General Information - Vital Statistics

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General Information

Vital Statistics

The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and one of our planet's most astounding geologic features. The sheer majesty and beauty of the scenery found here is beyond belief. I have never seen a picture that has ever done it justice. I keep taking them and I manage to capture little pieces of beauty here and some majesty there but to really understand the Grand Canyon, to really appreciate it, you have to see it with your own eyes.

The Canyon, as measured from Lee's Ferry just below Glen Canyon Dam at the southern end of Lake Powell to the Grand Wash Cliffs at Lake Mead, is 277 miles (443 km) long. It averages 10 miles (16 km) in width from rim to rim, with the greatest distance being about 18 miles (29 km) and the least being about 5 miles (8 km). Its depth as measured from the north rim is slightly more than a mile or about 5,700 feet (1,737 meters). The south rim is approximately 1,200 feet (365 meters) lower than the north rim. The area of the park includes over a million acres of land or 1,218,375.54 acres (493,077 hectares 1,904 square miles, 4,931 km²) to be exact.

The elevation of the Colorado River, at the bottom of the Canyon, averages out to around 2,200 feet (670 meters). The average elevation of the south rim is around 6,800 feet (2,072 meters) with the highest spot, Grandview Point, being 7,400 feet (2,255 meters). The average elevation of the north rim is about 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) with the highest point, Point Imperial, being 8,800 feet (2,682 meters). The depth of the Canyon at the South Rim, near Grand Canyon Village, measures almost a vertical mile, about 5,000 feet (1,524 meters).

To hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, JUST to the bottom - NOT back to the top, requires at least one full day. Some people manage to do the trip to the river AND BACK in one day but this is extremely hazardous, the person attempting it risking dehydration and hypothermia, and the Park Service attempts to discourage the activity. It is possible to take a one-day mule trip to Plateau Point almost to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. This is still 1,200 feet (366 meters) above the Colorado River but provides some excellant views of the river, the inner gorge and the south rim. Even the mules take 2 days to go all the way to the river and back.

A river trip along the full length of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon can be done in as little as a week in a motor powered raft or may take as long as 2 or 3 weeks in an oar powered raft or dory. Shorter half-Canyon trips are also possible but these require you to either hike in and join the trip or leave the trip and hike out at Phantom Ranch.

NOTE: River trips and mule trips fill up quickly and it is not uncommon for them to be booked up to six months or a full year in advance depending on the time of year. DO NOT wait until you get to the Canyon to book these trips.