The United States is a massive country.

The United States is so massive it has two separate and distinct mountain ranges: The Appalachian Mountains on the East Coast and the Rocky Mountains to the West. The Rocky Mountains are significantly higher than the Appalachian Mountains, though markedly younger. Just east of the Rockies lays the Colorado Plateau; sedimentary flat land that is pushed up by hot mantle rock through the eons. Within the Colorado Plateau resides The Grand Canyon, created through millions of years of erosion by both wind and water.

The Grand Canyon acts as a naturally built time capsule. Layers and layers of granular dirt are piled and packed on top of the other by each passing eon, creating distinct layers each with their own color and texture. The erosion over millions of years cut right through the rock, showing visitors the natural history of the Colorado Plateau and the Grand Canyon. As you look up from the bottom of the canyon and feel the dirt between your fingers, you become innately aware of how old this rock is. Standing next to rocks that are roughly 1,800,000,000 years old will certainly make you feel small.

Everything about the Grand Canyon is monstrous. Grand Canyon National Park is roughly 1 million acres of land. It takes about 5 hours to drive from the South Rim of the Canyon to the North Village. The deepest point of the Canyon is roughly 6,000 feet down from the top where people are walking. Whether you’re looking up or down, the people opposite from you look like ants against the incredible view. 

Please don’t be mistaken, the Grand Canyon is not just rocks. One of the things that I love about this park is that there really is something for everyone to enjoy. Hiking and river tours are plenty, if you book prior to your trip. Visit the history centers and learn about the Indigenous tribes that have lived in the Canyon for centuries. The watch towers and lookouts provide incredible photos that will capture your attention for hours. There is something for everyone. And like everything else wonderful about this country, each facet of the American people has a part in the story of the Grand Canyon.

In the early 1900’s the Grand Canyon was already becoming a major tourist destination. By 1901 the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (“AT&SF”) had finished building the railroad that led visitors directly to the Canyon. Because of the increasing number of visitors coming, AT&SF needed more infrastructure, and fast. Members of the Hopi Nation built many of the buildings located in the South Rim, using their traditional building methods giving the area it’s specific look that millions of visitors come to see. But the work didn’t stop there. Members of the Navajo, Black American, and Mexican Immigrant communities built more of the infrastructure throughout the park, including laying more of the railroad to allow more visitors. It was the work of the Indigenous, Black, and Latin American laborers that made the Grand Canyon an international sensation, blending the artistry of the people and the land into something completely new. 

When I visited the Grand Canyon, I got to step on the ledge of the rock and look out as the sun was setting. As it crossed the horizon the entire Canyon exploded into color, miles and miles of bright red and muted purples. Dozens of people from different parts of the country and the world were with me on this ledge. All of us finding a piece of the land to sit on and watch something that happens every day. Balancing on the ledge of this canyon we all shared this moment of silence and wonder, in awe of something so ancient and pure. As I looked out, I could see several different ledges that were looking exactly like mine, with people sharing the space to admire the beauty of the land. There was enough room for all of us here together. The land and the people. I can’t think of anything more American than that.