The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often considered one of the Wonders of the World.

The park, which covers 1,217,262 acres (1,901.972 sq mi; 4,926.08 km2) of unincorporated area in Coconino and Mohave counties, received more than 4.7 million recreational visitors in 2023.

The Grand Canyon became well known to Americans in the 1880s after railroads were built and pioneers developed infrastructure and early tourism.

[8]Despite Roosevelt's enthusiasm and strong interest in preserving land for public use, the Grand Canyon was not immediately designated as a national park.

Harrison unsuccessfully reintroduced his bill in 1883 and 1886; after his election to the presidency, he established the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve in 1893.

In 2010, Grand Canyon National Park was honored with its own coin under the America the Beautiful Quarters program.

[citation needed] Today, the Grand Canyon is a part of Region 8, also known as the Lower Colorado Basin.

The rest of the park is extremely rugged and remote, although many places are accessible by pack trail and backcountry roads.

[25][citation needed] Grand Canyon Village is the primary visitor services area in the park.

It is a full-service community, including lodging, fuel, food, souvenirs, a hospital, churches, and access to trails and guided walks and talks.

The plant hardiness zone at Grand Canyon Visitor Center is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of 3.3 °F (−15.9 °C).

[26] From March to December, access to Hermit's Rest is restricted to the free shuttle provided by the Park Service.

The eastern portion to Desert View is 25 miles (40 km), and is open to private vehicles year round.

Mather Point, the first view most people reach when entering from the south entrance, is a popular place to begin.

Due to a crash in the 1990s, scenic flights are no longer allowed to fly within 1,500 feet (460 m) of the rim within the Grand Canyon National Park.