The Grand Canyon is an icon of the American landscape and receives about five million visitors a year, according to the National Park Service.

Still, the canyon's remote location in the southwestern state of Arizona, make it hard for many to make the trip. Now, thanks to Google Maps, anyone with an internet connection can take a virtual hike through the rugged terrain.

Google's Grand Canyon virtual hike is a digital experience that allows users to explore the Grand Canyon from the comfort of their own homes. The virtual hike is made possible through Google's Street View technology, which captures 360-degree panoramic images of the world's most famous landmarks and natural wonders.

To take the virtual hike, users can simply visit Google's website and search for "Grand Canyon virtual hike." This will take them to the Google Maps page for the Grand Canyon, where they can click on the "street view" button to enter the virtual hiking experience.

Once inside the virtual hike, users can navigate through the canyon using the arrows on their keyboard or by clicking and dragging their mouse. The experience includes interactive hotspots that provide information and facts about the Grand Canyon's geology, history, and wildlife.

Overall, the Grand Canyon virtual hike is a great way for people to experience one of the world's most famous natural wonders, even if they can't physically visit the site. It's also a useful tool for educators and students to learn about the Grand Canyon's natural and cultural history.

According to the Google Maps blog, the images cover 75 miles of trails through what is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

The Google team members strapped 40-pound, 15-lens cameras called Trekkers to their backs to capture the more than 9,500 images, according to the blog.