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Grand Canyon Facts & Worksheets

The Grand Canyon can be found in the state of Arizona in the United States. It is located in Grand Canyon National Park as well as many Indian Reservations. The Colorado River runs through the middle of the Canyon, and is responsible for the depth and width of the Canyon itself.

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Arizona, a state in the United States, is home to the Grand Canyon. One of the most recognizable and amazing natural features, the Grand Canyon is also North America‘s most widely known representation of nature. It is a cultural environment that has, for a very long time, been inhabited, traversed, feared, amazed at, exploited for profit, used for education, and revered as an inspiration by a wide range of people.

See the fact file below for more information about the Grand Canyon, or download the comprehensive worksheet pack, which contains over 11 worksheets and can be used in the classroom or homeschooling environment. 

Key Facts & Information

History & Geography of the Grand Canyon

  • The canyon is approximately 270 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and one mile deep, making it one of the biggest valleys in the world.
  • The Grand Canyon is bordered by three states: Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The canyon is situated in Arizona’s northwest corner; however, the canyon rim runs partially across all of these states.
  • This natural landmark was created by the Colorado River’s erosion, which dug a deep tunnel through multiple rock layers around five to six million years ago.
  • The Grand Canyon is one of the most apparent instances of the Great Unconformity, a global geological phenomenon in which 250 million-year-old rock layers coexist with 1.2 billion-year-old materials. What happened in the hundreds of millions of years is mostly unknown.
  • The Grand Canyon is home to some of the planet’s oldest exposed rocks. A cross-section of the Earth’s crust dating back over two billion years may be seen in the mile-high walls. Geologists now have the chance to examine how evolution has changed through time thanks to these rock strata.
  • The Vishnu Basement Rocks, the canyon’s earliest known rocks, may be found towards the bottom of the Inner Gorge. The Vishnu rocks developed around 1.7 billion years ago when lava solidified and connected this area, which was originally a volcanic ocean chain, to the North American continent.
  • Archaeologists have found ruins and relics from humans who lived there almost 12,000 years ago.  Early human occupancy is demonstrated by the size of the large stone spear points.
  • During the last Ice Age, when mammoths, giant sloths, and other massive beasts still inhabited North America, prehistoric people initially established themselves in and around the canyon.
  • Between 1000 and 2000 BCE, hundreds of tiny split-twig sculptures were created and found in the canyon wall’s caverns. Deer and bighorn sheep are depicted on the figurines. The figurines may have been put in caves by prehistoric hunters as part of a ritual to ensure a successful hunt, according to anthropologists.

People

  • The Grand Canyon is now regarded as the ancestral home of the Havasupai Nation. According to history, the Havasupai have spent more than 800 years living in and around the canyon. 
  • The Hopi Nation considers the Grand Canyon a portal to the afterlife.
  • In the 1540s, Spanish explorers escorted by Hopi guides were the first Europeans to enter the Grand Canyon.
  • The Paiute, Navajo, Zuni, and Hopi People were the next to live in the Grand Canyon after the ancient Pueblo people.
  • More than 300 years elapsed before US soldier, botanist, and explorer Joseph Christmas Ives explored the Grand Canyon on a Colorado River charting mission in 1858. American geologist John Newberry joined the voyage as a naturalist, becoming the first known geologist to examine the Grand Canyon.
  • Another American soldier and adventurer, John Wesley Powell, returned a decade later. His voyage generated more detailed charts of the Colorado River’s canyon course.
  • In the 1880s, the first settlers settled near the Grand Canyon’s rim. They were prospectors seeking copper deposits, and early settlers quickly discovered that tourism was far more profitable than mining.
  • In 1893, the current president, Benjamin Harrison, declared the Grand Canyon a forest reserve.
  • President Teddy Roosevelt visited the Grand Canyon in 1903. Roosevelt, a hunter at heart, intended to protect the Grand Canyon’s ecosystem for future generations by establishing federal game reserves. Later, it became a national monument.
  • Three years after President Woodrow Wilson established the National Park Service, the Grand Canyon was designated as a national park in 1919.

Weather and Climate of the Grand Canyon

  • Due to the Grand Canyon region’s height, which spans from about 2000 feet to over 8000 feet, it experiences a variety of meteorological variations. This range of weather has mild, rainy winters, warm, comfortable summers, moderate humidity, and notable diurnal temperature variations at higher altitudes. Hot, dry summers and chilly, wet winters alternate at the foot of the Grand Canyon. Thunderstorms in the summer and winter add to the region’s weather variety.
  • The hottest temperatures are observed at the canyon’s lowest levels.
  • The weather in the Grand Canyon changes from rim to rim. The West Rim, closest to Las Vegas, is the hottest all year and has the Grand Canyon Skywalk. 
  • The most visited rim, the South Rim, is accessible all year round and boasts mild temperatures. The Grand Canyon may be seen during a particularly spectacular and less popular time of year in the winter on the South Rim, which does get occasional snowfall.
  • The late summer “monsoon” season is caused by moisture entering the Grand Canyon region from the south or southeast.
  • The North Rim, the most isolated part of the canyon and only available seasonally from May 15 to October 15 receives a lot of snow in the winter. The Grand Canyon’s typical temperature varies between its upper and lower reaches by anywhere between 15 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (11 and 10 degrees Celsius).

Flora and Fauna in the Grand Canyon

  • There are 75 mammal species, 50 reptile and amphibian species, 25 fish species, and more than 300 bird species in Grand Canyon.
  • Mountain lions, California condors, Grand Canyon rattlesnakes, black widow spiders, big-horn sheep, coyotes, collared lizards, 22 kinds of bats, and other significant species may be found in the Grand Canyon.
  • In stark contrast to the dry landscapes below the rim, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is perched on the edge of a high plateau. 
  • Ponderosa pine is the dominating tree in the forest on the rim at elevations exceeding 7000 feet/2134 m. Below 7000 feet/2134 meters, Utah juniper and pinyon pine predominate as the main tree species. The gamabel oak is another common tree in the woods.
  • Among the trees are plants that can withstand droughts, such as cliffrose, fern bushes, and serviceberries. Desert-specific plants like the banana yucca and claret cup cactus may flourish in warm, sunny areas along the rim.
  • The inner canyon’s vegetation is dominated by cacti and drought-resistant plants, typical of the deserts to the south. Riparian vegetation includes thickets of willow and tamarisk.

Tourist Attractions

  • From helicopter flights to white water rafting, a range of tours provides excellent ways to see the Grand Canyon. 
  • Because of the relatively lower daytime temperatures and fewer crowds, spring and fall are frequently regarded as the ideal seasons to visit the Grand Canyon.
  • The busiest entrance to the park, Grand Canyon Village, frequently experiences overcrowding throughout the spring, summer, and fall tourist seasons. Yavapai Point, one of the greatest locations to observe the canyon, is located there.
  • The little town of Tusayan, which is close to the South Entrance, has a greater selection of chain hotels, eateries, and other amenities.
  • The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s most breathtaking places to camp and offers various camping alternatives. Two approved campsites, a forest service campground outside the park, and a few excellent locations near the rim for those with 4WD are all available near the South Rim.
  • There is one campsite on the North Rim inside Grand Canyon National Park and numerous more outside. Kaibab National Forest is located directly along the rim of the Canyon and offers some of the greatest sites for tent camping.
  • There are many sports routes around the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The inner Grand Canyon has various traditional classic trails like Zoroaster Temple. Find out more about climbing in the Grand Canyon.
  • There are several caverns around the Grand Canyon, but only one is genuinely accessible to the general public.
  • The Grand Canyon’s South Rim offers some excellent cross-country skiing. 
  • From Williams, the visitor center is reached from Williams by entering the park through the South Entrance. A few exhibits provide a brief description of the park and some background information. The park staff is available to answer inquiries and give details on the hiking routes and attractions.
  • The Rim Trail is a 13-mile paved walking trail that follows the Grand Canyon’s rim. It extends from the South Kaibab Trailhead, located east of the Visitor Center, to Hermit’s Rest, located at the extreme west end of Hermit Road.
  • Hermit Road is a seven-mile picturesque road with various vistas along the canyon rim. This is the park’s most popular route.
  • The Bright Angel Hike, which leaves from the Village, is the most popular hike in the park. Hikers like the nine-mile round-trip walk to Indian Garden Campground.
  • Eagle Point, located on the West Rim, is roughly a four-hour journey from the South Rim. This glass bridge in the shape of a horseshoe reaches 70 feet above the canyon, enabling you to see straight down.
  • Although officially outside of Grand Canyon National Park, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are both accessible by car and make for wonderful day trips. Both stunning sites may be visited on the same day; although Horseshoe Bend can be independently explored, reservations for guided tours to Antelope Canyon are necessary.
  • Approximately 44,000 people visited Grand Canyon National Park when it originally opened in 1919. Today, the Grand Canyon receives over five million visitors from all over the world annually.
  • The canyon’s water supplies have recently been pressured by tourism expansion, and Native American holy places are in danger. The federal government restricts the number of river and chopper journeys across the Grand Canyon each year.
  • The Grand Canyon Escalade, a significant development project that would have featured hotels, shops, and a gondola that would have transported visitors from Navajo property to the close-by South Rim of the Grand Canyon, was rejected in 2017 by the Navajo Nation based on environmental concerns.

Grand Canyon Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the world heritage site Grand Canyon across 22 wonderful pages. These are ready-to-use Grand Canyon worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Grand Canyon, which can be found in the state of Arizona in the United States. It is located in Grand Canyon National Park as well as many Indian Reservations.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Grand Canyon Facts.
  • Tourism Poster.
  • Protecting the Grand Canyon.
  • Grand Canyon Crossword.
  • A Grand Mix-Up!
  • The California Condor.
  • A Dangerous Drop.
  • Grand Canyon Wordsearch.
  • A Picture Says 1000 Words.
  • True or False?
  • What Makes You Beautiful.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Grand Canyon World Famous?

The Grand Canyon is one of the most apparent instances of the Great Unconformity, a global geological phenomenon in which 250 million-year-old rock layers coexist with 1.2 billion-year-old materials. What happened in the hundreds of millions of years is mostly unknown.

What states are the Grand Canyon in?

The Grand Canyon is bordered by three states: Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The canyon is located in the northwest corner of Arizona; however, the canyon rim runs partially across all of these states.

What is the best month to go to the Grand Canyon?

Because of the relatively lower daytime temperatures and fewer crowds, spring and fall are frequently regarded as the ideal seasons to visit the Grand Canyon.

What are three facts about the Grand Canyon?

  1. The canyon is approximately 270 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and one mile deep, making it one of the biggest valleys in the world.
  2. The Grand Canyon is bordered by three states: Utah, Arizona, and Nevada. The canyon is located in the northwest corner of Arizona; however, the canyon rim runs partially across all of these states.
  3. This natural landmark was created by the Colorado River’s erosion, which dug a deep tunnel through multiple rock layers around five to six million years ago.

Who lives in the Grand Canyon?

The Grand Canyon is now regarded as the ancestral home of the Havasupai Nation. According to history, the Havasupai have spent more than 800 years living in and around the canyon.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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