While wind erosion does play a significant role in shaping certain landscapes, canyons are primarily formed by the process of water erosion. Rivers and streams cut through rock and soil over thousands to millions of years, gradually deepening and widening the valley to create what we recognize as a canyon.
Wind erosion is more prominent in arid environments, where it can shape features like dunes and arches, but it does not typically have the same capacity to create the deep, expansive gorges we see in canyons. Instead, the relentless flow of water, driven by gravity, is the main force behind the creation of these magnificent structures.