7 untold stories about the Grand Canyon

Legends, myths, and conspiracies all shroud the Grand Canyon in mystery. While there are many popular stories to “gorge” yourself on, these seven lesser-known stories highlight the conundrum of this World Wonder.

“It’s just so beautiful.” My mom stared out at the Grand Canyon’s south entrance, her big blue eyes shedding tears that descended steadily down her cheeks. “It’s just a pile of rocks,” we jokingly jabbed with this overly simplified sentiment, which didn’t seem to phase her tears of appreciation for the beauty and grandiose nature of the canyon. She would later tell us that all of her problems felt so trivial while looking out at the magnitude of Mother Nature.

The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World for a very good reason—it leaves many astounded with admiration and wonder at how the canyon was created, what has transpired there, and what all of it means. It’s also the inspiration for many tales, both troubling and terrific.

Although a good many locals have never been to the Grand Canyon, we’ve all heard the stories of the haunted hotel, the excitement of hiking from rim to rim, and the dangers of the canyon during high heat. However, did you know that since the turn of the century, a few cars have driven in and out of the canyon? How about the tightroper who performed his specialty above the steep drop? What about the notoriously haunted trail said to bridge the living to the dead? Have you considered the conspiracy that the canyon could actually hold a time warp and lead to Egypt?

Mystique runs rampant in these seven untold—or at least lesser-known—stories about the Grand Canyon. 

1. Was the Grand Canyon built by the Egyptians?

What in the world made the Grand Canyon? Could it be transient seas? Meteors? Tectonic plates? What about Egyptians? Wait, yeah, that’s probably it! It has to be the Egyptians!

Many conspiracy theorists for the last century have tried to credit the Egyptians for the wonder that is the Grand Canyon. Here’s why: In 1909, the Arizona Gazette published a hoax of a story about a man named G.E. Kincaid. It quickly became one of the legends tied to the Canyon. Kincaid claimed to have rafted the Colorado River until he discovered a cave some 2,000 feet up in the canyon that called to him. There, he apparently discovered hieroglyphics and many Egyptian relics—which he took and promptly shipped off to D.C., or so he said.

This unprovable, yet published, story sparked the creativity of conspiracy theorists everywhere and has developed into the thought that the Grand Canyon was actually built by the Egyptians, as it hosts a time warp that allows for transitionless travel. Shortly after, many of the landmarks were named after Egyptian and Norse gods—an inspiration formed from the fictitious fable. 

Alleged hieroglyphics are the beginning of the Grand Canyon-Egyptian hoax (Nicola/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

2. Serial Killers have traversed the trails

From 1974 to 1991, the world saw the horrific killings of the BTK killer. While true crime is a large subject of interest in pop culture, it is more interesting that Kerri Rawson was brave enough to write a book detailing how heartbreaking and confusing it was to discover that the serial killer she feared while growing up was the same man that made her feel safe: her dad. In the chapters, she details how he masked himself as completely and utterly ordinary until they took a trip through the Grand Canyon together, where he began to show glimpses of his true nature. The depth of the Grand Canyon prevented Dennis Rader from masking the depth of his damning darkness.

Unfortunately, this is not the only serial killer that has walked the paths of the Grand Canyon. Robert Spangler is one more murderous mongrel who used the magnitude of the canyon to help hide his spree. How chilling to have shared paths with multiple murderers.

3. Crash Canyon: A ghost hunters delight

Crash Canyon is home to the Desert View Point, the 1956 Aviation Memorial, and the sacred Sipapu trail. The aviation crash of 1956 is a story of a well-known tragedy all too close to a modern story from this year. Since the crash, the trail connected to the memorial has had eerie tales of haunting, including flashes of people who just aren’t there, chatter from afar only to discover nothing near, and footsteps around the bend where there are no human feet to make the stomps.

What makes this even more eerie—and believable—is that not too far from the memorial is the Sipapu trail, which the Hopi believe to be the spot where their ancestors emerged. A sort of portal between the living and dead worlds. Even if you’re not interested in the spook, this spot is special regardless. It boasts an old hot spring and one of the largest natural bridges in the nation.

The Sipapu Bridge is an absolutely stunning feature of Crash Canyon. (Jacob W. Frank/NPS)

4. Snake bites versus snake frights

Ophidiophobia is the intense and overwhelming fear of snakes. This is a fairly reasonable fear for most outdoors people, but for prospector Cochrane, this fear proved deadly and not because of a bite. In fact, to date, there are no known accounts of death by snake bite in the Grand Canyon. None. Zero. Zilch. Cochrane’s ophidiophobia was so strong, though, that crossing paths with a rattlesnake in 1933 caused Cochrane to go into cardiac arrest and meet his untimely end.

While it is important to always exercise caution, worry, and fear can sometimes be more deadly than advancing in bravery. Keep in mind: The chances of being bit by a rattlesnake in any given year is 1 to 37,500.  

5. Too much of a good thing

Many of us “mom friends” often encourage others around us to drink more water, especially while hiking in the high heat of the desert. Unfortunately, there is such a thing as too much water, and this Grand Canyon hiker had to find that out the hard way.

Endurance athletes face a risk of Hyponatremia, where too much water actually flushes the blood to dangerously low sodium levels. Drinking lots of water before a hike in the Grand Canyon may seem like a good idea, but too much water, combined with sweat and the endurance of the hike, can lead to hyponatremia. Unfortunately, prior to this British hiker’s death, diagnosing hyponatremia on the trail was next to impossible. Paramedics originally offered her IVs to increase hydration, a natural instinct in heat, only to find out too late that she lay unconscious from water intoxication.

As a result of this tragedy, trail paramedics have proper tests on hand to save hikers in the event of either too much or too little hydration. A good way to avoid this issue on your own? Have a couple of salty snacks and electrolytes on hand. 

6. The miraculous 1914 Metz Car

In 1902, a Toledo became the first car to enter the  Grand Canyon Park. In 1914, though, a Metz 22 Roadster made a descent to impress when it traversed its way into a canyon gorge thousands of feet down from Peach Springs. Grades were as steep as 30%, and the driver, Mr. L Wing of the Metz Agency in Los Angeles, had to mind boulders and clearance. Somehow, he managed the trip down, up, and back to L.A. without needing to replace any part of the car—solid advertisement for one of the first vehicles ever!

This may seem a little lackluster for the people of today who are accustomed to 4-wheel drive, ATVs, and mudding trucks. However, automobiles were not popular in the United States until the 1920s, nearly a decade after this astonishing automobile adventure. 

A Metz 22 Roadster from 1914 made it into the Grand Canyon. (Lars-Göran Lindgren Sweden/CC BY-SA 3.0)

7. Tightroping over the Grand Canyon

Another common fear in our population is acrophobia, or the fear of heights. This next story is enough to make acrophobics everywhere feel queasy.

Nik Wallenda is a multi-Guiness World Record holder, a seventh-generation tightrope walker, and either a perfect example of bravery or recklessness—that’s for you to decide.

Wallenda was part of a live broadcast on the Discovery Channel in 2013 when he realized a lifelong dream of tightroping over the Canyon. This stunt technically took place over the Little Colorado River Gorge, which flows into the Grand Canyon, approximately 1,500 feet in the air. It took him 22 minutes to complete the cross despite the strong winds of the day. Come to find out, tightroping has led to at least three untimely deaths within his family, adding to the drama of his death-defying-daredevil nature. 

Fun fact: He’s done the same thing above Niagara Falls!

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon seems to stretch on forever. (Murray Foubister/CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Grand Canyon is a beautiful inspiration for all who choose to visit it, even if it is just a pile of rocks! It’s home to sacred sites, timeless adventures, and exhilarating exhibitions. It has inspired stories and experiences, both great and small. It has stood vast and expansive for centuries.

Whether any of the conspiracies, myths, or legends surrounding the mystery of the World Wonder are true, one thing is certain: The glory of the Grand Canyon will outlive us all. Those who have left their mark on the canyon will continue to live through the word of stories, so if you have yet to pay this magnanimous monument a visit, it is high time. Who knows, maybe you will find a way to leave a mark with your own legend, myth, or conspiracy. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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