The Grand Canyon (1073)

Arizona is famous for its natural wonders. One of the greatest natural wonders of the world is the Grand Canyon of Colorado River. The Grand Canyon is one of America's main tourist attractions. It is so big that you must go there yourself to feel its true size and beauty. The Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon over millions of years. Slowly, the river cut down through hard rock. Today, the canyon is one mile deep and 277 miles (363 km) long and in some places it is 18 miles wide. It’s interesting that there are different kinds of plants and animals on opposite sides of the Canyon. The south side is a dry and desert country. The north side has tall forests. The canyon looks different at different times of day, and in different seasons and weather. At sunrise and sunset the red, gold, brown, and orange colours of the rocks are especially clear and bright. In winter, the canyon is partly covered with snow. You can walk down into the Grand Canyon, or you can go down on the back of mule. But be careful to carry enough water because inside the canyon, it is very hot – much hotter than at the top. The rock of the canyon walls shows many chapters of earth history. Scientists find here different animals which were turned to stone. The Grand Canyon is the world's greatest geological laboratory.

The Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest (844)

In Arizona there are other natural wonders. One of them is the Painted Desert. Like the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert is also famous for its wonderful colours. From a distance the bright red and yellow of its earth and stones look like а large painted picture. Bright sunshine, combined with chemical materials in the earth makes the colour stronger.

Part of the Painted Desert is the Petrified Forest. This "forest" is made up of trees now turned to stone. The trees died millions of years ago. They fell to the ground and were covered by mud. As time passed they were petrified by the water in the ground which had minerals. As the water flowed to every part of the tree, the minerals were laid down and little by little each tree was replaced completely by minerals. The process took millions of years. There are many petrified forests in the western part of North America. In Yellowstone National Park there are 15 petrified forests lying one over the other. Also there is a petrified sequoia 15 feet wide in the park.

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