Whatever You Imagined, It's Bigger
That's what she said jokes aside, it is true that you can't really visually how vast the canyon is without actually seeing it in person. The breadth and depth are always understated in photographs, even when there is good context.
That being said, I'd still like to share a few photos from our trip a couple of years ago. I've shared some photos from this trip in a previous post, but I've come across some new ones that I thought were lost!
We took this trip, Amanda and I, with her sister and husband. In the above image, you can see my sis-in-law's husband walking out to the edge to have a look at the canyon in all its glory.
After snapping that shot, we caught up with him to have a look for ourselves.
The above photo was taken pretty much from where my brother-in-law was standing in the previous image. The first thing you notice about the Grand Canyon, after getting over the size of it, is the fact that there are absolutely no guard rails.
I'm actually glad of this, because I think it would ruin the natural beauty of this place. I also believe it would be extremely cost prohibitive to try to surround this entire park with railings.
According to an emergency services officer for the area, they get a couple of fatal falls on some years, and some years none at all.
It would seem pretty obvious to me that you need to really watch your step around here, yet some people still seem to think that nothing can happen to them so they make dumb decisions like trying to take selfies in precarious locations.
Just like back home in Southern California, it is a mixture of browns and greens here. You don't get that thick green look like you get out east from the constant raining and seasons. Here in the desert, the plants and animals have learned to survive on as little water as possible.
As you can see, the trees on the cliffs seem to be thriving quite well. The dark green shrubs, trees and bushes are right at home in this otherwise dry environment.
There are even some more colorful flowering plants around if you look for them. We ended up taking a little hike around the woods with the dogs which was quite nice.
My little cocker spaniel Harvey was having more fun than I think he's had in years. He was going nuts trying to catch all the little critters that were scattering as we approached them.
My sis and bro-in-law found a nice little spot to stop and take in the scenery. It is really quite peaceful out here. No city lights or noisy vehicles to interrupt your relaxed state of mind.
We spent most of the day hiking around and enjoying the trails and wildlife. The next day we ended up driving to the bottom of the canyon and took a rafting trip which was amazing! In the end, we had to get a helicopter ride to the top, and back to our cars.
I don't know what happened, but I can't seem to find any of those pictures, which were amazing. If I ever manage to find them, I'll be certain to post them here first.
The Grand Canyon National Park is absolutely massive and covers an area of about 1,902 square miles. There is a lot to explore there, so don't just go and look over the edge and think, "Okay! I've seen it."
I would highly recommend the rafting, but keep in mind - you'll get wet! It won't matter though because you dry off fast in the desert. If ever in Arizona, be sure to check it out! You'll be glad you did.