Grand Canyon

Introduction

The grand canyon, carved out by the Colorado River, is in the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and is probably the most famous gorge in the world. The Grand Canyon is a total of 277 miles (446 kilometers) long, ranging in width from 0.25 miles (0.4 kilometers) to 15 miles (24 kilometers) wide. From a geological perspective (Fishbein, pp. 34-45), it is believed that the Colorado River basin, including the Grand Canyon, dates back some 40 million years, with the Grand Canyon being anywhere between 2-6 million years old. This makes the erosion caused one of the most complete geological features in the world. At the place known as the Vishnu Schist at the bottom of Inner Gorge, the erosion has exposed the last two billion years of the history of the Earth.

Discussion

In spite of the exposure of such a long period of time in the rocks, not many plant or animal fossils have been found, because until relatively recently (in geological time) the only flora and fauna in the area were algae, mollusks, corals and only a very few invertebrates. There are currently many animals throughout the Grand Canyon, including badgers, bobcats, chipmunks, coyotes, foxes (Fishbein, pp. 34-45), rabbits, rats, and squirrels. Some of the plants include willows and cottonwoods. However, as the climate is dry and there can be periods of water shortages, many drought-resistant plants grow there, including agave, tamarisk, yucca, and many different types of cacti. On the North Rim and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, there are many fir trees, pine trees, and also scrub oak, mountain mahogany, and sage bushes.

The first recorded sighting of the Grand Canyon by a European was when García López de Cárdenas went through it in 1540, although Native Americans lived there for many centuries beforehand, with settlements still visible within the walls of the canyon. It is probably for this reason that the Hopi guides leading the Spaniards did not show them how to enter the canyon itself. Remains from the prehistoric period and early artifacts have been located there. The next European visitors were two Spanish priests and some Spanish soldiers who were exploring the area around southern Utah (Fishbein, pp. 34-45).

The next reported sighting of the Grand Canyon was when James Ohio Pattie and some trappers reached the area in 1826. The next verified visitor was Jacob Hamblin, a Mormon missionary who was sent ...