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Esplanade
Photograph by Michael Nichols
Averaging a thousand feet (300 meters) higher than the South Rim, the North Rim’s alpine vegetation and more varied vistas appeal to many travelers. The North Rim is also home to several distinctive rock formations like the Esplanade, or Hermit Shale, pictured here.
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Aerial View
Photograph by David Edwards
Every year, a staggering five million people flock to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon’s sweeping views, hike its trails, and hop on a mule for a trip through the vast canyon. What looks timeless is constantly changing: The Grand Canyon's variegated layers encode two billion years of Earth's history.
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Kayaker in Colorado River
Photograph by David Edwards
Adventure seekers often choose to kayak the Colorado River, the approximately 1,450-mile (2,330-kilometer) body of water that carved the magnificent walls of the Grand Canyon. Visitors with a limited amount of time often take one-day commercial trips that travel between the Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry.
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Deer Creek Trail
Photograph by Corey Rich/Aurora Photos
Hikers looking for a strenuous overnight backpacking trip often take the Deer Creek Trail, one of the most popular routes in the Grand Canyon.
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Havasu Falls
Photograph by James Randklev/Getty Images
The twin streams of Havasu Falls splash down into a turquoise pool. The falls are located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, which lies just outside Grand Canyon National Park.
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River Trip
Photograph by Corey Rich/Aurora Photos
The National Park Service offers visitors three different types of river trips in Grand Canyon National Park, ranging in length from several days to several weeks. Most of these trips are so popular that they must be reserved more than a year in advance.
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Rafter on Colorado River
Photograph by Dawn Kish
Grand Canyon visitors who are ready to rough it on the Colorado River can sign up for guided whitewater-rafting trips. Experienced rafters can enter a weighted lottery for self-guided river trip permits.
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Sunrise at the South Rim
Photograph by Kevin Byrne, submitted to My Shot
Early risers can catch the sunrise over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Of the five million people that travel to the Grand Canyon each year, 90 percent first see the canyon from the South Rim, with its dramatic views into the deep inner gorge of the Colorado River.
