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Google launches ‘River View’ virtual tour of Grand Canyon

Google Maps introduced a river view feature of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon on it's Street View feature on March 13, 2014. (courtesy)
Google Maps introduced a river view feature of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon on it's Street View feature on March 13, 2014. (courtesy)

Google Maps is making a splash today with another innovation in the way the service continues to revolutionize the way we see the world.

Google's pioneering Street View cameras have taken users to narrow cobblestone alleys in Spain using a tricycle, inside the Smithsonian with a push cart and to British Columbia’s snow-covered slopes by snowmobile.

In 2012, they put the technology in a backpack to showcase through the Internet the most popular hiking trails in Grand Canyon National Park.

Today, Google Maps has launched a new "river view" version of Street View that takes viewers through 286 miles of the Colorado River, including stunning views of the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, as seen from aboard a raft.

American Rivers staff joined Google Maps on an eight-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon last August to take photos of the river. The Street View camera, on a special mount built for the raft, captured a full 360-degree photo sphere every few seconds.

The project was launched in partnership with American Rivers, a Washington D.C.-based environmental group. This marks the first time Google Maps has used its street view technology on a major whitewater river in the USA, but the cameras already have been mounted on jet boats for use on other rivers.

"Making Street View imagery available of the Colorado River is a tremendous opportunity for us to drive interest for this historical and natural landmark," said Google's Karin Tuxen-Bettman. "We hope this inspires viewers to take an active interest in preserving it."

The 1,450-mile Colorado River, which passes through seven states, is the main river of the Southwest.

American Rivers named the Colorado River America’s Most Endangered River in 2013 because of the threat of outdated water management, over-allocation and persistent drought.



Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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