One place I’ve always wanted to visit is the Grand Canyon. I’ve only seen the Grand Canyon from an airplane and it is so stunning from that view! I can’t imagine what it is like to be on the ground and witness the true beauty of it all.
Located in Arizona, the Canyon was carved by the Colorado River and is 277 miles long and the carvings began millions of years ago. Here’s some fun facts about the Grand Canyon, from The National Park Foundation:
- The Grand Canyon creates its own weather
- There are no dinasour bones in the Canyon
- There are only eight fish species native to the Grand Canyon, six of which are found nowhere outside of the Colorado River
- There’s a town in the Grand Canyon called Supai Village, within the Havasupai Indian Reservation. It is not reachable by road and mail is still delivered by pack mule!
Supai Village
Here’s a bit of history about the Canyon and how it came to be a national park:
Here’s a video that explains the formation of the Canyon:
Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? And if you have been, did you walk the Skywalk Bridge (see below)?
DCG
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The Grand Canyon is truly grand and breathtaking. Mere pictures and videos don’t do it justice: You must see it in person to take in the full grandeur. In fact, the Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonders_of_the_World#Seven_Natural_Wonders_of_the_World
Truly the Grand Canyon is beyond magnificent. I cannot help but feel envy of the citizens of Supai Village–they probably don’t have to put up with drive-by shootings, rampaging Antifa mobs–with their burning and pillaging, nor the escalating crime rates as in many other major American cities.
Wonderful article, thanks for brightening my day!
We worked for US Public Health Service many years, in Indian Health Service. Many of us could, at any time be TDY’d (temporary duty of 90 days at a time) to Supai Health Service Unit or similar. Not only is the mail delivered by mule, but health service employees are issued a mule to reach the duty station…..all cars are left on “the rim.” If you have children …you home school. Native students are sent to Indian Boarding schools/health centers…like the one we ended up at in CA eventually. Our Indian Health Service HQ for our region (our permanent station was in Utah) was in Phoenix. We spent much time traveling/attending events there, and much time in the Canyon. Very beautiful to visit. Very hard to live there …..in fact, a little hard to live/work at most Intermountain West or Southwestern Indian Health Service Units. I so remember the beautiful parts…like moonlight so bright on the mesas above the canyon that you cast a “moonshadow,” and could see as tho’ it was noon…& there were the mule deer and beaver and moose…etc….on the northern reservations…you are so right with wanting to see/ praise that; however, very difficult circumstances/community health situations to live with/work within these areas. That all said—YES, I often fanaticize today with all the stupidity unfolding in our cities and government in general—about the social/political isolation you experience on our Western reservations…that allows you to focus almost 24/7 on just your family & your friends/ neighbors/ community. I could count on my two hands the number of times my dinner table was JUST my family in our space of nearly 6 years on “the Rez.” We always had a neighbor or clinic colleague to share dinner with at the end of our day. Here in CA….totally reverse that ratio.
Calgirl . . . Thank you so very much for that glimpse of real life in the Supai Village area. There is no doubt that going back in time has some advantages over our “enlightened” civilization.
Thank you DCG for this phenomenal post! I have been to the Grand Canyon when I was a little girl. I was amazed then and am amazed now at its most incredible beauty and grandeur!