What's So Grand About The Canyon?

Hidden in the vast Arizona desert is a small and peculiar community of people from all over the world gathered around a massive hole in the ground. The better known term for this place is The Grand Canyon… and grand it is. I read that the Grand Canyon is still the #1 tourist attraction for Americans traveling within the United States, which is a surprising and encouraging statistic for those of us who still appreciate the natural beauty this country has to offer. The minds behind Grand Canyon National Park have really milked this tourist attraction for all its worth and transformed this remote park into a small city. There are hundreds and hundreds of camp sites, a general store, post office, train/bus systems, and more souvenir shops than you can count. The campgrounds were probably the most interesting place in the whole park. Every night I took a walk around the campsites just observing the various groups of people that had come from literally all around the world to marvel at the Grand Canyon. Watching people set up their tents, make fires, and park their RV’s seemed to be a very American experience.

Now, the actual Canyon is beyond description. Neither pictures nor words can capture this mystery and beauty of the Grand Canyon…it is truly a surreal and spiritual experience. Nothing has ever made me feel so small and insignificant! The depth and layers of the canyon are indescribable and look more like a painting than anything else. It is 10 miles from rim to rim…but it is a 240 mile drive to drive around! The first day we just admired from the rim, but the next day we decided to hike a couple miles into the Canyon for a new perspective. We hiked 1.5 miles downhill into the Canyon and it seemed like we barely even moved! The depth of the Canyon is so incredible…we wanted to keep hiking but the 1.5 miles back uphill was enough for us! You may see these pictures and be awed, but you have to experience the Grand Canyon firsthand to understand the unparalleled beauty present in this place.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of sojourners flock to this center of simple, strong, natural beauty. As knowledge and technological progress continues to grow completely unabated, the human race cannot eliminate their need and desire for natural beauty. This generation of Americans has more spending money and free time than any other group in the history of the world. With this decadent generation, in the world of wireless internet, i-pods, and high definition entertainment, what continues to capture our national imagination? Even more than their predecessors, many of these Americans can be found far from the lights of technology, reimagining beauty with the help of Mother Nature. No one needs to worry; the Grand Canyon will never lose its allure…no matter how “advanced” we become as a society. Everyone needs to marvel at nature and feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves. This is the inherent need that drives the incredible tourism of Grand Canyon.

And for me, as a follower of the Canyon’s Artist, I celebrate the draw it has on my fellow man.

Chicken Fajitas--Grand Canyon Style!