Travel Guide Tusayan

The southern gateway to the Grand Canyon, Tusayan became a town in its own right in 2010. While a few farms were already present in the area, it was during the 1930s-1940s, with the establishment of the first Forest Service office barracks, that an economy progressively devoted to tourism developed on both sides of the road linking the park to Williams. The presence of a uranium mine, opened in 1906 (Orphan Lode Mine) on the outskirts of the park (which was created in 1916), also played a major role in Tusayan's development. The mine closed in 1969, after producing over 495,000 tonnes of ore.As the number of businesses and hotels grew around the busy Hwy-64, the state decided in 1964 to build the present airport.Today, Tusayan is a major destination for the millions of tourists who visit Grand Canyon National Park every year. However, it remains Arizona's smallest town in terms of both area (58 km²) and population (less than 600). Alongside hotels of all categories, a few fast-food outlets and classic restaurants, travel agencies and various stores, there's also a post office, a General Store, a gas station, a fire station, a Visitor Center and an Imax cinema. As for the name Tusayan, its meaning varies according to the Native American tribe to which it is attributed. Generally, it refers to an area with mounds or mesas, where people gather.