Natural Wonder of the World

There is not much more beautiful than the natural sites the world has to offer. The Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is a well-known tourist attraction that is known by people across the planet. I was lucky enough to visit the Grand Canyon in Arizona this summer for the first time ever at the ripe age of 20 years old. Most people found it so unusual that I had gone through 20 years of my life and had not experienced the Grand Canyon. I did not think I was missing out on that much, and figured I would make it there one day. I was in no rush.

The Red Rock in Sedona, Arizona.

Luckily enough, I made a trip to Arizona this summer with my mother to meet up with her college  roommates for their yearly reunion. We stayed in a beautiful rental home in Sedona,  Arizona with wondrous views of Red Rock and an abundance of wildlife. A trip to the  Grand Canyon was discussed, but was still up in the air when we had arrived in Arizona. My mom and I felt that we should take advantage of the fact that we were only two hours from the marvel that is the Grand Canyon and decided that even if the rest of the group did not want to go, the two of us would. Fortunately, everyone was willing to go and we made a day trip out of traveling to and seeing one of the most beautiful Natural Wonders of the World.

When I arrived at the first lookout point, I was speechless. I know it sounds incredibly cliché, but the beauty and immensity of the giant canyon was so overwhelming that it brought tears to my eyes. I almost could not believe what I was seeing, it was so  massive and complex and beautiful, now I finally was able to understand all of the hype. Not only is the Grand Canyon a beauty to look at, but it is full of history and culture. The Grand  Canyon runs 277 miles long and the width runs from 4 to 18 miles with a depth of over 1 mile. The area had been inhabited for thousands of years by Native Americans who had built settlements within the caves and valleys of the canyon. When at the Grand Canyon, visitors can read about the history of the site and learn about the remarkable age of the canyon.

One of many pictures taken from my visit to the Grand Canyon.

I was able to get a closer look at the Grand Canyon than most self-guided tourists. Since my mother is handicapped, she was unable to walk the long distances from the parking lots to the lookout points. Although it was under unfortunate circumstances, our group was given a pass and granted special access to drive our vehicle past the gates and follow the road normally used for bus tours. This completely enhanced our Grand Canyon experience. We were able to drive right up to the lookout points and my mother was able to experience the beauty without having to worry about how far she would have to walk. I was incredibly impressed with the Grand Canyon and the breathtaking views it had to offer. What made it even better was that I was able to share the experience with my mother, and it is an experience that I will never forget. A trip back to the Grand Canyon is definitely in my future. I recommend to any and all individuals that they make a trip to see the Grand Canyon. It truly is a natural wonder of the world.