The Grand Canyon: America's Most Overwhelming Natural Wonder

The Grand Canyon was carved by the Colorado River over five to six million years, cutting through layer after layer of sedimentary rock to expose a geological record that spans two billion years — nearly half the age of the Earth. The canyon is 446 kilometres long, up to 29 kilometres wide, and 1,857 metres deep at its deepest point, and the scale of it — the sheer, incomprehensible vastness — is the defining experience of a visit.

The South Rim, open year-round and accessible by road from Flagstaff and Williams, is the most visited part of the canyon — a series of viewpoints along the rim that offer progressively different perspectives on the canyon as you walk west from the Visitor Centre. Mather Point, the first viewpoint most visitors reach, is the finest introduction to the canyon; Hopi Point, further west, offers the best sunset views.

The Bright Angel Trail, descending from the South Rim to the Colorado River, is the most popular hike in the canyon — a 15-kilometre descent of 1,450 metres to the river, taking about four hours down and six to eight hours back up. The National Park Service strongly advises against attempting the full round trip in a single day in summer, when the temperature at the bottom can exceed 50°C. The Indian Garden oasis, halfway down, is the recommended turnaround point for day hikers.

The North Rim, 1,000 metres higher than the South Rim and accessible only from May to October, offers a completely different perspective on the canyon — more forested, more remote, and with views that look across the canyon to the South Rim in the distance. The North Rim receives only 10% of the canyon's visitors, and the combination of the solitude and the different angle of view makes it worth the longer drive.

The Colorado River rafting trips through the canyon are the finest way to experience it — multi-day journeys through the inner gorge that pass through 160 rapids, camp on the river beaches, and give access to side canyons and waterfalls that are invisible from the rim. The full 226-mile trip takes 14 to 21 days; shorter motorised trips cover the most dramatic sections in three to five days. Permits for private trips are allocated by lottery and can take years to obtain.

The Havasupai Reservation, in the western canyon, contains the Havasu Falls — a series of turquoise waterfalls that are among the most beautiful in North America. Access requires a 16-kilometre hike from the trailhead, and the campground at the base of the falls must be booked months in advance. The combination of the red canyon walls, the turquoise water, and the travertine pools below the falls is one of the most extraordinary natural environments in the United States.

The best time to visit the Grand Canyon is in spring (March to May) or autumn (September to November), when the temperatures are comfortable at both the rim and the bottom of the canyon. The summer months (June to August) are extremely hot at the bottom — the National Park Service issues heat warnings and has recorded deaths from heat exhaustion — and the winter months bring snow to the rim that can make the trails icy. The canyon is open year-round, but the North Rim closes from mid-October to mid-May.

The Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim has a range of accommodation options, from the historic El Tovar Hotel (which should be booked months in advance) to the more affordable Bright Angel Lodge and the campgrounds. Staying inside the park allows early access to the rim viewpoints before the day visitors arrive, and the sunset and sunrise light on the canyon walls is significantly better than the midday light that most day visitors experience.

The Phantom Ranch, at the bottom of the canyon on the banks of Bright Angel Creek, is the only accommodation below the rim — a cluster of stone cabins and dormitories accessible only on foot or by mule. Reservations are allocated by lottery and are extremely competitive; the lottery opens 15 months in advance. Staying at Phantom Ranch and swimming in Bright Angel Creek after the descent is one of the finest experiences in the American national park system.

TravellingPros Tip: The Rim Trail, which runs along the South Rim for 21 kilometres between Hermit's Rest and the South Kaibab Trailhead, is the finest way to experience the canyon without descending. The trail is paved for most of its length, accessible to all fitness levels, and passes the finest viewpoints on the South Rim. The free shuttle buses that run along the rim make it easy to walk one section and ride back.