Update on the Grand Canyon Skywalk
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| Grand Canyon Skywalk |
The Grand Canyon Skywalk opened last month — if you missed the worldwide media frenzy you must be living under a rock or in a hole.
The BBC, CNN, the New York Times, LA Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal — all the major media covered the opening ceremonies. And there were VIPs and travel industry types aplenty, from astronaut Buzz Aldrin to Viator’s very own Rod Cuthbert (read Rod’s blog post about the Skywalk opening ceremonies).
Rod had a great time at the event, and he remains an enthusiastic supporter of the Skywalk and its caretakers, the Hualapai tribe. Rod did have some concerns about the inevitable crowds the Skywalk would draw, and the ability of the organizers to cope with the rush of visitors.
Based on feedback we’ve received here at Viator, Rod’s concerns seem justified. 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 can’t buy it on site yet, and you will get thirsty.
- 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.
–The Viator Travel Team
You can view more of Rod’s photos of the Grand Canyon Skywalk on the Viator Flickr page. The Grand Canyon is a 30-minute helicopter ride or a 2 1/2-hour drive from Las Vegas. Browse Viator’s complete list of Grand Canyon tours.
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April 14th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I just got back from a day at the Grand Canyon including the Skywalk. Having read the blog and talked to a few people, I was expecting the worst with large crowds and long lines, especially being the middle of the day on a Saturday.
I was however pleasantly surprised. There was a small queue, we only waited about 5 minutes, and once on the Skywalk it was not overcrowded. A temporary shade had been put up outside and there were plenty of staff on hand to help out. The new visitor’s centre which will offer, information, drinks, souvenirs and shade is due to be open in around August. Maybe the original teething problems are starting to be ironed out.
It was an incredible experience, a really unique view of the canyon. My tip - stick your chin out over the glass wall and look straight ahead. You get a breeze that is blocked by the wall and everything and everyone on the Skywalk is out of your range of sight, it’s like floating over the canyon!
April 24th, 2007 at 4:05 am
What are the advantages of a Van vs. a bus??? Is it worth getting tickets to the skywalk before you get there? (As an add-on with the tour.)
April 24th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Hi Dorothy. You will generally get a better (e.g., lower) price by bundling a Skywalk ticket with transport — either a helicopter tour, bus tour, van tour, etc. It is possible to purchase your tickets at the site, but again, you’ll save a little money by pre-purchasing. And I’m not just saying that!
In terms of van versus bus, vans are typically smaller and more intimate. The buses are larger and carry bigger groups. Generally speaking vans are a little more expensive, but only a little. It really depends on the specific tour at hand. Have a look at the Skywalk tours offered by Viator for more info.
May 6th, 2007 at 4:39 am
Hi, I am going to visit the grand canyon next december for one day. Where do you suggest, south rim or west?
May 7th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Where you are planning on staying will have an influence on your decision. The West Rim is the closest to Las Vegas (2 - 2.5 hours) and the South Rim closest to Phoenix (4 - 4.5 hours or 5 - 5.5 hours from Las Vegas).
Personally, I found the West Rim to be spectacular, it was just amazing -check out my blog to hear about my day at the canyon:
http://travelblog.viator.com/the-grand-canyon-for-beginners/
The added attraction of the West Rim now is the Skywalk. The visitor’s center is due to be completed later this year so it should be up and running by the time you go in December. It will have alot of info about the Grand Canyon, the Skywalk and the local Hualapai Native American tribe who own the land.
June 8th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Hi, I am going to visit the grand canyon next Sep. , and i want to drive from las vegas to skywalk and then to south rim overnight. is it a good plan?
June 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
The West Rim (where the Skywalk is) is about a 3 hour drive from Las Vegas (with about 45 minutes on a dirt road). To then go on to the South Rim, you would have to drive another 3-4 hours. To make the most of your time at the Grand Canyon, I would recommend doing just one rim at a time - both South and West Rims have overnight accommodation available.
June 11th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Dear jenny,
thanks for your advice,could you recommend the hotel aroud west rim?
it looks like hard to find information from website.
louisc
June 18th, 2007 at 10:41 am
Hi Louis - There are a few places you can stay at or near the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is Hualapai Lodge, which is on Historic Route 66 (near Peach Springs), or at the rim there is the Hualapai Ranch. See the website: http://www.destinationgrandcanyon.com/overnight.html for full details. The latter will be available for sale on the Viator website soon as a self-drive package from Las Vegas.
June 19th, 2007 at 4:13 am
HI jenny,
thanks for your recommend, I have sent email to Hualapai Ranch for requesting overnight information,
and here is my trip plan.
9/2 from Pasadena to Las Vegas
9/3 from Las vegas to south rim
9/5 from south rim to west rim
9/6 from west rim to Las Vegas
9/7 from Las vegas to Pasadena
i want to keep driving time below 5H a day ,do you think is it a good plan?
louisc
July 11th, 2007 at 9:59 am
As I had stated in another blog on a recent trip to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon we traveled to the Grand Canyon West on July 2,2007 to walk on the skywalk.The Skywalk itself was quite an experience. However, getting there, the quality and the organization of the site was less than desireable. To get to the site you should be prepared for some rough terrain. There is approximately 14 miles of hard packed dirt washboard road that will rattle your eyeteeth if you try to exceed 10 miles per hour. It took nearly 2 hours for us to traverse these 14 miles, which we said we wouldn’t come back until the road was paved. The ticketing is quite pricy for what you get. The cost is $49.00 for the priveledge of getting on the Hualapai land which includes a meal (which I will mention more about shortly) and another $25.00 if you want to walk on the skywalk. Be prepared that no cameras, cell phones, or any personal items are allowed on the skywalk (which kind of defeats the whole idea of why you would like to come). We were hustled in an old school bus to a makeshift western town to see a shoot out, have lunch and take pictues. Skip the trip to the Hualapi ranch and wait until you get to Guano point to eat. we found the meal is much better there but we had already used our meal coupon and were not informed there would be a choice. Guano point was , besides the skywalk, the better part of the trip. Be aware there are no railings around the edge. This prompts many people to crawl on hands and knees to the edge for a peek at the Colorado river 2000 feet below. We encountered a young man from Italy who ,while standing six inches from the edge, told us the heights didn’t bother him because he was a para sailer and he was use to it. The only thing I said was “Yeah but you don’t have a parasail on”. The view is spectacular. We climbed to the top of Guano point and was amazed at the awesome panorama that unfolded around us. You can have the obligatory photograph they will take of you done but I would rather have been allowed to take my camera to shoot my own pictures. All in all I found the management of the site lacking but the features to be good. I suppose it has a lot to do with the fact the site is not 100% complete. I only hope they get things more organized because it has the potential to be an awesome vacation destination. Like drburcon says at this point it’s not worth all the money you have to spend. Take it from someone who’s been there. Wait for at least another 2 years before you go. I have a feeling they are going to get so much negative publicity by opening it up to the public before completion that they will not get enough funding to keep it open. Sure hope it doesn’t go belly up because the Hualapai are relying heavily on this venture.
September 11th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I will be visiting the South Rim for one day with my family. I have a 10 year old son and a 9 year old daughter. What would you recomend for us to do that will make their day memoriable and a trip they will remember for many years to come?
September 11th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Hi Maria. It depends a little on where you’re staying, and how much you have budgeted.
If you’re coming from Las Vegas, one of the most popular (and cost-conscious) ways to see the South Rim is on a South Rim Bus Tour.
The Grand Canyon All American Helicopter Tour is also very, very cool! It departs from Las Vegas as well.
You can also try the South Rim Air Tour with ground transport.
It’s a safe bet your kids will love all of these experiences.
October 7th, 2007 at 2:28 am
Hello,
I will be visiting Las Vegas in November. We are planning to travel from Vegas to the Skywalk for a day trip and would like to know if tickets just for the Skywalk can be bought at the Skywalk site on the day we arrive and not involve a long wait to actually go on the Skywalk.
October 8th, 2007 at 10:26 am
Hi Philip,
I have been to the breathtaking Grand Canyon Skywalk twice since it has opened, and both times I was in awe of not only this amazing architectural feat but the overwhelming splendor that is the Grand Canyon.
Since the Grand Canyon Skywalk is located at the Grand Canyon’s West Rim, which is the home of the Hualapai Nation, you must purchase a package from the Hualapai that includes the Skywalk (a $49.95USD minimum).
The basic Skywalk package will give you access to their Tribal Lands, transportation between Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch & Eagle Point - home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, lunch and a pass to the Skywalk. The transportation offered by the Hualapai is necessary as you cannot take your vehicle past the Terminal, which is the check-in location.
Currently, there is a 14 mile unpaved section of road, which leads to the Grand Canyon West. So actually getting to the West Rim can be quite a challenge. The section of unpaved road is difficult in a normal rental car (and some rental agencies may not allow you take their cars on this section of road at all). The drive from Las Vegas takes approximately 3 to 4 hours.
Viator offers several Grand Canyon Skywalk options - perfect for any budget. From the self-drive Hummer with optional Skywalk tickets to the West Rim Van tour with optional Skywalk tickets.
If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s also the 4-in-1 Grand Canyon helicopter tour that includes the Skywalk.
As for waiting in line to get on the Skywalk - since the Grand Opening, the Hualapai have worked on creating a better queuing system, which has helped enormously in keeping the lines at the Skywalk to a minimum.
Thanks,
Melissa
December 26th, 2007 at 1:23 am
I’ve recently (12/07) visited the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the skywalk itself is just OK. I feel it is rediculous and totally not worth for the money you have to pay in order to come to the location. It costs $49.00 for the shuttle of getting on the Hualapai land (just about 6miles of driving on the bus) and for a meal (which is not better any $1.00 menu at any fast food restaurant). To walk to the glass skywalk bridge, you have to pay another ticket for an additional of $25.00 - to walk thru a very short bridge - not as great as they advertise. On top of that, no camera is allowed when walk to the bridge so they can make some extra money by taking picture for you and cost $25 / photo, which may not be that much of better than what we can take ourself.
Overall, the skywalk is just OK and I dont think its a really a big deal; plus all of the charges are extremely unreasonable and rediculous. I double if people would come back for the next time if these are not changed, including the charges, street conditions, and the rule of no-camera allowed, etc.
I don’t really recommend to anyone for this trip -