carved. Others include Cataract Canyon and Glen Canyon - the latter now beneath the waters of Lake Powell. Most people agree, however, that Grand Canyon is the most spectacular. There's simply no other place in the world that looks quite like it. (Top of page)

What is the width & depth of the Canyon?

Width and depth of the Canyon vary from place to place. At the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village, it's a vertical mile (about 5,000 feet / 1,524 m) from rim to river (7 miles / 11.3 km by trail, if you're walking). At its deepest, it is 6,000 vertical feet / 1829 m from rim to river. The width of the canyon at Grand Canyon Village is 10 miles / 16 km (rim to rim), though in places it is as much as 18 miles / 29 km wide. Here's another way to look at size: a trip to the bottom of the Canyon and back (on foot or by mule) is a two-day journey. Rim-to-rim hikers generally take three days one way to get from the North Rim to the South Rim. A trip through Grand Canyon by raft can take two weeks or longer, and experienced backpackers have spent weeks in the more remote areas of the Canyon. (Top of page)

How old is the Canyon?

That's a tricky question. Although rocks exposed in the walls of the canyon are geologically quite old, the Canyon itself is a fairly young feature. The oldest rocks at the canyon bottom are close to 2,000 million years old. The Canyon itself - an erosional feature - has formed only in the past five or six million years. Geologically speaking, Grand Canyon is very young. (Top of page)

When was the Canyon discovered?

In September of 1540, Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas, exploring at the orders of conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, arrived at the south rim of the Grand Canyon with a small group of Spanish soldiers and their Hopi guides. It would be a couple of hundred years before any other Europeans came to explore. Note that the Grand Canyon has long been known to Native Americans such as the Hualapai Tribe, and there is clear evidence that they had settled in the area some 10,000 years ago. (Top of page)

What type of rock is the Canyon composed of?

Mostly sedimentary rock: Limestone, shale, sandstone, granite and schist. (Top of page)

How many different plant species are found in the Canyon?

There are approximately 1,737 known species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen found in Grand Canyon National Park. This variety is largely due to the 8,000-foot elevation change from the river up to the highest point on the North Rim. Grand Canyon boasts a dozen endemic plants (known only within the Park's boundaries) while only ten percent of the Park's flora is exotic. Sixty-three plants found here have been given special status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Grand Canyon contains 129 vegetation communities, and the composition and distribution of plant species is influenced by climate, geomorphology and geology. (Top of page)

What types of wildlife are found in the Grand Canyon?

Another of the most frequently asked questions about the Grand Canyon we receive concerns the type of wildlife that dwell in the area. Due to its immense length, the Grand Canyon is home to a wide variety of bird, mammal, fish, and reptile species. While it is difficult, if not impossible to cover all the species that dwell in the Canyon on a FAQ page; here are examples of some of the more popular creatures that live in this surprisingly vibrant ecosystem:

Birds: The Canyon boasts over 320 different species of birds ranging from magnificent predators, such as the Golden Eagle, to the common Lark Sparrow. Here are some of the notable species that call the Canyon home:

American Bald Eagle
Broad-tailed, Costa's, and Rufous Hummingbird
Broad-winged, Cooper's, Red-winged, & Zone-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
California Condor
Great Blue & Green Heron
Northern Mockingbird
Spotted & Long-eared Owl
Turkey Vulture
Western Bluebird
Whip-poor-will

Grand Canyon Condor

Mammals: As with bird species, mammals are abundant in the Grand Canyon. In fact, over 69 species of mammal roam the Canyon's divers ecosystem. Here are a few of the better known:

Black Bear
Bobcat
Desert Bighorn Sheep
Mountain Lion
Mule Deer
Porcupine
Raccoon
River Otter
Western & Spotted Skunk
Big Brown, Spotted, Red, Small Footed, & Silver Haired Bat
Cliff & Colorado Chipmunk

Reptile: The oldest of the Canyon's residents - there are approximately 47 species of lizard, snake, & turtle living in the canyon including:

Grand Canyon, Great Basin, Mojave, Speckled & Black-tailed Rattlesnake
Desert Iguana
Banded Gila Monster
Plateau, Tree, Spiny, & Short-horned Lizard
King, Garter, Long-nosed, Gopher, & Arizona Glossy Snake
Desert Gopher Tortoise

Fish: The fresh, cool waters of the Colorado River that created the Grand Canyon also bring a wide variety of fish species with them as they flow through the Canyon. Some of the prominent Species include:

Brown Trout
Channel Catfish
Common Carp
Largemouth Bass
Rainbow Trout
Stripped Bass

Grand Canyon Fish

What types of activities are available at Grand Canyon?

Gazing at the beautiful views of the canyon from the various vista points is the number one activity for many people. At GrandCanyonOnDemand.com we offer our customers a variety of activities at the Grand Canyon's West Rim, North Rim, and South Rim, designed to let you expierience the Canyon from multiple perspectives. From "big picture" airplane tours that let you soar high above various points of the Canyon, to helicopter tours that provide panoramic views while at the same time offering dramatic close-ups of the Canyon's towering walls and monuments; there's something for everyone to enjoy at the Grand Canyon. Here's just a sample of the many popular tours and activitiy options we offer at GrandCanyonOndemand.com:

What is the weather like at the Grand Canyon?

Summer temperatures on the South Rim are relatively pleasant (50°s - 80°s F; 10°s to high 20°s C) but inner canyon temperatures are extreme. Daytime highs at the river, 5,000 feet below the rim, often exceed 100° F (38° C). North Rim and West Rim summer temperatures are cooler that those on the South Rim due to the increased elevation. (Top of page)

Spring and Fall weather is unpredictable; be prepared for sudden changes in the weather during these seasons.

Winter conditions at the South Rim can be extreme: expect snow. Temperatures are low, and with the wind-chill factor can at times drop below 0° F (-18° C) so dress appropriately!

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Frequently asked questions about the Grand Canyon

Frequently Asked Questions about the Grand Canyon