The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide and attains a depth of over a mile. Nearly two billion years of Earth's geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. Several recent studies support the hypothesis that the Colorado River established its course through the area about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since that time, the Colorado River has driven the down-cutting of the tributaries and retreat of the cliffs, simultaneously deepening and widening the canyon. For thousands of years, the area has been continuously inhabited by Native Americans, who built settlements within the canyon and its many caves. The Pueblo people considered the Grand Canyon a holy site, and made pilgrimages to it. The first European known to have viewed the Grand Canyon was García López de Cárdenas from Spain, who arrived in 1540.
The Crescent Moon picnic area sits beneath the towering Cathedral Rock, reflecting in the serene waters of Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing. Situated approximately seven miles south of Sedona, Arizona, the area is in the heart of the famous “Red Rock” landscape. Cathedral Rock is revered by Native Americans as a home of gods and birthplace of the first man and woman. Rising toward the sky from a red sandstone base, the spires of Cathedral Rock inspire wonder and awe. The summit elevation of Cathedral Rock is 4,967 feet. Oak Creek at Red Rock Crossing is considered a strong vortex as well as a sacred area in Native American history.
