The dataset includes 492 digitized prints of large-format photographs from 160 viewpoints. A separate metadata file "Photographs Showing Change in Riparian Vegetation in the Grand Canyon, 1889-2012" describes a comma-delimited file of descriptive information. The viewpoints were first photographed by Stanton in 1889, and then re-photographed in about 1991, 2010 and sometimes other years. This set of photos focuses on change in riparian vegetation and partially overlaps a larger set of Stanton viewpoints re-photographed by Webb and others and available at http://wwwpaztcn.wr.usgs.gov/fscc/stanton-repeat-photography/index.php. The file of descriptive information gives viewpoint stake number, name, and river mile, and documents occurrence of the exotic shrub Tamarix ramosissima, changes in cover of native and invasive woody riparian vegetation, occurrence of Diorhabda spp., the beetle introduced to control Tamarix, reductions in cover of native Prosopis glandulosa, changes in cover of vegetation in the old high-water zone, occurrence of the native shrubs Baccharis spp., Salix exigua, Pluchea sericea, Acacia greggii, and additional notes.