The rock record at Grand Canyon is summarized in the geologic cross section below. But what rain received comes suddenly in violent storms, particularly in the late summer of each year, and the power of erosion is therefore more evident here than in places which receive more rain. Grand Canyon continues to grow and change. As long as rain and snow continue to fall in northern Arizona, the forces of erosion will continue to shape the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River. The vivid colors of many of these layers are due mainly to small amounts of various minerals, most containing iron, which impart subtle shades of red, yellow, or green to the canyon walls.
Climate plays an important role, too.
If the climate at Grand Canyon were wetter, the planes and trees that grow there would be very different, and the canyon walls might be covered with lush vegetation. Grand Canyon is in the northwest corner of Arizona, close to the borders of Utah and Nevada. The Colorado River, which flows through the canyon, drains water from seven states, but the feature we know as Grand Canyon is entirely in Arizona. Most of Grand Canyon lies within Grand Canyon National Park and is managed by the National Park Service. That's a tricky question.