Second in a series
When President Theodore Roosevelt first laid eyes on the Grand Canyon the sight of the natural world wonder may have taken his breath away, but not his words.
“The Grand Canyon fills me with awe,” he said during his visit in 1903, according to the National Park Service. “It is beyond comparison—beyond description; absolutely unparalleled throughout the wide world… Let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is. Do nothing to mar its grandeur, sublimity and loveliness.”
It took Congress 16 years to fulfill Roosevelt’s dream of designating this desolate and beautiful piece of Arizona a National Park, the 15th in the history of the Park Service.
Grand Canyon National Park contains more than 1,900 square miles dissected by the Colorado River, which helped carve and erode the canyon from the stone over a period of between 20 to 35 million years.
The theories about the creation of the canyon vary, but what is very clear is that the fascination and wonder surrounding it are endless.The Park draws nearly 5 million visitors a year, according to the Park Service.
Most people come to the park through the South Rim, which includes several overlooks, guided hikes and other attractions. The North Rim is more remote and less traveled by tourists. Both sides, however, provide opportunities for amazing sights and adventures.
Read: The nation’s public space: Acadia National Park
Coming next week: Yellowstone National Park
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