The border vidette., 1931-05-23
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

/. Visited annually by scores OF
thousands Of tourists from all
parts OF the world, and still not
yet seen by thousands OF the
states own residents. the Grand
Canyon National Park must come
first in any attempt to Summarize
and classify the different types
of vacation attrActions found ia
Arizona. It is at once cosm0
politan and primeval; beautiful
and awesome; q natural and geo
logical wonder OF the world.
The Grand Canyon Of Arizona
undou btedly is the states great
est single tourist attraction, pos.
sibly the most famous scenic
spot in the whole West. Kings
and presidents have come 90
pilgrims to worship at so sub.
blime . shrine OF Nature. and
some of the greatest writer's and
artists OF the age have attempt
ed in vain to portray the magni
ficence of its scenes aud color.
ings in words or picture.
Doughty Spanish explorers
first saw it in 1541--neArly 20
years before the first English
colony was founded in North
America it was then as old
almost IS time itself.
Except that it is = national
park-and one Of the most popu
lar-the Grand Canyon is not so
much q distinctly ype of Arizona
attraction as il ia combination
OF nearly all the differeat kinds
of tourist attractions that make
Arizona ceiebrated. The Rreat
gorge at the Colorado River aud
it's fantastic, multi -colored rock
formations that take the forms
of ancient temples and palaces
are typical Of therugged chasms
and painted mesas that make the
entire state so colorful. The
strip of forest on South Rim aod
the mighty Kaibab Forest on the
North Rim, filled with great
herds OF deer illustrate Arizona's
wealth Of timber aud wild life.
The prehistoric Indian ruins
that dot the state are represented
by crumblinR iiff-dwellings
tucked 10 side-canyon walls; to
north and south, and east aud
west, are the picturesque pla
teaus aud majestic mountains so
familiar to other sections. Thus
the canyon is Arizona itself.
Ia other ways, too, the Grand
Canyon is typical of this old
young state. The great tourist
hotels on the two rims are as
luxurious % anyone might wish;
q few milessfrom them are virgin
forest glades where man is rare
~ seen. Trains discharge their
passengers at FL Tovar but 3
few yards from the head trails
80 steep that only mules negotiate
them. Airplanes hum over near
by Indian villages that have been
unchanged for centuries. For
eign nobility rubs shoulders with
farmers from the Middle West;
Broadway celebrates mingle
with men bred to the great out
doors.
AS for description, it is un,
necessary Is it is impossible.
Ranging from four to eighteen
miles in width, extending fifty
six miles ia length in the park
itself, the Grand Canyon must
be seen to be appreciated, and
one may see it time and time
again without catching the same
view twice, 90 constantly do its
colors and perspectives change.
Myriads of csstellated shapes
and turreted cliffs rise from the
canyons depths % one looks
down from either rim, and the
Colorado River ct it's bottom. a
mile below, is but . faint mud.
colored ribbon. Each separate
point along the rim, each new
side-canyop, presents q vista
wholly different. Reds merge
into pinks and puppies, browns
into buffs and whites. green's 10.
to blues and grays, as sunshine
and shadow play over the mights
walls of stone aud the strange
architectural marvels carved out
by cons of erosion.
Although one could we'll spend
q summer in it without exhaust
ing all its possibilities,th the Grand
Canyon serves as 2 convenient
center in seeing Northern Ari
zona. and may be joined into any
of the pany scenic loop" trips
recommended by the Arizona
~ho ~