Grand Canyon National Park Tips

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How can I find work at the Grand Canyon?

How to Apply for Work at the Grand Canyon

So, you'd like to work at the Grand Canyon. Really, it's not that difficult to get a job in the park. Of course, most positions are entry level, and you'll have to work your way up to higher paying, more responsible positions. The company that owns the concession at Grand Canyon National Park is Xanterra, doing business as Grand Canyon National Park Lodges.

You can fill out an employment application online: http://jobs.xanterra.com/recruit/servlet/com.lawson.ijob.QuickCandidate?vendor=223. You need to be 18 years old to work in the park, and willing to live in an employee dormitory at the cost of $16 per week. You also need to be willing to pay for meals in an employee cafeteria, and work in positions such as dishwasher, guest room attendant, or retail clerk.

You'll also need to undergo a background check and be open to random drug testing. Working at the Grand Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You'll work hard, but you'll also have a national park as your very own backyard, and that's a pretty awesome fringe benefit.

   
How old is the Hopi House at Grand Canyon National Park?

The Hopi House

The Hopi House, designed by Mary E. J. Colter, is another one of the oldest buildings in the park, in fact, it's the oldest curio shop at the canyon, it opened its doors in 1904. Colter designed the building to resemble the pueblo-type homes of the Hopi Tribe, who live east of the Grand Canyon in their ancestral homes located on top of three mesas.

The building still contains a curio shop, and the upper floor has been open to the public since 1995, when the building was renovated and added to the National Register of Historic Places. The upper floor carries museum quality Native American artwork, while the lower floor deals in more traditional Native American arts and crafts.

Outside, the Hopi House is totally authentic to its roots in the Hopi Mesa homes, complete with the ladders used to reach each level, the native stone used for construction, and the terraced levels allowing for outdoor living and meal preparation. Interestingly, several Hopi craftspeople worked on the restoration of the building in 1995, which strived to keep the historic integrity of the building intact.

   
What are some of the basic facts about the Grand Canyon?

Some Basic Grand Canyon Facts

Here's some basic Grand Canyon info you should know:
• Arizona is known as the Grand Canyon State
• The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, over one mile deep, and up to 18 miles wide at the widest point.
• The Colorado River is 1450 miles long.
• The average elevation of the South Rim is 6,800 feet, while the average elevation of the North Rim is 8,000 feet.
• The North Rim is closed from late October to late May.
• The South Rim is open all year – 365 days a year.
• The North Rim receives far fewer visitors than the South Rim.
• The entrance fee to the park is $25 per vehicle, good for seven days on both North and South Rims.

Grand Canyon is an amazing place, and the more Grand Canyon info you learn, the more unique and intriguing it becomes.

   
What helped created Grand Canyon Arizona?

A Northern Arizona Gem

The Colorado River created Grand Canyon, Arizona, along with some help from Mother Nature. This Grand Canyon location is the perfect combination of wind, rain, and rushing water that added up to a very, very big natural wonder.

The Colorado River cut through the layers of rock that make up the area, creating the wide gorge of the canyon. Side canyons and deeper cuts were created by smaller streams and creeks flowing into the Colorado.

Wind also helped sculpt the buttes and mesas that rise up from the bottom of the canyon. The weather, the river, and the location were all important factors, and they created the grandest canyon anywhere in the world.

   
What's Grand Canyon weather really like?

Watch the Weather

Grand Canyon weather may not be exactly what you think it will be. Many people think because Arizona is a desert state, the Grand Canyon is a desert, too. Well, it is, but it's the "high" desert, and that makes all the difference.

The elevation of the South Rim is nearly 7,000 feet, and temperatures even in summer are usually not much higher than mid-80 degrees. Night cool down 30 to 40 degrees, so a sweater or jacket is a must even in summer. Wintertime is cool, and the canyon receives several inches of snow each year. Daytime highs may not reach above 30 to 40 degrees in many cases, and nights can drop below zero at times. Snowy and icy roads are common.

The inner canyon has its' own micro-climate that can be dangerous in winter or summer. Many people believe the temperature goes down as they descend into the canyon, but that's not true. The temperature rises, and an 80 degree day on the South Rim means 100 or more degrees in the inner gorge. Many hikers miscalculate about this, and don't take enough water or supplies with them on hikes into the canyon.

Grand Canyon weather can be deceiving. Summer afternoon thundershowers are common during July, August, and September. The canyon can fog in during the winter months, with a thick layer of clouds blanketing the inner gorge from rim to rim. Check the weather before you leave for your trip, as changing Grand Canyon weather can ground helicopter and plane flights over the canyon.

   
What should I know about safety at Grand Canyon National Park?

Grand Canyon Safety

Safety might not be your first concern when you visit a national park, but it should be. There are several things you should know about safety when you visit Grand Canyon National Park.
• The park's rims are both extremely high in elevation (average 6,800 feet on the South Rim and 8,000 feet on the North Rim). People with heart conditions or breathing problems should be aware of this before they visit, as physical exertion at higher elevations can be difficult and even dangerous.
• Most areas along the rim do not have safety railings or other barriers, and the rocks along the rim can be unstable. Don't go too near the rim, it can be dangerous.
• Keep children away from the rim.
• Keep your dog on a leash at all times. They do not understand the concept of a canyon rim, and many dogs run after animals or people, trot right over the rim, and are killed in the park each year.
• The temperatures in the inner gorge can be at least 20 degrees higher than the temperatures on the rim. Hiking without water in the inner gorge is dangerous, and so is hiking during the hottest parts of the day.
• Don't hike alone, and always tell someone where you are going and when you'll return.
Follow these tips and make your visit to Grand Canyon National Park safer and memorable.

   
How old is the Hopi House at Grand Canyon National Park?

The Hopi House

The Hopi House, designed by Mary E. J. Colter, is another one of the oldest buildings in the park, in fact, it's the oldest curio shop at the canyon, it opened its doors in 1904. Colter designed the building to resemble the pueblo-type homes of the Hopi Tribe, who live east of the Grand Canyon in their ancestral homes located on top of three mesas.

The building still contains a curio shop, and the upper floor has been open to the public since 1995, when the building was renovated and added to the National Register of Historic Places. The upper floor carries museum quality Native American artwork, while the lower floor deals in more traditional Native American arts and crafts.

Outside, the Hopi House is totally authentic to its roots in the Hopi Mesa homes, complete with the ladders used to reach each level, the native stone used for construction, and the terraced levels allowing for outdoor living and meal preparation. Interestingly, several Hopi craftspeople worked on the restoration of the building in 1995, which strived to keep the historic integrity of the building intact.

   
How can I find work at the Grand Canyon?

How to Apply for Work at the Grand Canyon

So, you'd like to work at the Grand Canyon. Really, it's not that difficult to get a job in the park. Of course, most positions are entry level, and you'll have to work your way up to higher paying, more responsible positions. The company that owns the concession at Grand Canyon National Park is Xanterra, doing business as Grand Canyon National Park Lodges.

You can fill out an employment application online: http://jobs.xanterra.com/recruit/servlet/com.lawson.ijob.QuickCandidate?vendor=223. You need to be 18 years old to work in the park, and willing to live in an employee dormitory at the cost of $16 per week. You also need to be willing to pay for meals in an employee cafeteria, and work in positions such as dishwasher, guest room attendant, or retail clerk.

You'll also need to undergo a background check and be open to random drug testing. Working at the Grand Canyon is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You'll work hard, but you'll also have a national park as your very own backyard, and that's a pretty awesome fringe benefit.

   
Where is the Grand Canyon?

More Grand Canyon Facts

Where is the Grand Canyon? Grand Canyon National Park is located in Northern Arizona, about 90 miles northwest of Flagstaff, and about 60 miles north of Williams. It's about 278 miles from Las Vegas and 230 miles from Phoenix.

The park stretches from the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, Arizona to the Grand Wash Cliffs at the entrance to Lake Mead.

Grand Canyon was designated a National Park in 1919, it was a National Monument before that. This helps preserve the park for future generations and preserve the animals, and natural features of the park.

Grand Canyon facts: The canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. There are other canyons that are bigger and deeper, but none that bring together all the spectacular assets this park has to offer. A helicopter tour is one of the best ways to take in the vastness of the park all at once.

   
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Sherril Steele-Carlin
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