The Geology of the Grand Canyon

The earth is vast, filled with beautiful natural wonders such as majestic mountain ranges, gaping

canyons, and endless stretches of unexplored oceans and land. It is sometimes not enough to

simply experience these gorgeous sights; soon you will find that understanding them can be even

more awe-inspiring. Fortunately, geologists have long been studying the earth’s surface and

climates in order to understand all its weird and wonderful shapes and why certain wonders were

created, oftentimes over millions of years. The Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA has long been on

the Natural Wonders of the World list, and for good reason. Although breathtakingly beautiful

and grandiose, the geology of the Grand Canyon is still extremely impressive from a historical

standpoint.

The Grand Canyon has long been a showcase for geology, and because geology is the study of

the earth, its materials, and the naturally occurring processes that create these materials, the

sequences of the Grand Canyon’s rock formations are one of the most intensive and complete

studies in the world. Here are a few interesting facts about the geology of the Grand Canyon: ¹

1. A recent study in 2012 by The Science Journal suggests that the canyon could be almost

70 million years old, as opposed to the prior belief that it was around 6 million years old.

The former estimated age of the canyon was determined by the age of the Colorado River

running through it.

2. The Colorado River, running through the canyon, has carved the Grand Canyon into four

plateaus, all of which can be viewed from a Grand Canyon helicopter tour for optimum

visibility and recognition of the various plateaus.

3. There are around 40 sedimentary rock layers exposed in the Grand Canyon, making it a

diverse and thorough educational site for geology study.

4. Some of the rock layers were deposited due to ancient oceans, shorelines, and even sand

dunes.

5. Due to climate change, the movement of the earth’s crust, wind, snow, and rain, the

Grand Canyon is constantly evolving and changing, as well as growing wider. Drastic

changes in the canyon can take millions of years to become visible, but there are still

enough changes in the rock formations and sediments to be noticed and studied by

geologists regularly. ²

6. About 3 million years ago, volcanic activity began in the Western Grand Canyon creating

naturally-occurring dams in the Colorado River due to around 150 overflows of basaltic

lava.

7. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, around 18 miles wide and 6,000 feet deep, making

it one of the largest canyons in the world.

8. The further down into the canyon you travel, the older the rock formations, with the

bottom rocks being dated at 1.84 billion years old. ³

The Grand Canyon is full of enthralling geological facts ,and if you take one of the Grand

Canyon helicopter tours with Papillon, you will be able to not only view the Grand Canyon

National Park in all its majestic glory, but the tour guide will explain various geological aspects

of the canyon to you. This makes for an exciting and educational trip for the whole family.

Experiencing the historical and geographical awe of the Grand Canyon from the air is an

experience unlike any other. If you would like the once-in-the-lifetime experience of seeing the

Grand Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon West by air, then contact us for bookings

here.