Arizona - Nature and Scientific Wonders
- By Smithsonian.com
- Smithsonian.com, November 06, 2007, Subscribe
Fall’s colors paint Aspen trees along the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. Courtesy of Larry D. Fellows/Arizona Office of Tourism
A tour of Arizona would not be complete without a glimpse of the Grand Canyon. Adventurers can begin their trek at the Grand Canyon National Park, a 1.2-million-acre spread where one can bike and hike along the Canyon's North and South Rims or raft down the center of the Canyon via the Colorado River. Tours are also available by plane, train and automobile.
One of the traditional ways of experiencing the Grand Canyon is by mule. Visitors saddle up and take the Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point, at an elevation of 1,000 feet above the Colorado River. This spot provides a great vantage point of the Inner Gorge, and stops along the way include the Supai Tunnel, Uncle Jim Point and the awe-inspiring Havasu Falls.
A modern age twist has been added to the Grand Canyon's repertoire—the Skywalk. The Hualapai tribe, whose reservation encompasses a section of the canyon, opened the Skywalk in March 2007. This transparent bridge juts out over the canyon's rim, so visitors can walk on thin air for a never-before-seen view of the canyon.
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