The American canyons: The immensity of nature in its purest form

Majestic mountains, sparkling coastlines, towering forests, steep cliffs, carved rock, breathtaking colours and vertiginous ravines... the beauty of America's canyons is both awe-inspiring and breathtaking. True natural wonders, canyons are powerful sources of inspiration and bear witness to over 2,000 million years of geological history.

Mother Nature has been generous with the United States, with 70 magnificent canyons to explore in several States. From Hawaii to Arizona to Alaska, these spectacular landscapes are among the country's most emblematic monuments. The biggest, the narrowest, the most colourful, the steepest, the canyons come in all shapes and sizes.

There's nothing like standing at the precipice of a canyon, watching the immensity of nature stretch endlessly to the horizon. A truly spiritual journey that reconnects you with pure, unadulterated nature. The canyons are accessible to everyone: as a family, solo, as a couple, with friends... or by practising fun and extreme sports activities, discovering the cultural and historical side or simply taking a stroll.

You can hike, cycle, ride a horse or travel in a 4x4. Photographers enjoy the breathtaking scenery from morning till night.

Where do canyons come from? These natural monsters reveal the history of the Earth. Experts and geologists have been studying this story for millions of years. And the rocks tell us a great deal about living beings before and now. These rocks come from volcanic eruptions. Lava has spread over the Earth and created wonders.

Canyons are also important for palaeontology, or the study of fossils. Fossils are often better preserved in dry, warm areas. Since canyons generally form under the same conditions, they are good places to examine fossils.

Even further afield, geologists study canyons to determine how the landscape will change in the future. Erosion patterns and the thickness of different layers can reveal the climate in different years.

Geologists estimate that the Grand Canyon, for example, is eroded at a rate of 0.3 metres every 200 years. The Colorado Plateau, the geological area where the Grand Canyon is located, is a very stable zone. They expect the Grand Canyon to continue to deepen as long as the Colorado River flows.

👉 What is a canyon?

A canyon is a deep, narrow valley with steep sides. "Canyon" comes from the Spanish word el cañon, which means tube or pipe.

👉 How are canyons formed?

Canyons are generally formed by erosion of the plateau level. Over millions of years, wind, rain and ice erode the material forming a deep cleft between the more resistant granite and sandstone areas of the plateau. This process takes place over millions of years.

👉 What is the largest canyon in the United States?

At 446 km long and up to 29 km wide, Arizona's Grand Canyon is the largest canyon in the United States.

👉 What is the deepest canyon in the United States?

Plunging to more than 2,400 metres, the Idaho Canyon is the deepest canyon on the North American continent.