Emily--Grand+Canyon

Over five million years ago, a wondrous sight formed in Northwestern Colorado. It was the amazing Grand Canyon. It is a wonderful creation of God’s work. No man could ever create something like this. The Grand Canyon, once home to Native Americans, is now home to a variety of plant and animal species, and is visited by millions each year who come to see its impressive size and beauty.
 * The Grand Canyon **

**Importance ** The Grand Canyon is important in many ways. First off, it is a completely natural place. Mother Nature itself did all the work to construct the Grand Canyon, and no man or machine could ever do that. The first time going to the Grand Canyon is a wonderful moment. The beauty of it makes people stare in awe (Hamilton), and it is a fun and eventful trip that the whole family can enjoy (Galang). Below, the Colorado River is seen as a silvery ribbon winding its way through the depths of the mountain. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The Grand Canyon is the one great sight… Every American should see” (Hamilton).

**History ** The Grand Canyon is a very historic place with tons of things that happened in the past. The Grand Canyon lies on the Colorado Plateau in Northwestern Arizona and it was first seen by the Europeans in 1540. But Native Americans had lived in that area for over four thousand years! Also back in the late 1870s and 1880s, prospectors tried to get copper and asbestos by mining in the Grand Canyon (Hamilton).

After taking a first glance at the Grand Canyon, may people begin to ask the question and eventually wonders, “How did something this big and majestic ever come to be?” Well the Grand Canyon became the beautiful rock it is because seven million years ago, two tectonic plates collided, including the Colorado Plateau, causing it to rise (Hamilton). Over the last six million years the walls grew and now they average up to six thousand feet (Introduction), and the elevation of the South Rim is 6,800 feet. Water from the Colorado River also played a big part in forming the Grand Canyon because of erosion (Hamilton).

Even though Europeans discovered the Grand Canyon in 1540 and Native Americans lived their thousands of years earlier, tourism didn’t start right away. Starting in the early 1900s, tourism started to take place. Many people wanted to see the beauty of this newly revealed wonder (Hamilton). Also recently the Grand Canyon has been getting wider because of erosion. As the Colorado River runs through the canyon, it cuts through layers and the walls collapse.

**Present ** Since the early 1900s, many more things have happened in the present day of the Grand Canyon. Today, many tourists still come to the illustrious Grand Canyon. Nearly five million come every year, and thousands of tourists come daily (Hamilton). The Grand Canyon is also a fantastic place for people to hike, camp, and raft. A hike down or up this steep, rocky mountain is not as easy as it seems. Visitors have to get used to the dry, thin air and the walk is sometimes over seven miles long! The Grand Canyon National Park Service recommends tourists take a gallon of water on a day hike because the hot dry air can take the moisture out of the body (Introduction). Visitors can also take a raft or canoe down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, and that is a wonderful activity that the whole family can enjoy. Also there are many places to stay to spend the night near the canyon. During the summer, tourists usually stop at the park visitor center and the Grand Canyon lodge. In the lodge dining room, visitors and tourists can eat a meal while gazing out into the canyon. It is one of the best views out of any restaurant in the world. The Grand Canyon has lots of ecosystems, which are home to many plant and animal species. Some examples are the pink rattlesnake, scorpion, and raven (Hamilton). The Colorado River is a great water source that keeps the plants alive and running (PBS Article).

While some people like to go to the Grand Canyon for its hiking, camping, and all the other adventures there are in store, some tourists come for the beauty of the canyon. Today we can see many colorful rock layers in the walls of the Grand Canyon. Some of the colors you can see are different shades of blues and greens (Hamilton). Then there is also the Apco Skywalk. It is the most daring tourist attraction at the Grand Canyon. It is a u-shaped footbridge that extends sixty-five feet beyond the ledge of the Grand Canyon. The Apco Skywalk offers a view nearly three quarters of a mile below. If a person fell off that part of the canyon, it would be a fifteen second free fall to the Canyon floor (Rare View).

**Future ** The Grand Canyon is a great place to visit, but there are a few faults in its greatness. Of all the information I have gathered, I have come to conclude my thoughts to what I think the future of the Grand Canyon might be like. Air pollution is a growing threat to the canyon. People drive around in their cars near the canyon instead of riding horses around like they did in the past, and that causes lots of problems in the ecosystem. Also water pollution has found its way in to the Grand Canyon streams. Also, tourists and other animals play a big part in bringing more animals into the Grand Canyon and it is populating really fast. So it is getting hard for animals to find food and water. Scientists are doing everything they can to preserve the natural resources of the Grand Canyon and to make it a better environment for tits plant and animal residents and tourists (Hamilton). In conclusion, the Grand Canyon has a very significant history and is a wonderful place for people to visit.

 **Work Sited ** “ A Rare View of the Grand Canyon” //Popular Science// December 2006 <span style="background: lime; font-family: 'Californian FB','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Galang <span style="font-family: 'Californian FB','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">, Anton. “If You’re Headed to… The Grand Canyon” //PC Magazine// March 20, 2007 <span style="font-family: 'Californian FB','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;"> “Grand Canyon Introduction.” //Nature.// Accessed on October 29, 2010 <span style="font-family: 'Californian FB','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.5in;">__ https://www. pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/grand-canyon/introduction/2284 __ <span style="background: lime; font-family: 'Californian FB','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Hamilton, <span style="font-family: 'Californian FB','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> John. //Grand Canyon National Park.// Edina, MN: ABDO, 2005.