Grand Canyon

1) What is this place?
2) Where is this place?
3) Why would tourists visit this place?
4) Sources of information
5) How would the physical environment enable tourism to occur?
6) What are the positive and negative impacts of toursim on the area?

1) The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge due to erosion by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. It is estimated that 17 million years ago, the Colorado River started to flow through the canyon, eroding and forming the canyon to its present condition. It is a total of 277 miles, and it stretches from 4 to 18 miles in width (6.4 to 29 km) and a depth of over a mile (1.83km, 6000 feet).

2) To a great extent, it is contained within the Grand Canyon National Park. It is a gigantic rift in the Colorado Plateau. It is within an area that contains a large number of flora and fauna, which include approximately 1,737 known species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen (the large variety is mostly the result of the 8,000 foot elevation change from the top to the bottom of the Canyon).


3) The Grand Canyon is a popular destination for tourists during all seasons (especially summer). Visitors are intrigued by the canyon as it is a massive gorge which was carved over several million years, and has a geologic history over two billion years. Although the Grand Canyon is not the longest, nor the widest canyon on Earth, it has been renowned by advertisement by methods of the implementation of media, as well as the large number of tourists that have visited.

4) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon#Grand_Canyon_tourism Self-updated website
www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/ Powerpoint slideshow, self-learning

www.google.com Government Site, obtained pictures

5) Tourism has acted as a way to raise the awareness of the environmental values of the site. However, tourism could put enormous pressure on the Grand Canyon, as the visitors’ constant stepping on the ground could have accelerated soil erosion, and the large structures (i.e. the skywalk, a bridge-like structure built to allow visitors to get a better look of the canyon) might have disrupted the natural appearance of the natural environment of the Canyon.

6) The Grand Canyon is a wide Canyon which stretches from a great length and height. The large structure of the canyon has often astounded visitors, as its landscape is one that is rarely found. The history of the Grand Canyon ranges from 17 million years ago, of which the Colorado River had first established its course, enabling visitors to enthrall in the origins of the canyon.

~ Tiffany Lim (30) 4D














A magnificent view of the Grand Canyon
Source: http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/photos/images/D_0731.JPG

Where is this place?

Location: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States of America.

What is this place?

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona.It is located in the National Park, which is a designated World Heritage Site. It draws nearly five million visitors annually and is a home to numerous animals and plants. The Grand Canyon is one of the great tourist attractions in the US. There are two ways to access to the Grand Canyon, the North Rim or the more accessible South Rim.

The Grand Canyon has a very unique landscape. It has a desert-like environment and a lack of herbaceous ground. However the rock layers displayed show little sign of wear and have been preserved perfectly. Nowhere else on Earth displays so many volumes of the planet’s history in such pristine condition.

Tourist rafting in the Grand Canyon

Source: http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/photos/images/D5697.JPG

Why do tourist visit this place?

-The awe-inspiring view of the Grand Canyon

-Many interesting activities are offered like backpacking, day hiking, Grand Canyon whitewater rafting, Grand Canyon helicopter tours, Grand Canyon skywalk and historic rides to Phantom Ranch on the Canyon floor.

-Many kinds of flora and fauna in the National Park for the nature lovers

A bird’s eye view of the beautiful Grand Canyon

Source: http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/photos/images/T003.jpg

How is the weather like in Grand Canyon?

The weather varies according to elevation. The forested rims are high enough to receive winter snowfall. Conditions in the Grand Canyon region are generally dry, but substantial precipitation occurs twice annually, during seasonal pattern shifts in winter. Temperatures vary wildly throughout the year, with summer highs within the Inner Gorge commonly exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C) and winter minimum temperatures sometimes falling below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8 °C) along the canyon's rims.

The extreme weather conditions can greatly affect hiking and canyon exploration. Therefore, tourists should  obtain accurate forecasts because of hazards posed by exposure to extreme temperatures, winter storms and late summer monsoons.

What kind of tourist attraction is this?

Natural attraction-scenic views

Source of information:

http://ariztravel.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon#Grand_Canyon_tourism

http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/photos/

http://www.nps.gov/archive/grca/grandcanyon/index.htm

By: Soh Sheng Mei (25) 4R

Havasu Falls In Grand Canyon

Horseshoe Bend located in the Grand Canyon National Park during Sunset

01 What is this place

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is a massive rift in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata, and is also one of the six distinct physiographic sections of the Colorado Plateau province.

02 Where is this place

The Grand Canyon is located in northwestern Arizona. 

03 Why do tourists visit this place

To Discover. The Grand Canyon is known for its visually overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape. Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early geologic history of the North American continent. One has to physically be there to enjoy and explore the wonder of Mother Nature!

Experience something different. There are numerous Grand Canyon activities that one or a group can enjoy. Grand Discovery Air Tours, Jeep Tours, Canyon River Adventures, Canyon Smooth Water Float Trips and Colorado River Journeys - these are just a few examples of the things that you can enjoy at the Grand Canyon. 

Take a break. With the recent global economic crisis, a lot of us prefer to just save up for more practical matters, but keep in mind that we can save up for a bit of an indulgence. A break from the usual tumult of your mundane everyday life, even if it could be a once in a lifetime trip, is enough motivation for one to save up and enjoy an experience that one has never tried, especially for those who spend eight hours in the office in front of a computer, stuck in the boardroom with meetings all throughout the day and nothing but coffee to keep them alive until late into the night. 

A change in your usual environment can recharge those brain cells and muscles more effective than ginseng and gym combined. Also, it is healthier and more fun to just let out those pent up energy, not caring what the people around you would think or say. Think about having to jump up and down without being conscious, scream your heart out to the adrenaline rush and just be absolutely happy. 

04 What are the sources of information for this place

http://www.twu.ca

http://www.recapturephoto.com

http://www.abc-of-hiking.com

http://wikitravel.org/

http://wiki.answers.com/

http://www.museumspot.com

05 What are some unique geological facts about Grand Canyon that makes it such a popular tourist attraction?

The Grand Canyon ranges from 4 to 18 miles wide and is 227 miles long. On average, it is 5000 feet deep. The entire Grand Canyon is essentially tilted: the northern rim is 1200 ft higher than the southern rim. The climate within the canyon is semi-arid, and the floor sometimes heats up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit It is the third largest canyon in the world (exceeded by Barranca de Cabre in Northern Mexico and Hell's Canyon in Idaho) 75 different species of mammal, 50 species of reptiles, 25 species of fish, and 300 species of bird all live in the Grand Canyon. There are approximately 1,737 known species of vascular plants, 167 species of fungi, 64 species of moss and 195 species of lichen found in Grand Canyon National Park. This variety is largely due to the 8,000 foot elevation change from the river up to the highest point on the North Rim. Grand Canyon boasts a dozen endemic plants (known only within the Park's boundaries) while only ten percent of the Park's flora is exotic. Sixty-three plants found here have been given special status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

06 How big is the scale of tourism in the Grand Canyon?

Five million people visited the park in 1997, although its buildings, roads, trails and parking areas were designed to accommodate only 1 million a year.

Done By Quek Li Yuan (20) 4R