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The Grand Canyon is a must-see attraction for many of those visiting the desert West of the United States. The canyon is easily accessible from tourist hotspots such as Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona. Many organizations run day trip packages to the famous gorge. These packages may include trips to the Grand Canyon National Park or sightseeing flights over the area.

Grand Canyon Tours mean a variety of activities for the outdoors enthusiast. Various hikes, whitewater rafting and even tours on the backs of mules are available. The famous mule or burro rides down into the canyon have been well documented in popular culture and are perhaps the best known of all the tours in the area.

The Grand Canyon is one of the best places in the world to study geology as well. Created over millions, and perhaps billions of years, the Earth's history is carved in each layer of rock as the Colorado River has passed through over the eons. The layers of rock exposed rock, most scientists agree, go back at least 2 billion years. Interestingly enough, there is a gap in the geologic history of the canyon of approximately 1 billion years.

In addition to attracting human beings, the Grand Canyon has also attracted a diverse collection of wildlife also. Due to the canyon's large size, range in elevations and large areas of unspoiled land, it is one of the most biologically diverse locations in the United States. Foxes, cougars, bobcats, black bears and various other mammals give plenty for visitors to be on the lookout for. Dozens of bird types and fish also add to the biological mix.