Where is The Grand Canyon Located?

The Grand Canyon is situated in the Northern part of Arizona, United States of America. The location is well-drained by the Colorado River. The Grand Canyon has two sections; the first North Rim and the second South Rim. The Canyon contains Lake Powell and the city of page. The location is very near to the Utah-Arizona border. The canyon is shielded by the Colorado river towards its western front and drains into Lake Mead. 

The eastern front of the Canyon is well secured by the national park villages. Tourism is at its boom in the eastern front due to the national park services. There are multiple hotels, resorts, and stay areas available on the eastern front. The North and the south rims are not directly connected. It is a long drive from north to south Rim. The Grand Canyon is well famous for its giant structure. The maximum depth of the Canyon lies straight between the two rims. The gap displays beautiful and spectacular geology, colors, and history of the formation of Earth’s crust. The height of the canyon is one in the entire world. The North rim is 8,200 feet above sea level and the south one is comparatively low to the north one. 

Grand Canyon: Historical Relevance

The Grand Canyon comprises the oldest rock since its existence. The high walled structure exposes the sectoral division of Earth’s crust. Standing tall for two billion years at the same location. It’s a time machine for the geologist which enables them to understand the evolution of the earth. The Grand Canyon is well known for its incredible geology, and colors, but it is more than just geological evidence. Several explorers have dedicated their lives to exploring the Grand Canyon, to connect the dots and drive the relation of this giant structure with human existence. The Native American culture Ancestral Puebloans have central relevance currently around four corner regions of the United States. They were the first population to establish settlements around the Grand Canyon. For protection and preservation, the site of the Grand Canyon national park is established. It preserves mankind’s history and its existence within the Canyon. There is lots of research and stories of European exploration around the Canyon. Several American explorers and their artifacts are found as relevant evidence of evolution around the Canyon.

Physical Appearance

Land

The western third of the state is a segment of the Great Basin of the Basin and Range Province, an extensive, plain, desert-like region with randomly extended mountain peaks. The Northeastern part of the region is enclosed by the Great Sal Lake. The Bonneville Salt Flats is located southwest of the Great Salt Lake. The Uinta Mountains are situated within the Middle Rockies in the northeast.

There are a series of Plateaus and valleys running named the Wasatch Range. The Wasatch Range displays multiple glacially molded features such as Cirques and moraines. Canyons are the amalgamation of various streams meandering around them. The altitude range varies from 13, 528 feet at Kings Peak located within Uintas to roughly about 2,350 feet in the southwestern corner of the state. Deposits of copper, gold, lead, and zinc are visible around the Deep Creek ranges of the Great Basin. Its general Colour is red, however, each layer or group of layers has distinctive shades- namely buff and grey, pink and delicate green, or in its depth: slate-grey, brown, and violet.

Drainage

The Western and the central part of the state includes the following rivers: Weber, the Bear, Provo, Jordan, and Sevier, flowing into the Great Basin. The northwestern corner of the state encompassing the Raft River and Goose Creek drains into the Snake River, which is part of the Columbia River drainage system. The aforementioned drainage systems are crucial for their irrigation and power potential.

Soil: 

The most widespread soil found within this region is desert soil. Desert soil lacks various organic materials but has an abundance of lime. Due to the deficiency of a proper drainage system in the Great Basin, there is visible damage around the surrounding soils with saline materials and alkali salts. The finest soils are present around the center of the state, ranging from the Idaho border to Arizona. This is an area of extensive farming. Conifers and other trees best suit the vegetation pattern of Mountain soils.