Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk

Grand Canyon West is the tribal-run West Rim of the Grand Canyon on the Hualapai Reservation in Arizona, about 125 miles (200 km) east of Las Vegas and the closest Grand Canyon viewpoint to the city. The drive takes about 2.5 hours via US-93 and Pierce Ferry/Diamond Bar Road, which is fully paved, and a rental car allows free parking at the entrance. Coach tours with Strip hotel pickup cost about $150 to $250 per person including entry, while helicopter and plane tours run roughly $460 to $740 per person. Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so visitors should check the clock difference in summer. The All-Access Pass, about $99 plus taxes, covers the shuttle, the Skywalk, Eagle Point and Guano Point. The Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped glass-floored walkway extending over the rim, about 4,000 feet above the canyon floor, and Eagle Point shows a rock formation said to resemble an eagle with outstretched wings. Guano Point offers a wide panorama of the Colorado River and canyon, with an easy walking trail to the overlook. A suggested day starts with an early drive so that arrival is by mid-morning, then takes the hop-on hop-off shuttle to Eagle Point and the Skywalk, followed by lunch at the Guano Point cafe area or the Hualapai Ranch facilities, and finishes at Guano Point in the afternoon before the two-and-a-half-hour drive back. Personal cameras and phones are not allowed on the Skywalk itself; visitors use the professional photographers on site or lockers for belongings. This is distinct from Grand Canyon National Park, and National Park passes do not apply. The best seasons are March through May and September through November; summer is hot and winter can be cold and windy on the rim. Allow a full day, about ten to eleven hours including travel.