How Big Is the Grand Canyon? Length, Width & Park Area

The Grand Canyon is about 277 miles long along the Colorado River, with an average rim-to-rim width of roughly 10 miles and a depth that averages about 1 mile. Its width changes substantially from one part of the canyon to another.

Length, width, and depth describe different dimensions. They should not be multiplied as if the canyon were a uniform rectangular trench.

Picture a route 277 miles long, while the distance between the rims averages about 10 miles and can reach 18 miles at its widest. The canyon is about a mile deep on average, but the local depth and width depend on where they are measured.

The National Park Service describes the Grand Canyon as 277 miles long. Its park statistics give an average rim-to-rim width of 10 miles, a maximum width of 18 miles, and an average depth of one mile.

Grand Canyon National Park covers about 1,218,375 acres, or 1,904 square miles. That figure is the area inside the park boundary. It is not the area of the canyon floor or a rectangle formed from the canyon's length and average width.

The NPS park statistics list the protected park area separately from the canyon's length, width, and depth. The park includes surrounding lands and features, so the two size descriptions answer different questions.

Is the Grand Canyon 277 miles long?

The NPS gives about 277 miles along the Colorado River from Lees Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs. Another NPS statistics page rounds the river length to 278 miles.

How wide is the Grand Canyon?

The width varies. NPS lists an average rim-to-rim width of about 10 miles and a maximum of 18 miles.

How deep is the Grand Canyon?

The NPS lists an average depth of about 1 mile. The actual depth differs by location.

Is Grand Canyon National Park the same size as the canyon?

No. The park covers about 1,904 square miles of land. That boundary includes more than the canyon's rock walls and river channel.