Chapter 5: Famous Places

Chapter 5: Famous Places

The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is in the state of Arizona in the southwest of the USA. It is one of the biggest canyons in the world, at 446 km long and 29 km wide. Nearly five million people visit this amazing place every year. Over thousands of years, the Colorado River cut 1.5 kilometres into the rock. This showed millions of years of the Earth’s geological history and created beautiful shapes and colours. President Theodore Roosevelt advised Americans, “You can’t improve on it. But what you can do is keep it for your children and your children’s children… as the one great sight every American must see.”

The Grand Canyon became a national park in 1919.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, on the frontier between the USA and Canada, is actually three different waterfalls: American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Together, they are the second biggest waterfalls in the world. More than 2,838,000 litres of water fall over Niagara Falls every second! One fifth of the world’s fresh water eventually flows through the area. More than 13 million people come to see Niagara Falls every year.

In 1960, a seven-year-old boy called Roger Woodward was in a boat in the upper Niagara River. Suddenly, the boat turned over and threw him into the water. The water carried Roger, wearing just a life jacket and swimsuit, in the direction of the falls. The child went over the falls and miraculously survived the experience! He was the only person to survive going over the falls with only a life jacket.

Redwood Forests

Redwood forests near the west coast of the USA, have got some of the biggest redwood and sequoia trees in the world. Many of the trees are more than 2,000 years old.

Redwoods and sequoias are important to the environment because they absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide.

Redwood trees are the tallest trees in the world. In 50 years, they can grow more than 30 metres. The tallest redwood tree is 115.5 metres high - that’s taller than London’s Big Ben!

The world’s biggest tree, by volume, is the General Sherman sequoia tree in the Sequoia National Park, California. It is one of the main attractions there.

People also enjoy driving their cars through the giant trees growing over the roads in the park.

Death Valley

Death Valley is part of the Mojave Desert in California. It is the hottest place in the USA, and the lowest, driest place in North America. Badwater Basin is the lowest place in Death Valley at 86 metres below sea level. Furnace Creek is the hottest area, with a recorded temperature of 56.7 degrees C in 1913.

The rocks are intense reds, blues and greens because of different minerals. One rocky area is called the Artist’s Palette. It is one of the most beautiful places in Death Valley.