Not far from Las Vegas, Grand Canyon West Rim makes an ideal place for a short trip.
You will get the opportunity to see the Grand Canyon from different perspectives. Walk on the famous Skywalk and see the beautiful canyon from Guano Point and Eagle Point.
If you love adventure then fly over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter or go for a zip line.
If you are like me who loves seeing stars in an open desert then spend a night in a cabin in Hualapai Ranch.
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- Grand Canyon Skywalk and West Rim tickets: what it costs
- Testimony of Nature’s Patience – Grand Canyon
- Two viewpoints on Grand Canyon West Rim
- Transparent Skywalk
- Guano point
- The Grand Canyon West Rim
- Packing essentials for Grand Canyon West Rim Tour
- FAQ about Grand Canyon West Rim
- Similar Articles from Travel Realizations
- Travel Realizations
Grand Canyon Skywalk and West Rim tickets: what it costs
First, the thing that confuses almost everyone: Grand Canyon West is not in Grand Canyon National Park. It sits on the Hualapai Reservation and is owned and run by the Hualapai Tribe, so your National Park pass does not work here and the prices are set separately.
- All-Access Pass — $99. The only ticket that includes the Skywalk. Also covers the zipline, Hualapai guided tours and exhibits, song and dance performances, the shuttle to Eagle Point, Guano Point and Hualapai Point, and $10 off both food and merchandise.
- General Admission — $67. Walking trails, guided narration, exhibits and performances, but no Skywalk. So the Skywalk effectively costs $32 on top.
- Sunset Pass — $59. Entry after 3pm, and it does include the Skywalk, Eagle Point, Guano Point and the shuttle. The cheapest way onto the glass bridge, and the only ticket built around the best light of the day.
- Hours: open every day of the year including holidays. Doors 8am, last entry ticket sold 4:30pm, park closes 6pm — 5:30pm and 7pm in summer.
- A timing trap: Arizona does not change its clocks. From March to early November the park runs on Pacific time like Las Vegas, but through the winter it is an hour ahead of Vegas. Check before you set off.
- The Skywalk itself is a 70-foot glass horseshoe suspended about 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. Prices and hours are on the Hualapai Tribe’s official site.
Testimony of Nature’s Patience – Grand Canyon
One of the open secrets of nature’s pace is patience. I realized this when I saw the Grand Canyon.
Tip: the West Rim is at its best at golden hour, especially if you photograph — and there is a ticket built for exactly that. The Sunset Pass is $59, lets you in after 3pm, and still includes the Skywalk, Eagle Point and Guano Point. It is the cheapest way onto the glass bridge. The catch is that the coach tours from Las Vegas leave the rim in the afternoon, so you need your own car to use it. Most day trippers see the canyon in flat midday light without realising there was a choice.
The enormous and intricate Grand Canyon is formed by millions of years of work by the Colorado river while it was establishing its course through it.
Nature works silently without any grandeur for years and creates these beautiful wonders.
No doubt the Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of nature. While drinking the pleasure of the scenery all around, for once I thought I was one of the happiest persons in the world.
I am privileged enough to witness such a magnificent and amazing beauty. There is no need to run and pursue happiness, it comes!
Two viewpoints on Grand Canyon West Rim
We visited two viewpoints in Grand Canyon West Rim. The first one was Eagle Point and the second was Guano Point.
At the Eagle point, one not only enjoys the beautiful panoramic view but also witnesses the eagle-shaped natural formation of the Canyon.
Also definitely worth exploring is the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Tip: the simplest way to do this without driving is the coach tour from Las Vegas. It runs about ten to eleven hours door to door with hotel pickup, stops at the Hoover Dam on the way, and includes lunch and Skywalk entry.
It takes you to both Guano Point and Eagle Point, the two viewpoints this post is about. From around $94 — and with more than 25,000 ratings at 4.9, it is the most reviewed Grand Canyon West tour there is.
Check dates and prices for the Grand Canyon West coach tour
Eagle Point
Transparent Skywalk
Another attraction at Eagle Point was walking on the Skywalk (A transparent horse shoe shaped cantilever bridge). Though photography was not allowed while walking on the skywalk (Photography is only allowed if one pays!). We clicked some photographs from outside.
Tip: if you are an adventurer at heart, the Skywalk is only the beginning. A small group tour makes for a less regimented day than the big coaches, and starts later in the morning. See the small group West Rim and Skywalk tour
And if you want to go down rather than only look down, there is a trip that flies you out from Las Vegas by small plane and lands at Grand Canyon West. From there you choose what to add — a helicopter that descends all the way to the canyon floor and a boat ride on the Colorado, the Skywalk, or simply time at the rim.
The add-ons are what push the price up, and the reviews are noticeably more mixed than for the coach tour, so go in knowing that. It is still the only way to stand at the bottom and look up. Check the West Rim flight with helicopter and boat options
Guano point
The story behind the Guano point is something different. During the 1930’s a boater passing through the Canyon discovered a cave which later was found to be rich with “Guano” or bat droppings.
This material was rich in nitrogen and very useful as a fertilizer. The U.S. Guano Corporation had purchased the mining rights in 1957 and began to construct the Tramway to extract the Guano from the mine.
Using a cable that spanned the Canyon at 7,500 feet, cable cars were used for transporting both the guano and miners, which lasted until early 1960.
A few months later the cable was damaged by an Air Force Jet’s tail and never re-opened.
The cable head-house remains as well as some remnants in the cave and is now a tourist destination at Grand Canyon West.
The Grand Canyon West Rim
The Grand Canyon West Rim is undoubtedly a paradise for photographers. One can spend days capturing this magnificent nature’s creation.
I tried my best to capture the picturesque vista with my unprofessional camera and to preserve those lovely reminiscences with indomitable passion.
Whenever I share my feelings, my experiences and my photographs with my readers, I feel tranquility deep down in my heart. Sharing is such a joy!
Packing essentials for Grand Canyon West Rim Tour
- Comfortable shoes – Check out my favorite comfortable shoes perfect for hiking in the rocky terrain of Grand Canyon.
- Sunglasses – I always carry a few pairs of sunglasses to protect my eyes and have a comfortable vision. Check out my favorite one.
- Sun hat – A sun hat not only protects me from UV rays but also adds a style quotient to all my travel pictures. Check out a comfortable sun hat.
FAQ about Grand Canyon West Rim
- Is Grand Canyon West Rim a part of Grand Canyon National Park? Grand Canyon west rim is owned by the Hualapai tribe and is not a part of the Grand Canyon National Park.
- Where is the Skywalk in Grand Canyon located? Skywalk is located in Grand Canyon West.
- Where is the best place to stay in Grand Canyon West Rim? If you visit Grand Canyon West, consider staying in Hualapai Ranch and experience a beautiful sunrise.
Similar Articles from Travel Realizations
Travel Realizations
The Colorado river did not set out to make a wonder. It only kept moving, in one direction, for millions of years — and the canyon is what patience looks like when it is given enough time.
That is the realization I carried home with me. We measure our own lives in days that feel urgent, and here is a place made by something with no hurry in it at all. For once, looking at it, I thought I was one of the happiest people in the world — not because anything had been achieved, but because nothing needed to be.
The Grand Canyon does not ask you to do very much. It asks you to wait, and to look, and to be small for a while. That is a rare instruction to find in a travel itinerary, and it is the best thing this canyon gives you.
Have you been to the Grand Canyon West Rim? Which viewpoint stayed with you? Leave a comment below if you have any questions, or DM me on Instagram @travelrealizations.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the Grand Canyon. You may also enjoy these guides from my travels across the American West!
- A new dawn in Hualapai Ranch in Grand Canyon, Arizona USA
- An exciting night in Hualapai Ranch in Grand Canyon, Arizona USA
- Epic 11-Day Winter Southwest Road Trip: Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon & Sedona
- Las Vegas with Kids? Yes, You Can! A 2-Day December Itinerary
- Bryce Canyon Hoodoos: A Guide to the Amphitheater, Viewpoints & Best Time to Visit
- Las Vegas to Grand Canyon – Journal of a journey!
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