How Was the Grand Canyon Formed?

The short answer is the hard work of the Colorado River, but the real answer is more complex. About six million years ago, the river began carving its way through the rock layers of the Colorado Plateau. The river’s rapid flow, combined with its load of mud, sand, and gravel, acted like a natural sandblaster, cutting deep into the earth. Before the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, the river carried an impressive average of 500,000 tons of sediment per day, showcasing its incredible erosive power.

But other natural forces played key roles in the formation of the enormous canyon noted for its stunning shapes and colors. Rain, wind, and temperature fluctuations contributed to the canyon’s widening. These elements, along with chemical erosion, gradually wore away the softer rock layers, creating the canyon’s vast width. The semiarid climate of the region was crucial; without it, the canyon’s walls would have eroded away, leaving a much less dramatic landscape.

The uplift of the Colorado Plateau was another key factor in the canyon’s formation. This geological event steepened the river’s path, allowing it to cut deeper into the earth. The uplift enabled the river to carve the canyon to its current depth of more than a mile in some places. This uplift, combined with the river’s relentless flow, created the stunning chasm we see today.