Grand Canyon West is located approximately 120 miles east of Las Vegas, NV, and 72 miles northwest of Kingman, AZ.
There are more than 30 tour and transportation companies that service Grand Canyon West from Las Vegas by airplane, helicopter, motorcoach bus, SUV, and Hummer.
Follow these links to find tour companies that'll be happy to help you make your vacation plans:
Currently (2010), there are no one-day commercial driving tours from cities other than Las Vegas because the round-trip length from Phoenix, Sedona or Flagstaff exceeds the drive-time limits set by the Arizona Department of Transportation. However, helicopter tours are very likely to be more and more available. Check thecanyon.com often for updates.
You can drive yourself to the Grand Canyon West entrance. Be prepared for the 10 mile unpaved, graded yet bumpy drive on Diamond Bar Road as you approach the Grand Canyon West airport. You will be directed to park your car at the airport and ride the hop-on-hop-off shuttle, included in the base tour package price of ~$43/per person.
If you don't want to drive the unpaved portion of the road, you can take a shuttle service from Meadview, AZ. The Park and Ride shuttle is $15 per person round trip. If you are interested in this service please contact (702) 260-6506 to make your reservation. This shuttle departs from Sky Station in Meadview, AZ and returns to Sky Station at the times indicated below (passengers must return on the bus they came on):
What are the hours of operation for Grand Canyon Skywalk?
Access to The Skywalk runs from dawn to dusk. Winter hours October 15 - April 30 are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Summer hours May 1 - October 15 are 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Grand Canyon West is open year-round.
I've seen a lot of conflicting information on the Web and in the media about ticket prices. What is the real price of the Grand Canyon Skywalk admission?
We've seen conflicting information, too. Here is the real story:
First, the West Rim is not inside the Grand Canyon National Park. It is owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe; the Hualapai collect fees for entrance to the West Rim.
Next, each person is required to purchase the Legacy Package, priced at $43.05 (including all taxes and fees) per adult.
The basic package and every other upgraded package
includes the park-and-ride hop-on-hop-off shuttle, other attractions like Hualapai Ranch, Eagle Point, Guano Point, Native American demonstrations and cowboy performances at three viewpoints Hualapai visitation certificate, and photo opportunities with Hualapai members.
No private vehicles are permitted past the Grand Canyon West entrance. You must park your car at the Grand Canyon West Welcome Center. You can then use the hop-on-hop-off shuttle service to get to the West Rim attractions.
Once you arrive at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, you'll have the opportunity to meet with a tour operator and select a tour package.
The packages are priced as follows:
The Legacy Package - $43.05 per adult inclusive of taxes and fees: This basic entry package is the minimum required package. Children ages 4 to 11* are less expensive than adults but specific children's prices are not posted on the Grand Canyon West website. Call 1-888-868-WEST(9378) or 928-769-2230 to make your reservation. This Legacy package DOES NOT include walking on the Skywalk.
*Children must be at least 4 years old to walk on the Skywalk.
The basic package and every other upgraded package includes the park-and-ride hop-on-hop-off shuttle, other attractions like Hualapai Ranch, Eagle Point, Guano Point, Native American demonstrations and cowboy performances at three viewpoints Hualapai visitation certificate, and photo opportunities with Hualapai members.
The Legacy Silver Package - $56.65 per adult inclusive of taxes and fees: Along with the basic inclusions above, the Legacy Silver Package also includes a meal at your choice of three viewpoints - Guano Point, Eagle Point or Hualapai Ranch and a $5 gift certificate toward any $25 gift shop purchase. Children's prices are not posted on the Grand Canyon West website.
The Legacy Gold Package - $87.69 per adult inclusive of taxes and fees: This is the least expensive packages that includes tickets to walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Includes everything in the Legacy and Legacy Silver packages with the addition of an adult Skywalk ticket. Children's prices are not posted on the Grand Canyon West website.
Additional Add-Ons are available at any level, including helicopter rides that land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, pontoon boat rides down the Colorado River, horseback rides and overnight lodging packages and upgrades.
How many people are allowed on the Skywalk at one time?
One hundred and twenty people will be allowed on the glass bridge at a time. Admittance is first come, first serve for walk up visitors; however, reservations can be made to help shorten wait times.
Reservations are not required for the day package itself. However, reservations can reduce waiting time and tickets are available at Will Call. Reservations are needed for an overnight package at the Hualapai Lodge or the Hualapai Ranch.
Are there long lines?
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the newest attraction at the Grand Canyon and is very popular. You may find significant lines for the shuttle buses as well as for the wait to walk on the Skywalk. You'll be most comfortable and happiest if you have accurate expectations and are prepared to wait in lines. See next question for suggestions on how to maximize your comfort at the Grand Canyon West Rim.
What should I wear and what should I bring?
Bring a water bottle, sunscreen, and wear appropriate clothing (wind-resistant, cool in the summer and warm layers in the winter.) No outside food or drinks other than water are permitted at Grand Canyon West.
Grand Canyon West issues numbered shoe covers -- in order to avoid scratches and slipping - to each visitor that enters the open-air walkway.
Do bring a camera to capture your experiences on top of the rim, though
you will not be able to take a camera out on the Grand Canyon Skywalk itself.
Here are a few tips from real travelers and our friends at
Viator for getting the most enjoyment out of the Grand Canyon Skywalk experience:
"Bigger than expected crowds are making their way to the Grand Canyon’s West Rim each day, and they’re finding they need to be well prepared in order to enjoy this amazing new attraction. In that spirit, here are Viator’s suggestions on what to take along to make your Skywalk experience truly memorable:
- A little patience! And maybe your iPod… waits in line of over an hour are common.
- Bottled water. You will get thirsty. [Visitors report long lines for the meal included in the ticket price. Again, be patient for this day-trip.]
- Sunscreen and a hat. There’s very little shade in the desert, and the sun can really burn out here.
- Comfortable shoes and light clothing. Spring and summer are hot in the desert. How hot? HOT!
Skywalk is a unique and wonderful attraction, but to make sure you remember it for all the right reasons, be sure to follow our advice." -- From the Viator Travel Blog
Read more about the Grand Canyon Skywalk at our Arizona Travel blog search "Skywalk."
Are cameras allowed on the Grand Canyon Skywalk? How can I get a good picture?
Cameras are NOT allowed on the glass bridge of the Grand Canyon Skywalk as to avoid accidental fumbling and risking damage to the glass or your camera in any way. Lockers are available.
Two ways to get a good picture: 1) You can have someone on the rim take your photo on the glass walkway. 2) A photo opportunity with authentic Hualapai Tribe members is also included in every tour package; photos can be purchased afterward.
Is the Grand Canyon Skywalk wheelchair accessible?
Manual and battery-operated wheelchairs are allowed on Grand Canyon Skywalk using the access ramp. Grand Canyon Skywalk provides wheelchairs for temporary use on the Skywalk. No rental fee is charged. Wheelchairs are available when you check-in at the Grand Canyon Skywalk ticket counter.
Is there a time-limit once you're out on the Grand Canyon Skywalk?
Currently, you can spend as much time as you want on the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon.
Is lodging available on the West Rim?
Overnight
Grand Canyon West Rim lodging can be reserved at the Hualapai Lodge or Hualapai Ranch. Like most visitors, we recommend you stay in nearby areas like the following:
Las Vegas hotels and lodging
Grand Canyon Lodges at the South Rim
Hotels, motels or bed & breakfasts in Tusayan or Williams near the South Rim
Hotels and bed & breakfasts in Sedona or
Flagstaff
What else is there to do at the Grand Canyon West Rim besides the Skywalk?
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the centerpiece of the West Rim. Additional attractions available at Grand Canyon West include The Indian Village with authentic dwellings, Guano Point, The Hualapai Market, a western town replica called The Hualapai Ranch, and a 250-seat amphitheater. While a basic "Spirit" package (priced at $49.95 per adult) that provides entrance to the West Rim and admission to all of the above attractions
excluding the Grand Canyon Skywalk
is available, most West Rim visitors come to walk on the Skywalk. Therefore these extra attractions serve as a good bonus to round out your full-day tour to the West Rim. Again,
more pricing information is above.
In addition to walking out on the glass Grand Canyon Skywalk, other Grand Canyon activity packages are available. You can create your own package and add-on a pontoon boat ride on the Colorado River, a helicopter rides from Grand Canyon West Airport to the bottom of the Grand Canyon or horseback riding along the rim. Hummer tours are also available along the rim of the canyon and through private areas that are otherwise inaccessible to the public. All these add-on activities are operated by and can be booked through the Hualapai Tribe onsite at Grand Canyon West or online at destinationgrandcanyon.com.
What are the future development plans for the Grand Canyon West Rim?
Located at Grand Canyon West's Eagle Point, The Skywalk facility also includes a 6,000 square-foot visitor's center on three levels -- underground, first story and second story -- which will contain a museum, movie theater, VIP lounge, gift shop, and several restaurants and bars, including a high-end restaurant called The Skywalk Cafe offers outdoor patio and rooftop seating on the edge of the canyon. The second story is where visitors access The Skywalk glass walkway. The visitor's center also offers private indoor and outdoor facilities for meetings, special events and weddings.
Information about the Hualapai Tribe, owners & operators of Grand Canyon West:
The Hualapai Tribe, consisting of approximately 2,000 Hualapai members, owns nearly one million acres of land throughout the Grand Canyon's western rim. The capitol of the Hualapai Reservation is Peach Springs, Arizona. The Hualapai are a native people of the Southwest. Traditionally they inhabited an area of more than five million acres. Their homeland stretched from the Grand Canyon Southward to the Bill Williams and Santa Maria rivers, and from the Black Mountains eastward to the pine forests of the San Francisco Peaks. Primarily nomadic hunter-gatherers, the Hualapai were organized in bands. Each band occupied a defined territory in pursuit of seasonally-available wild plants and animals. Farming was also practiced in locations where adequate water was available.
Grand Canyon Skywalk Project - Construction of this unprecedented overlook:
Grand Canyon Skywalk began construction in early 2006. At 10 feet wide and jutting out 70 feet beyond its Grand Canyon cliff-side anchor, the glass walkway hovers 4,000 feet above the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the brain-child of Las Vegas entrepreneur, David Jin.
The dream of the Skywalk was made reality thanks to a team of engineers, architects, designers, glass & steel manufacturers from all over the country and the globe. It was designed in cooperation by Las Vegas-based MRJ Architects, Lochsa Engineering, LLC and APCO Construction. The glass was manufactured in Germany and Austria by Saint Gobain, a European company that specializes in designing architectural structural glass for unique building projects worldwide. The steel was manufactured by Mark Steel in Utah.
The steel for the Grand Canyon Skywalk was fitted and welded together at the edge of the canyon. Then, a process called "Jack-and-Roll" was used to extend the bridge's cantilevered horseshoe-shaped steel piece over the edge of the Grand Canyon, jutting out half the length of a football field and hovering 4,000 feet over the Colorado River below.
The initial part of the rollout process involved jacking the structure up off of the supports and then subjecting the structure to several days of thorough tests that replicate the conditions of final placement. After the final testing was complete, the multi-million pound steel enforced structure was rolled out across the canyon's edge, taking multiple days. Immediately after the structure was in position, it was seated and attached to the foundation.
The official public opening of the Grand Canyon Skywalk was March 28, 2007. Prior to the public opening in March, Grand Canyon West hosted a "First Walk" event for media and VIPs. Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin was the first public figure to walk on the Skywalk in the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon Skywalk construction quick facts:
- Opened to the public on March 28, 2007
- Offers an unprecedented perspective of the Grand Canyon
- The floor of the walkway is made of thick, high-strength glass
- Could hold the weight of seventy-one 747 aircraft
- Can withstand 100+ mph winds
- One million pounds of steel in the frame
- Construction price tag: $30 million
