GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Whoever stands upon the brink of Grand Canyon beholds a spectacle unrivaled on this earth. Alpine mountain ranges of the United States are equaled and excelled in height, if not in spectacular beauty, by those in other lands, but though there are elsewhere deep canyons, some of even greater depth than the Grand Canyon, there is not one that can match its vastness, its ornate sculpture, its wealth of color, and its appeal to visitors and scientists throughout the world. The Grand Canyon is much more than a simple V-shaped gash. It is an intricately sculptured chasm that contains between its terraced walls a host of peaks and buttes, canyons within canyons, ramifying gulches, and ravines. To one viewing it from the rim, or from the air, its aspect suggests a fairy city filled with colossal edifices. Its walls are carved in stepwise descending cliffs and terraces that extend with great regularity as far as the eye can see.

Each of these strata or groups of strata, moreover, has a distinctive hue, and as a consequence the chasm as a whole is rich in contrasting colors arranged in horizontal bands. The dominant tone is a dull red that glows when lit by the sun, but there are also bands of pale buff and gray, of delicate green and pink, and in the lowermost depths are masses of chocolate-brown, slate-gray and other sombre hues. All are suffused in the distance by a transparent blue-purple haze that softens the shadows and contrasts with the deep green of the pine trees on the rim, which frame the picture, and with the intense blue of the Arizona sky. The most impressively beautiful part of the Grand Canyon's 217 miles is the 105 miles within Grand Canyon National Park. In this portion the canyon ranges between 3,000 and 6,000 feet in depth and between four and 15 miles in width. The higher north rim reaches an altitude of 8,500 feet with the river flowing below at a level of 2,400 feet.

Grand Canyon National Park was created in 1919 by Act of Congress to preserve for all time for all citizens of the United States, the wonders within the canyon. Under the policies established by Congress and followed by the National Park Service, the canyon and the portions of the rim within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park are to be preserved forever in their natural condition so that future Americans can view the unspoiled glory of the canyon as it was first seen by early Spanish explorers; and at the same time the canyon is to be made accessible for the enjoyment of visitors of the present and those of oncoming generations. This concept of conserving portions of the natural heritage of this nation as a responsibility to Americans of today and to their descendants forever is the peculiar and unique responsibility of the National Park Service.

Grand Canyon National Park is located in north-central Arizona, and the south rim is reached by leaving Highway 66 at Williams and driving 57 miles north, or by leaving Highway 89 at Cameron and driving 33 miles west, to the Navahopi Entrance to the park, and an additional 25 miles west along the canyon rim to Grand Canyon Village. This rim is also served by the Santa Fe Railway which has reopened daily service to Grand Canyon Village this summer after its discontinuance for the wartime years. By air, regular service is available to Valle Airport, 30 miles south of the canyon over Arizona Airways. A connecting bus brings passengers to the rim. The north rim is open only from about June 1 to some time in September, and is reached by leaving Highway 89 at Jacobs Like and driving 44 miles south to the rim. Air transportation between the two rims can be arranged as a landing field is maintained on the north rim and service is provided from the Red Butte airport, 18 miles from Grand Canyon Village on the south rim. Charter flights to the canyon are available from other nearby towns. The park visitor will find many opportunities for a pleasant and profitable vacation at Grand Canyon. Many with limited time, drive in and leave the same day, but even this brief trip cannot but make an everlast-ing impression on those who pause momen-tarily to view this sublime spectacle, and to reflect on the eternal and ageless time span-ning the creation of the canyon, and the onrushing, ceaseless power of Nature evidenced in the erosion by the turbid and turbulent Colorado River and the scant desert rainfall. For those visitors with more time, there are many things to do. Accommodations of all types are available on either rim during the summer months and the year around on the south rim. Hotels, lodges or cabin camps at-tract those who desire this service, and the free, government maintained public camp-grounds are open to those who carry their own tents and camping equipment. And once established for the night, a wealth of possible pleasures are for the visitor's choos-ing.

On the south rim, free government lec-tures on the creation of the canyon are of-fered on a daily schedule at Yavapai Observa-tion Station, a mile and a half by trail from Grand Canyon Village or two miles by road. Several hours can be spent in this station, studying the exhibits and learning in every-day language the story of Grand Canyon and the reason scientists and geologists from all over the world make this spot their Mecca on study trips. Evening campfire programs also feature talks by park naturalists with in-formal gatherings around a campfire to join other visitors in community singing, home-talent entertainment, and a short talk on some part of the natural history story of Grand Canyon. Other evening programs are held at Bright Angel Lodge with naturalist talks, music by a western orchestra, and dances several nights a week.

Trail trips to the bottom of Grand Canyon and return the same day or overnight trips to Phantom Ranch on Bright Angel Creek at the Colorado River are available for those who want the thrill of the famous mule-back ride. Or hikers are welcome to use either the Bright Angel trail through Indian Gardens to the river or the shorter Kaibab trail. How-ever, a word of caution is advisable-hiking into the canyon is the reverse of mountain climbing. In the canyon, the long, hard climb out is at the end of the day and hikers are urged to limit their trips to their own en-durance. It is ignominious and also ex-pensive to overextend and have to use a trail telephone to call for rescue by a canyon guide and mule. Water is scarce along the trails and each hiker should carry a canteen, Well filled at the start and replenished as often as possible.

Popular scenic drives to Hermit's Rest, eight miles west of Grand Canyon Village, and to Desert View and the Watch Tower, 25 miles east, are available every day, and the side trips to Pima Point, Mojave Point, Powell Memorial, Yaki Point, Grand View Point and Lipan Point, to mention only part of those accessible to motorists, well repay the time spent. From each of these a different view and different aspect of the canyon is presented, and so rapidly do the scenic effects of the canyon change with shifting shadows, clouds and sunlight that no two views are ever the same.

One little known but highly interesting side trip from the East Rim Drive is the short journey into the Wayside Museum of Archaeology, or Tusayan Ruin. Here the National Park Service has uncovered and partially stabilized and restored one of the homes of the early Indian inhabitants of this country-those almost legendary Indians who built up a complex family and community life and a high level of culture, only to migrate about 1200 A.D.

Other possible activities include attendance at the twice daily lecture at Kolb's Studio, featuring motion pictures of a trip down Grand Canyon by boat, and the Hopi Indian dances which it is planned to re-establish on the plaza near the famed Hopi House. Souvenirs and Indian goods and curios are for sale at the hotels and lodges, and at Verkamp's and Kolb's stores. Church services are held each Sunday afternoon at the park Community Building.

On the north rim, during the summer season, there is also a daily park naturalist schedule of talks on the natural features, conducted hikes and auto caravans. Evening campfire programs are held in the public campgrounds, and an evening entertainment at the Grand Canyon Lodge. Trail trips by mule or on foot from the north rim offer an inviting prospect. Daily trips to Roaring Springs on Bright Angel Creek are offered on mule-back, or overnight trips to Phantom Ranch. For those interested, it is possible to leave either rim with a mule party and spend one night at Phantom Ranch, going on to the other rim the next day. Hikers can take this same trip or short trips alongthe rim but again, are advised to use caution about estimating their own ability and to carry water.Scenic drives to Point Imperialand Cape Royal, 26 miles over an improved road, and to Point Sublime, 28 miles partially over an improved gravelled road are open to motorists. Each of these trips is through a lovely pine forest, opening to grassy parks where deer are often seen, and terminating at good parking areas where a short walk brings the visitor atop an abrupt bluff, with a magnificent panorama into and across the canyon and beyond, to the San Francisco Peaks and the immense Cataract Plains.And, last but certainly far from least in importance in visitor attractions, is the glorious opportunity for photography. The canyon itself is a magnificent subject, offering much to color film addicts, and the often expressed annoyance at being unable to encompass enough of the canyon in the view finder at one time, is best met by careful selection of some one feature as foreground, with general canyon background. Additionally, the pine and juniper on the canyon rim add to the possibilities of artistic framing and composition. Deer, squirrels, mule parties, hikers, campers all are possible photographic subjects and will add much to the photographs taken home to spread the fame of Grand Canyon, and to relive the thrilling moments in the park.

And, last but certainly far from least in importance in visitor attractions, is the glorious opportunity for photography. The canyon itself is a magnificent subject, offering much to color film addicts, and the often expressed annoyance at being unable to encompass enough of the canyon in the view finder at one time, is best met by careful selection of some one feature as foreground, with general canyon background. Additionally, the pine and juniper on the canyon rim add to the possibilities of artistic framing and composition. Deer, squirrels, mule parties, hikers, campers all are possible photographic subjects and will add much to the photographs taken home to spread the fame of Grand Canyon, and to relive the thrilling moments in the park.

Each visitor to Grand Canyon has lasting memories of his experience. If he has only a day, he will remember the color, the immensity, the spectacle of mountains within a canyon. If he has more time and learns something of the background of the creation of the canyon, he will have a new concept of earth building, of the power of running water, of the one-ness of all things, of the awful void of time; and perhaps, of the relationship he himself has to these and his own simultaneous dignity and futility.

But no matter what it is the scientific story the glory of a sunset the quiet memory of a deer, feeding unafraid among the pines the thrill of a trail trip the visitor to Grand Canyon National Park carries away with him precious memories that he can never lose and will always eagerly share with those less fortunate than he.