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Despite being one of the most famous and frequented attractions in the United States, 1．. Here are a few facts about the Grand Canyon you probably don’t know.

We don’t really know how old it is

It has long been believed that the Colorado River began carving the Grand Canyon about 6 million years ago, 2．. It suggests that the process may have begun as far back as 70 million years. In all likelihood, the Grand Canyon as we know it today started out as a series of smaller canyons 70 million years ago, but the majority of the canyon did not begin to take shape until much more recently.

3．.

Of all Grand Canyon facts, this one is pretty cool—no word-play intended. Sudden changes in altitude have an enormous impact on temperature and rainfall, so the weather you are experiencing could differ dramatically, depending on where you are in the Grand Canyon. The coldest, wettest weather station in the region is the Bright Angel Ranger Station on the North Rim, while the hottest (and one of the driest) is just 8 miles away at Phantom Ranch.

There are lots of fossils in the area

While the dinosaur might have missed out on seeing the Grand Canyon, lots of other fossils have been found. 4．. They vary from ancient marine fossils dating back 1.2 billion years to fairly recent land mammals that left their remains in canyon caves about 10,000 years ago.

Fish are relatively uncommon in the area

Prior to modern flood control measures, the Colorado River provided a uniquely difficult habitat for fish, with heavy mud with small rocks, frequent floods, and temperatures ranging from extreme heat in summer to sub-freezing in winter. Consequently, only eight fish species are native to the Grand Canyon, 5．.