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Grand Canyon: How a Landscape Became an American Icon
Arizona

Grand Canyon: How a Landscape Became an American Icon

A River Cuts Through Time

The Grand Canyon is a dramatic record of geological history. The Colorado River and erosion exposed layers of rock that reveal an immense span of Earth’s past.

More Than a View

The canyon has long been important to Indigenous peoples and later became a destination for explorers, scientists and tourists. Its scale challenged early visitors and helped fuel the growth of tourism in northern Arizona.

A Symbol of Arizona

Today the Grand Canyon is one of Arizona’s defining landmarks and one of the best-known natural landscapes in the world. Its story combines geology, culture, conservation and tourism.

Source & rights

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