Millions of visitors pass through Grand Canyon National Park every year, but few realize that much of the park's water depends on a hidden world beneath their feet. From hikers battling extreme heat deep inside the canyon to visitors filling water bottles along the rim, many rely on a single source that remains largely out of sight.
That source is Roaring Springs, a cave-fed spring on the North Rim. As climate conditions become warmer and drier, scientists are working to better understand the underground pathways that supply this critical water system and sustain the ecosystems that depend on it.
