Grand Canyon National Park

1
Grand Canyon National Park
By Lindsay, Julianne, Madeline, Sarah and Bailey

2
Principles of Leave No Trace

• Please be sure while visiting the Grand Canyon
  you follow these rules and Leave No Trace.
• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be considerate of Other Visitors
• Thank
  You!

3
Wildlife

• At Grand Canyon 75 species of mammals, 50 species
  of reptiles and amphibians, 25 species of fish,
  and over 300 species of birds exist.
• Ponderosa pine is the most common tree in the
  forest.Pinyon pine and Utah juniper are also
  common trees. Gambel oak is another tree in the
  forest.The trees are interspersed with
  drought-resistant shrubs like cliffrose,
  fernbush, and serviceberry. Warm, sunny areas
  along the rim may be home to desert plants like
  banana yucca and claretcup cactus.
• Much of the vegetation in the inner canyon is
  typical of that found in deserts to the south
  cacti and drought-resistant shrubs. Riparian
  plants include thickets of willow and tamarisk.

4
More about Wildlife
Mule deer are common throughout the park and are
the mammals most commonly seen on the rim. Desert
bighorn inhabit the remote slopes of the inner
canyon but are occasionally seen on established
trails. Bobcats and coyotes range from rim to
river, and a small population of mountain lions
exists in the park. Among the smaller mammals
that inhabit Grand Canyon are ringtails (closely
related to raccoons), beavers, gophers,
chipmunks, several varieties of squirrels,
rabbits and bats. Reptiles and amphibians are
represented by a wide variety of lizards, snakes
(including the unique Grand Canyon "pink"
rattlesnake), turtles, frogs, toads and
salamanders. Hundreds of species of birds make
their home in the park, along with countless
insects and arachnids (spiders and
scorpions). Some threatened and endangered
species are the Colorado River fish These fish
include the Colorado squawfish, humpback chub,
and bonytail chub. Some species of endangered
birds are the peregrine falcon, bald eagle, and
willow flycatcher.
5
Activities

• Two day trip from the top of the canyon to the
  bottom walking or mule ride.
• Hiking
• Gazing at canyon view
• Backpacking
• Camping
• Rafting trips
• Horseback/mule trips
• Bicycling
• Scenic air tours
• Interpretive programs offered by the NPS rangers.

6
Landforms

• The Grand Canyon is a series of canyons and
  rock formations naturally formed by the Colorado
  River. The Colorado River runs straight through
  the canyon. As a result, nearly two billion years
  are exposed in the layers of the canyon.

7
Formation of the Canyon

• The course of the Colorado River contributed to
  the formation of the canyon, as well as
  continental drift, and variations in season and
  climate. During colder months, water may seep
  into cracks between the rocks. When this water
  turns to ice, it expands, forcing the rocks
  apart. Sometimes, rocks are pushed off the edge,
  and, on occasion, one will create a rock fall
  that may dramatically change the landscape in the
  side of the canyon. Flash floods carry the rocks
  down the river the Colorado takes it from there.
  Though the Glen Canyon Dam slows the large amount
  of erosion caused by the river, there is a lot of
  water flowing quickly down a narrow gorge.

8
History of the Park

• Senator Benjamin Harrison introduced the first
  bills to create Grand Canyon National Park in
  1882 and 83, and the same in 86. All were
  unsuccessful. 22 years later, in 1908, the Grand
  Canyon National Monument was created. 2 years
  before Arizona received statehood, two more
  senate bills were introduced but failed to create
  a National Park. In 1916, the NPS was created,
  and in 1917, both House and Senate bills were
  introduced, and both bills passed the next year.
  President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon
  Bill in 1919.

9
Five Unique Things About the Grand Canyon

• The Grand Canyon has preserved more than 2,700
  Indian campsites, where the Indians lived for at
  least 4,000 years.
• The Grand Canyon is one of the 7 natural wonders
  of the world.
• The South Rim has a climate that is very close
  to the climate in the Arid Southwest.
• The North Rim is 1,000 feet higher than the
  South Rim, but the South Rim is cooler, and
  wetter. Also it is very heavily forested.
• The Inner Canyon is hot and dry. It can only be
  reached by foot, mule, and boat.

10
No dams exist within Grand Canyon National Park,
By that standard, Grand Canyon is 277 miles/446
km long. It begins at Lees Ferry and ends at
Grand Wash CliffsWidth and depth of the canyon
vary from place to place. At the South Rim, near
Grand Canyon Village, it's a vertical mile (about
5000 feet/1524 m) from rim to river, or 7
miles/11.3 km by trail. At its deepest, it is
6000 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.
Size
11
Geographical Location

• 60 miles north of Williams, Arizona
• 80 miles northwest of Flagstaff
• Grand Canyon lies entirely within the state of
  Arizona.

12
Sources

• www.nps.gov/
• www.doi.gov/
•  
• www.fws.gov//
•  
• www.nationalgeographics.com
• www.kaibab.org

13
Come Visit the
Grand Canyon National Park