Visitors Guide to Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk - Examiner |
| Visitors Guide to Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk - Examiner Posted: 04 Aug 2010 07:07 PM PDT
The tribe owns nearly one million acres of land throughout the Grand Canyon's western rim. The capitol of the Hualapai Reservation is Peach Springs, Ariz. Peach Springs is not far from Kingman, Arizona and is on Route 66. Map The important thing to know is that this destination is not within the National Park. It is to the west of that part of the Grand Canyon. While you will not see the typical scenes that you have come to associate with the Grand Canyon, visiting Grand Canyon West is an opportunity to see a beautiful deep canyon. It is much narrower at that point and fewer people have seen the western stretch of the canyon. When I visited, just after the Skywalk opened, I was able to get close to the rocky edge and peer down into the canyon. It was a thrilling experience. Getting to Grand Canyon West It's a bit tougher to get to Grand Canyon West than it is the South Rim. That is why there are so many tours that will fly you in, either by helicopter or fixed wing plane. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is located at Grand Canyon West, just a short drive from Las Vegas, NV or Kingman, AZ. The access road from Peach Springs is partially unpaved, about 10 miles. It is highly recommended that you NOT use your GPS or Google Maps to determine the route. The best directions can be found on the Grand Canyon West website. From Phoenix, it will take you a little over five hours to get to Grand Canyon West. You will be driving via Kingman. Here are the directions. Grand Canyon West works closely with many tour operators. Flying is a great option and will afford you an aerial view of the canyon. Here are your tour options. Cost Grand Canyon West is privately owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe and requires the purchase of a permit and Legacy tour package for entry. It is easier to purchase a package tour with all costs included. If you do not, and are driving yourself you can expect the following charges: Grand Canyon West "Legacy", (Entrance fee to Grand Canyon West): The adult rate for the Legacy Pass is $43.05 per adult (including tax) This gives you access to any of the points of interest as well as parking and a hop-on/hop-off shuttle that travels to each location daily every 10-15 minutes. Skywalk Admission fee (Admission onto the Skywalk): Admission onto the Skywalk is $32.05 per adult. (Including tax) Photographs are extra. You will not be allowed to bring your camera on the Skywalk. *all prices are subject to change without notice, for updated Legacy pricing please visit grandcanyonwest.com The Skywalk You won't be able to take personal effects out on the Skywalk as if visitors dropped things, the sensitive plexiglass would soon be scratched. Visitors are asked to store all personal effects in lockers. There is a professional photographer on the walkway and those photos are available for purchase in the visitors center. Hours Activities at Grand Canyon West Hiking: There are some hiking trails at Grand Canyon West. There is a moderate hike at Guano Point called "Highpoint Hike," which has a beautiful panoramic view of the Canyon/Colorado River . There is also an easy hike down to the edge of the canyon where you can see the remnants of a old Guano mine. Horseback Riding: The Hualapai Ranch is a Wild West town that has cowboys that guide horseback rides along the Grand Canyon and even give lessons in roping and axe throwing. River Rafting: The Hualapai operate the only one-day whitewater rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon called Hualapai River Runners. The rapids scale from class 3 to 7 and the trip ends with a helicopter flight to the top of Grand Canyon West. Overnight Accommodations From the Grand Canyon West website: We offer the Tranquility package at Grand Canyon West that includes accommodations in one of our western style cabins facing the Canyon, a meal and the tour of Grand Canyon West. We also offer the Hualapai Experience package at the Hualapai Lodge in Peach Springs, Arizona, which is 2-hour drive from Grand Canyon West on the way to Flagstaff or Phoenix. This package includes overnight accommodations and the Legacy package at Grand Canyon West. You can also find overnight accommodations in: Kingman, AZ (1 1/2 hours): Las Vegas, NV (2 1/2-3 hours); Laughlin, NV (2 hours); or Boulder City, NV (2 hours). It's Worth the Price After visiting Grand Canyon West and the Hualapai people, peering over the canyon's edge and experiencing  the thrill of flying in to the airstrip over beautiful Arizona canyonlands, I have to say the prices, which appear high on first glance, are worth it when you consider the importance of tourism to the Hualapai people.The Skywalk and the tourist facilities at Grand Canyon West represent the dreams of the Tribe for a financially secure future. All the Tribe has are these beautiful lands. In order to make money, this impoverished Tribe must find a way to use the land. They have chosen to open their lands and hospitality to the world and thus ensure a future for themselves and their children. In my book, a visit to the unusual Grand Canyon West is a good addition to a Southwest vacation. Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
Travelers from around the world have heard about Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk. Recently (2010) a new | You are subscribed to email updates from Maps Guides - Bing News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment