See 1 of the 7 Natural Wonders at Grand Canyon West
It’s no secret that one of the top things to do in Arizona involves a trip to see the mighty Grand Canyon. Coming in at 277 miles long, this insanely massive desert canyon stretches far and wide across northern Arizona.
Considered 1 of the 7 natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is an incredible work of nature that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. And not just through your television screen!
Trust us, the movies don’t do this place justice!
However, since the Grand Canyon is so widely known and desired, it’s almost inevitable that you will encounter heavy crowds during your visit. Which if you feel like us, can be a real bummer when trying to enjoy the scenery.
So why not see the Grand Canyon on the less trafficked side? While you may not fully be able to escape the crowds, you can definitely have a less busy experience at the Grand Canyon West Rim.
We break down what to expect and the top things to do & see at the Grand Canyon West.
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Despite being 277 miles long, the Grand Canyon has just 3 main access points to choose from. For the average traveler looking to see the canyon in a day or less, your options include the South Rim, North Rim, and Grand Canyon West.
The South and North Rim are both operated by the National Park Service and are the more heavily trafficked rims of the Grand Canyon. While Grand Canyon West is much further west than these 2 rims, about 4 hours away, very close to the Nevada border.
Unlike the other rims, the Grand Canyon West Rim is not operated by the NPS. It’s actually located on the Hualapai Reservation and is a tribal enterprise of a sovereign Indian nation. Here you can experience and explore their heritage and rich traditions and get to know the people of the Hualapai Nation while visiting the West Rim and Peach Springs, Arizona.
Grand Canyon West offers visitors a bundle package which includes shuttle stops to different viewpoints and activities along the Grand Canyon.
GRAND CANYON WEST TICKETS/BUNDLES
Below are current prices for 2021, prices subject to change.
- General Admission – $45
- Access to Eagle Point, Guano Point, and Hualapai Ranch via shuttle
- Access to Hualapai Village
- Earth Experience – $58
- Includes all General Admission
- Plus 1 meal
- Sky Experience – $59
- Includes all General Admission
- Plus Skywalk
- Sky Experience Plus – $78
- Includes all General Admission
- Plus 1 Skywalk
- Plus 1 meal
While prices of these bundles are higher than the NPS’s South & North Rim entrance fee, you’re benefiting from fewer crowds, a planned 3-stop itinerary, and most importantly immersing in the Hualapai culture and history.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
- There is no shade along the Grand Canyon rim, be prepared to be fully exposed to the sun at all times
- Consider these 6 articles of sun protection to keep you covered
- Don’t forget the sunglasses for eye protection and for even better views of the canyon without the blinding sun!
- There are no official hikes within Grand Canyon West, however we still recommend day hiking shoes for comfort and safety as you’re essentially walking along extremely steep cliffsides
- If not hiking shoes, bring those hiking sandals!
3 STOPS ALONG GRAND CANYON WEST
These 3 stops are all included in the general admission ticket. As mentioned earlier, there are a few other attractions you can enjoy, but they do come at a higher ticket price.
1. Eagle Point
Eagle Point is the first stop off the shuttle on Grand Canyon West. Named Eagle Point because of the eagle-shaped rock formation you can see standing from the rim.
This first viewpoint is nothing short of jaw dropping. You can walk along the rim here up until you reach the Skywalk.
Be very careful and mind where you walk. There is no guardrails or any sort of fencing to protect you from toppling over the edge!
THE SKYWALK
Not far from where you’re dropped off, you can see The Skywalk. This U-shaped glass-bottom walkway extends 70-ft from the edge of the rim! Definitely not for the faint of heart or for those who are absolutely terrified of heights.
When atop the Skywalk, you will see a view of the canyon 4,000 feet straight down to the bottom. Despite how scary this sounds, there’s no need to worry. The walkway is made up of 5 layers of glass which can hold the weight of 71 fully loaded 747 airplanes!
Keep in mind that The Skywalk costs extra if you wish to see it. We chose to skip it for this trip to save money and because we know the views alone from the rim edge would already be enough for us!
OTHER THINGS TO DO AT EAGLE POINT
Outside of the viewpoint and The Skywalk, there are a few other things to do at Eagle Point depending on the season.
SKYVIEW RESTAURANT
Right next to The Skywalk, you can eat at Skyview Restaurant. They offer traditional cafe foods like burgers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches as well as beer and wine.
EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS
At Eagle Point, you can also take a self-guided tour through an authentic Native American village where you can imagine how it was when Hualapai, Navajo, Plains, Hopi, Havasupai, and other Indian tribes roamed the lands.
There are also Native American performances by the Hualapai Tribe on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 11am-3pm.
Lastly there is also a gift shop that sells handcrafted jewelry and weavings made by the Hualapai, Hopi, and Mojave tribes.
2. Guano Point
Our favorite spot along Grand Canyon West is at Guano Point which is the second stop off the shuttle. We favored this area is it was the closest we could get to hiking within the park.
While there are technically no trails within Grand Canyon West, this section offers a beautiful walk around the rocky peninsula as well as a quick climb to a small peak!
QUICK HISTORY OF GUANO POINT
“In the 1930s, a passing boater discovered a guano cave, and for 20 years after, unsuccessful attempts were made to mine the nitrogen-rich guano for fertilizer. After hearing there was more than 100,000 tons of guano in the cave, the U.S. Guano Corporation bought the property and constructed a $3.5 million tramway system to extract it.
The aerial tramway was built from the mine to what is now known as Guano Point, with the cable head-house built on land leased by the Hualapai Tribe. The cableway crossed the river, with a main span of 7,500 feet and a vertical lift of 2,500 feet.
In 1959, all the cave’s resources were exhausted because the predicted 100,000 tons was actually closer to 1,000 tons. Shortly after this, a U.S. Air Force fighter jet crashed into the overhead cable system and permanently disabled it. The remaining structures were left intact as a monument to man’s attempt to mine the canyon.” – Provided by GrandCanyonWest.com
EXPLORING GUANO POINT
From a geological standpoint, Guano Point is basically small peninsula surrounded by sheer drops on all sides into the Grand Canyon.
Despite it sounding absolutely treacherous, we LOVED walking around the full area.
There is a small trail that takes you from the shuttle, down to the old aerial tramway, and back. You can add on “Highpoint Hike,” which is a short trail that leads you up to the top of a small rock mountain.
From the top, you’ll see a 360 degree view of the stunning Grand Canyon along with the Colorado River down below. Definitely one of the best views you can experience within the Grand Canyon West Rim!
The aerial tramway is also a unique addition to the area. While it may look like an eyesore in nature, the history behind the mining of the guano is quite interesting!
It’s somewhat comical thinking the amount of money and energy that was once put into extracting bat poop from a cave!
3. Hualapai Ranch
Last along the Grand Canyon West shuttle is Hualapai Ranch. This small western-style ranch offers visitors a old west experience also combined with Native American cultures.
If you wish to stay overnight at Grand Canyon West, you can book a cabin at the Hualapai Ranch Cabins. These cute cabins face towards the canyon rim and give a convenient place to stay for those wanting to stay longer.
You can also find the Hualapai Ranch restaurant, a few shops, ziplines (seasonal), wagon rides, and even s’more making with cowboys at night.
If you’re not spending the night, you can expect to spend anywhere from 30-min to 1 hour of time at Hualapai Ranch.
Of course this depends on the time of year as more may be unavailable during the off-season in the winter.
Why You Should Experience The Grand Canyon West Rim
Seeing the Grand Canyon with your own eyes is a “must-do” on many travelers’ bucket list. While we still highly recommend visiting the canyon on both the South and North rim, Grand Canyon West Rim offers a different kind of experience that you can’t find on the other side.
It’s no surprise at all that the Grand Canyon is usually accompanied with heavy crowds, especially during the peak seasons or around holidays. We were happy to find that Grand Canyon West has fewer crowds than the NPS side, which allowed us to enjoy the views without having to push our way through people. All while getting to learn about the Hualapai.
What’s cool about this place is that you have the ability to curate your own experience with as little or many activities as you’d like.
Maybe you want to avoid crowds, or maybe you’ve been to the NPS side of the Grand Canyon and are looking for a different experience? Or perhaps the Hualapai culture is of interest to you on top of all of the above?
Whatever your reason, we know you will enjoy your experience at Grand Canyon West. I mean, how could you not being surrounded by one of nature’s greatest creations?
DON’T MISS THESE NEARBY ADVENTURES
- Looking to hike down and into the Grand Canyon. Check out our post on South Kaibab Trail at the South Rim
- If you’re wanting more desert adventures nearby, make sure you check out Red Rock National Conservation Area in Nevada, about 2 hours away
- Visit the small western town of Oatman right off Route 66, also about 2 hours away
Have you been to The Grand Canyon before? Or are you looking to go for your first time?
Feel free to ask us any questions below or if you have any fun experiences you would like to share!
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Can you tell me if they have electric chairs for rent for someone who has mobility issues and how that works with the shuttles and tour?
For Grand Canyon West Rim, I cannot find any information on their website about wheelchair accessibility or how it works with their shuttle system. I am not sure if they provide electric chairs for rent either. To get a definitive answer, I recommend calling their general help desk/visitor center to confirm: (888) 868-9378 or (928) 769-2636. These are the numbers listed on their website. However, we know that the South Rim through the NPS is wheelchair accessible and works within their shuttle system if you decide to go that route!
Going to visit the West rim for the very first time next week. I have only seen the canyon from the north entrance point and very much looking forward to a different view and experience.
That’s great! We love both rim viewpoints for different reasons and highly recommend them both. The west rim has some fantastic views that shouldn’t be missed if you’re wanting a new experience at the Grand Canyon. We hope you have a great time when you go!
What in your opinion would be the minimum amount of time to spend here and the max. Trying to plan our days out and what we can fit into one day. Thanks
If you’re looking to only sight see you could be done in as little as a couple hours. If you’re looking to take your time and do several of the attractions you can easily spend 6-8 hours there. Skywalk, helicopter rides, performances, restaurant, historical markers, gift shop, pictures, walking/hiking along the canyon etc. When we visited we kept it affordable and spent 3-4 hours site seeing, taking pictures, reading about the Hualapai culture, and sitting along the canyon just taking in different perspectives. Hope that helps!
I loved reading about your experience in Grand Canyon West Rim. Your descriptions really made it come alive for me. Happy travels!