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There’s a lot to do in the Southwest United States. Whether traveling to Southern California or taking in the wonderful beauty of New Mexico, you can spend months there.
One popular destination is the Grand Canyon. It’s great for individual travelers, couples, or families, as there is much to take in and do. No matter if you’ve been there before or if you have never been, the following are nine things you didn’t know about the Grand Canyon.
1. People live there.
Before you go putting your house up on the market in order to snag some property in the Grand Canyon, you should first educate yourself. Members of the Havasupai, a Native American group, still live inside the Grand Canyon, but they’re the only ones. Their reservation borders the National Park, and outside visitors are welcome to check out their land; however, you will have to pay for it.
2. You need to bring your own water bottle.
Many years ago, visitors were able to purchase bottles of water while visiting the Grand Canyon. Seems like a good idea considering people tend to get thirsty walking in the heat. However, in 2012, the Grand Canyon stopped selling water after they determined that most of their waste was coming from plastic water bottles. Instead, free water stations are available to guests throughout the Canyon, so be sure to bring your own water bottle.
3. Private tours are available.
If you don’t like crowds, don’t worry. There are plenty of companies that are willing to provide private tours of the Grand Canyon for you and your family/friends. Detours Nevada is one of those companies that will provide customized private tours, whether you just want a serene tour of the Grand Canyon or a helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon.
4. Be wary of winter visits.
Most people only see pictures of the Grand Canyon during the spring and summer months when the air looks dry and hot. However, this type of temperature is not always the case. If you plan on visiting the Grand Canyon in the winter, you may want to think again. Temperatures in the Grand Canyon in the winter can get so cold that it actually snows, so be sure to consider this when planning your trip.
5. Hiking from one end to the other is possible.
Most people opt to drive around the Grand Canyon in order to take in the views, even though getting from one end to the other will take about 5-6 hours in a car. If you’re looking for a longer Grand Canyon adventure, consider hiking. You can actually hike from one end all the way to the other end, but it’s a 21-mile hike, which means you’ll want to stop and sleep inside the Canyon. If this is something you’re considering, be sure you’re accurately prepared.
6. It’s not the world’s deepest or longest canyon.
Most people assume that the Grand Canyon is the world’s deepest and/or longest canyon; after all, it is called the Grand Canyon. But according to the Guinness Book of World Records, it’s neither. Instead, the deepest canyon is the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in the Himalayas.
interesting ! i did not know about the private tours ~ thanks