The Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful natural sites in the US. Many people visit the South Rim of the canyon, as it is the most accessible from major cities.
Recently, the Hualapai opened up the West Rim for viewing by tourists. The landmark facility in their effort is the glass skywalk which allows the visitor to walk on a cantilevered structure that overhangs the edge and has a glass floor. This gives the vacationer an unforgettable view of the Grand Canyon.
While the view to the bottom of the canyon is glamorous, it does not come cheap. In fact, few things on the West Rim are inexpensive. Be forewarned that the ticket to go on the Skywalk is an additional cost on some other tour package that you will buy (or is included in a tour package). The minimum that this walk on glass is going to cost is $75 per person. Don’t drive all the way to the rim without knowing this! It is a little deceiving when you look at the official web site because in order to see these costs, you have to go to the Adobe Flash portion of the website, then click on the other pricing options available. Here is the direct URL to the pricing page for your convenience. When we were there, they said a huge number of people don’t understand the costs and get frustrated (maybe they should make it more obvious on their website).
Most, if not all, of the tour packages will include some sort of meal. The meal was good but not great. If you are looking for a great culinary experience, you are going to miss out. Eat a sandwich before you get to the reservation so you aren’t starved and disappointed.
The tour will include a stop at Guano Point. This was actually better than the Skywalk! Budget the time to spend on this peninsula of rock that sticks into the canyon. The view is absolutely spectacular and your family will enjoy climbing on the rocks around the paths. If you don’t use 30-40 pictures on your digital camera, I would be amazed. On the way to Guano Point your driver should point out the Eagle and Sleeping Dog that nature has carved into the canyon walls (see this picture).
Most people will visit the West Rim from Las Vegas. There are tours that originate from the strip and you should check with your travel agent or concierge for options. Driving on your own is not terribly tough and it will take you across Hoover Dam so you can visit there as well. It takes about 90 minutes to get to the dirt road through the reservation. This road is quite navigable by nearly any vehicle but you will get very dusty! Make sure that you have at least 3 hours worth of fuel in your car before you leave Las Vegas as the cost of gas in the desert is much higher than in the city.
Overall, the trip to the West Rim is a great experience and if you are vacationing in Las Vegas, it is a great way to save money away from the casinos! As the Hualapai continue to develop this spot with more hotels and restaurants, it will be an even bigger attraction and may make a trip to Las Vegas even more attractive to families and non-gamblers.
Besides the links above you may want to read these articles:
Grand Canyon Skybridge - Where Is It Anyway?
The Grand Canyon for Beginners
Technorati Tags: Grand+Canyon+West
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