Canyon

The Grand Canyon is among the most famous natural wonders in the world. A woman who lives at the bottom of it in a remote village with her family has opened up on the reality of life there.

The Grand Canyon is as one of Earth’s most iconic natural wonders, pulling in millions of visitors from across the globe each year. Now, one woman has revealed she actually lives within the canyon itself – a revelation that’s left people both fascinated and amazed.

Situated in north-western Arizona, the Grand Canyon spans an impressive 277 miles and is a vast chasm sculpted by the Colorado River. Its striking layers of ancient red rock enhance its appeal, and it’s been protected as a National Park since 1919.

Tourists flock there in their millions every year to drink in the spectacular views, hiking trails, and even white water rafting adventures. A TikTok user posting under the handle @heyarielnicole recently shared drone footage of the magnificent landmark, accompanied by text which reads: “Today years old when I found out people live in the Grand Canyon.”

In the caption, she added: “I must have skipped school this day because I did not know this lol! Did y’all know people live in the Grand Canyon?”

Her post has since amassed more than 65.5 million views. The comments section erupted with shocked reactions, while others highlighted Shila S Siyuja, a woman who genuinely does call the Grand Canyon home alongside her family.

Shila uses social media to give followers a glimpse into what it’s really like living within one of the world’s most iconic natural landmarks. While she’s blessed with stunning scenery and access to the great outdoors, there are certain challenges that come with the territory.

One of her most popular videos shows Shila and her family undertaking an “eight-mile hike home” after missing their flight back into the canyon.

The family resides in the renowned Supai Village, nestled at the canyon’s base. This isolated settlement can only be reached by an eight-mile hike, helicopter, or mule ride.

Serving as the capital of the Havasupai Tribe, the village is celebrated for its striking turquoise waterfalls and close-knit community. Residents have access to a shop stocking essentials, a post office, a school, and even a café. Shila’s hiking video attracted many comments from captivated TikTok viewers.

One person asked: “So beautiful!! How long did it take?” Another said: “The real American people.”

A third viewer shared: “I got the privilege to visit your home years ago. Thank you.”

Someone else recalled: “Sister and I hiked at night to avoid the heat. Miss this place so much.”

Among Shila’s other widely-viewed videos is footage captured while she and her family embarked on a shopping trip outside the Grand Canyon. In the clip, Shila is shown boarding a helicopter for her journey home. Footage captured from beneath the aircraft reveals their shopping secured in an external sling load, which dangles from the helicopter’s body using a cable and cargo hook.

Shila and her family aren’t the only ones living there, though. More than 2,000 residents also live in the Grand Canyon, based at Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim.

L.A.’s coastal and canyon communities are resilient and rebuilding since the Palisades fire destroyed nearly 7,000 structures, including some of the city’s most locally beloved and iconic restaurants. Those that survived the blaze have become even more vital as communal linchpins and gathering places of Palisades, Topanga and Malibu residents.

In the Palisades, Sunset Boulevard snakes past swaths of burned-out lots, some punctuated by scaffolding and excavators beginning the rebuilding process. It winds past signs for road closures, park closures, business closures, and past signs that declare “REBUILDING TOGETHER” and “THEY LET US BURN.”

Neighboring Topanga Canyon saw fewer destroyed structures than the Palisades but faces its own extended rebuilding. Powerline repairs and landslides blocked the canyon’s PCH entry for much of 2025, and this access point, when open, is often whittled down to a single lane. Restaurants, the weekly farmers market and other businesses regularly post to social media to raise awareness that “Topanga is open.”

Farther north along PCH, Malibu restaurants are just beginning to recover. The scenic highway closed to nonresidents for the first five months of 2025. In the time since, business has gradually returned — but chefs, restaurateurs and staff say it still feels far more depleted than before the fire. Even toward the northern edge of the city, where Lily Castro sells burritos far from the Palisades fire’s reach, the popular restaurateur says business fell as much as 50% last year.

Some online listings and maps still mark destroyed restaurants as currently open, misrepresenting how affected many of these businesses remain.

A few restaurants managed to relocate and reopen, such as Flour Pizzeria in Brentwood and Cinque Terre West in Venice, both previously in the Palisades. Others already had additional locations, such as Cholada Thai’s Long Beach outpost or Cafe Vida’s in Culver City and El Segundo. Some are gradually rebuilding and readying to reopen, such as Duke’s, which survived the fire but suffered more than a year of closure due to the ensuing mudslides and flooding. Some, like the Reel Inn, are navigating an arduous rebuilding process rife with red tape and mixed messages.

You can help by visiting and supporting local dining spots. Here’s how to eat your way through some of the best restaurants of the coast and Topanga Canyon, including new Malibu destinations for sake, sushi and oysters; one of L.A.’s most scenic farmers markets; some of the city’s best burritos; and the sibling restaurant to the iconic Moonshadows.