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You could hike 3,000 miles from the Arctic Circle to Mexico and go through almost all the major environmental zones of the world.
But it would be a lot easier just to hike down into the Grand Canyon!
There’s an 8,000-foot difference between the highest and lowest places in the canyon. The highest is on the North Rim, and the lowest is at the western bottom. Freezing temperatures and snow are common in the winter at high altitudes, while temperatures over 100°F are common at the bottom in the summer.
Because of the wide variety of climates, plant life in the canyon is diverse. Even at the same elevation, it can be varied. That’s because some plants may face north and be in cool, shaded environments, while other plants may face south and encounter hot and dry temperatures.
9,000 Feet
◀ The highest elevations of the canyon are on the north side of the Colorado River. That’s an area known as the Kaibab Plateau. Plant life here is similar to that near the Arctic Circle, with forests of spruce, fir, and pines. Ponderosa pines, which can be 600 years old, are recognizable by the smell of their bark. They smell like caramel, cinnamon, or vanilla, depending on who’s sniffing! At the upper altitudes of the South Rim, forests of pine, fir, spruce, and aspen survive.
▲ Wild rose, wormwood, and gooseberry live on the forest floor at the highest elevations. In areas that receive more sun, wildflowers are everywhere. They include goldenrod, sheep sorrel, buttercup, and giant hyssop.
▲ Several kinds of year-round grasses, herbs, and wildflowers grow in the high elevations. These plants include lupines, cinquefoil, and yarrow.
6,500–8,000 Feet
▲ On both rims, at elevations between 6,500 and 8,000 feet, are stunted trees. Their growth has been limited by rocky soil and lack of moisture. Some plants that can survive in this harsh climate include Utah juniper, Gambel oak, and pinyon pine. The seeds of the latter are sold as “pine nuts.”
◀ ▲ Many kinds of wildflowers bloom at altitudes between 6,500 and 8,000 feet. Some of them are yellow sunflowers, Indian paintbrush, asters, and golden western wallflowers.
3,500–7,000 Feet
▲ This altitude range has a variety of climates. In higher places, temperatures may drop to below zero in winter and climb to 110°F in summer. There, deciduous bushes thrive, including honey mesquite, scrub oak, and New Mexican locust. Some berries also grow there, including barberry and serviceberry. Creosote bushes and cliffrose shrubs thrive, too.
Below 3,500 Feet
◀ ▲The lowest parts of the canyon, above the river channel, are dry and desertlike. Only plants that don’t need much water or that can hold water for a long time can survive. Cacti are common here. They have long, spongelike roots and prickly protection against thirsty predators. The prickly pear and beavertail, which bloom in spring and late summer, produce sweet fruit. The fruit has been used to make jams and syrups for centuries. The hairy leaves of sagebrush and the waxlike coating on Manzanita leaves slow down evaporation, so these plants can survive here. Other desert plants include the catclaw and rabbitbrush.
Thirsty, shade-making trees grow on the sandy beaches near the Colorado River. Some of these trees include cottonwoods, willows, and pink-flower tamarisks. ▶
