Grand Canyon virtual hikes launched on Google Maps

If your bad knees or fear of heights have kept you from exploring the dizzying cliff-side trails of Arizona's Grand Canyon, you may enjoy Google's latest addition to its "street level" maps.

On Thursday, the company released 9,500 panoramas from more than 120 kilometres of trails and roads, providing forample virtual hiking and exploring along the massive gorge, considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

It's the first group of images collected using Google's Trekker camera, designed to be carried on foot through tight or narrow spaces.

"Our team strapped on the Android-operated 40-pound backpacks carrying the 15-lens camera system and wound along the rocky terrain on foot, enduring temperature swings and a few muscle cramps along the way," wrote Ryan Falor, product manager for Google Maps on the official Google blog.

Google has previously used cars, trikes, trolleys and snowmobiles to populate its detailed, ground-level Street View maps, which now include roads, trails and pedestrian pathways and even the interiors of some buildings around the world.