Among our many site seeing adventures, the Grand Canyon Skywalk has been on our list since we first heard about the project in 2004. We visited the Skywalk in July of 2007 and found the area to be a work in progress.
True the Skywalk itself is complete; however there are many other areas nearby that are still under construction. One of the goals of the Hualapi tribe is to create a resort on the grounds of the Skywalk. There are already recently constructed traditional dwellings that give relevant historical and cultural information.
There is a replica of an Indian Village near the Skywalk, the various living spaces gives you a good idea of what Indian Life was like many years ago. With a Hopi Structure, used for work, ceremonies, storage and shelter.
This area is located within walking distance of the Grand Canyon Skywalk, be sure and bring a bottle of water and some sunscreen if your traveling in the summer, it was about 104 degrees when we visited in July of 2007..
Driving to the Skywalk at
Grand Canyon West
If you’re considering driving to the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West be prepared for a rough road for at least a portion of the drive. When I first traveled to the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon West it was a 14 mile road that was very bumpy and dusty. Since then I have read that the road has improved some but you might want to rethink the drive if you don’t have a vehicle that is made for off-road conditions
Many of the tours offered out of the Las Vegas area offer bus rides into the Skywalk so this is a good option for those of you who are not looking for a driving adventure.
When the drive is finished you will end up at a place that looks like a Small Airport. At first I thought we took a wrong turn, but it turns out there's a bunch of air tours near the skywalk. After you are directed to your parking spot, you will walk to the "tour" office and sign up for your tour. After the sign up, you will be taking a bus to the Skywalk or other "View Points" near the entrance to the park.
Walking on the
Grand Canyon Skywalk
I have seen many pictures and renderings of the Grand Canyon Skywalk before I arrived in July of 2007. Although impressive, don't expect to see the extreme protrusion depicted in the renderings. It’s about 4,000 feet to the deepest part of the Canyon from the Skywalk, however, there are ledges and rock within 1,000 to 2,500 feet below, making the view a bit less dramatic than the rendering.
You must wear booties while walking on the Skywalk; the booties are designed to protect the Plexiglas surface from scratching.
When we were walking the Grand Canyon Skywalk they let us stay out on the skywalk as long as we wanted. Since you can't have a Camera out on the walk, staff has a couple of Cameras setup to take a photo of your group. The cost of the photo (from what I heard) is approximately $20.
The Price for visiting the Skywalk was a total of $79 per person. Keep in mind that you can't just sign up for the Skywalk, you have to buy a tour. The cheapest tour was $49. That tour included a buffet and a chance to "see" the Skywalk and a bus ride to Guano Point, another Grand Canyon Viewpoint.
I paid the $79, there was no way I was going through that drive without going out on the Skywalk. I wasn't overwhelmed by the Skywalk, I thought it was "OK" and different than the usual tourist attractions. My 12 year old was disappointed in the view, actually, I wasn't impressed with the view either, but, spending a few hundred dollars for the experience always seems to move you towards the positive side of things (or else admit that you were a total idiot for paying that much for a "OK" view of the Grand Canyon), I would be happier at our next Grand Canyon West Stop "Guano Point".
Grand Canyon West
After our visit to the skywalk we decided to finish the tour with a visit to Guano Point. The Skywalk tour we purchased included a bus ride to Guano Point where our meal was served.
There used to be a tram that reached from one side of the canyon to the other where workers would go to the bat caves and gather the bat droppings (guano) for use in fertilizer, explosives and women's make-up. Apparently there was a military jet that crashed into the canyon destroying the tramway. The tram was never rebuilt, however you can see the remnants.
The views of Grand Canyon west from Guano Point were spectacular. If you came to Guano Point before you visited the Skywalk, you would be very disappointed in the Skywalk view. The Cliffs here are sharp and steep so be careful. There were also a couple of small climbs up the hills for a view from higher ground. The kids all climbed up to the top while most of the adults stayed below.
Overall I was very pleased with Guano Point, it picked me up a little after the less than dramatic view when we were at the skywalk. We had our meal here and drinks were also provided. The food was ok I guess, my appetite wasn't too good because of the heat so I can't really say it was bad. The $49 tour that you can sign up for at Grand Canyon West will bring you to Guano Point; you won't be disappointed in the view, that's for sure.
