who were the first to explore this area?
The Spanish began to explore and colonize western North America.
Early explorers
During the 16th century, the Spanish began to explore and colonize western North America. An early motive was the search for the Seven Cities of Gold, or "Cibola", rumored to have been built by Native Americans somewhere in the desert Southwest.
are the oldest rocks in the world in the grand canyon Yes, the rock layers exposed in the Grand Canyon and in the Grand Canyon National Park area range in age from about 200 million to nearly 2 billion years old. is there any river flowing through or alongside it? Yes, Colorado River what exactly is that canyon mentioned above? It is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. what are some of the tributaries of the water body mentioned above? The Colorado is joined by over 25 significant tributaries: Green River,  Gila River , what are some of the flora found near this larger river? Creosote bush, saguaro cactus, and Joshua trees
Spanish The Spanish. Spanish
Colorado River Colorado River Colorado River
Early explorers Early explorers Early explorers
During the 16th century, the Spanish began to explore and colonize western North America. An early motive was the search for the Seven Cities of Gold, or "Cibola", rumored to have been built by Native Americans somewhere in the desert Southwest.  During the 16th century, the Spanish began to explore and colonize western North America. An early motive was the search for the Seven Cities of Gold, or "Cibola", rumored to have been built by Native Americans somewhere in the desert Southwest.  During the 16th century, the Spanish began to explore and colonize western North America. 
wiki:13581147
Colorado River [SEP] Early explorers
Mountain man Jedediah Smith reached the lower Colorado by way of the Virgin River canyon in 1826. Smith called the Colorado the "Seedskeedee", as the Green River in Wyoming was known to fur trappers, correctly believing it to be a continuation of the Green and not a separate river as others believed under the Buenaventura myth. John C. Frémont's 1843 Great Basin expedition proved that no river traversed the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada, officially debunking the Buenaventura myth.