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April 17, 2007
Grand Canyon Skywalk reviews
Long time readers may be familiar with my coverage of the Grand Canyon Skywalk and have even expressed interest in going. And while I enjoyed my recent trip to the Skywalk, others have not. So in the spirit of fairness I give you some recent reviews by people who have gone to the Grand Canyon Skywalk and didn’t think it was worth it. There are some issues but, lucky for you, I also have pictures from the Grand Canyon Skywalk itself.
Avoid this tourist trap! 1. The site is not ready, evidenced by total disorganization from start to finish. 2. The cost was too much for the value-$346 for a family of five (three young kids) 3. The road up is 12 miles of HELL. Wash pan for 12 miles and it is going to get worse before it gets better. Add and extra 1 1/2 hours for this 24 mile gem. Everyone wants tips, from the ladies who swipe your credit card (tip jar out) to an Indian chief who stands by the bus as you get back on with his tip basket. (I expect this in Vegas-like a Elvis guy who will let you take a photo with him for tips, but not here.)
5. The whole site plan is horrible, for example the tour buses are too big to make a turn at the sky walk-so they make a K turn rolling down toward the canyon!!! (Also, there are no guardrails between you and the edge of the canyon. Scary! Tip Basket on bus) 6. NO Camera’s on SKYWALK ALLOWED!. They don’t want you to drop them and damage the canyon!!! They are planning, eventually, to have someone take photo’s of you (like a cruise ship and of course you can buy those!) 7 . They will serve you a FREE lunch with paper plates, napkins and cup which in 20 minutes I watch several blow down into canyon-so much for protecting the sacred land!! (tip basket included here also) Avoid!! Avoid! Avoid! We were disappointed and feel taken. We do, however strongly recommend visiting the Grand Canyon National Park. – Jon
I just returned home from the Skywalk today and what a disappointing trip it was. They say that 200,000 visitors went to the Western Rim (prior to this tourist trap being erected). Why they didn’t get a loan to pave this embarrassing washboard of a road is beyond me. The investor who fronted the 30 million should have fronted another million for fun. But then again, they probably flew in everytime and don’t realize how idiotic this 12 miles of hell really is. I suggest you rent a HUMMER or don’t make the drive. You car will be in bad need of an alignment and 2 trips through the car wash, not to mention a complete detail inside. I found only one bathroom, no others. The line to the all you can eat buffet was over an hour long so my family decided to go without food. They scream at you to walk on the sidewalks, but they forgot that there AREN’T any where you’re walking! ONLY once you get up to the skywalk area is there a sidewalk. I didn’t see one tip jar as the person mentioned in the previous blog but I can tell you that I didn’t purchase a single thing other than the tickets. There are no signs telling you where to go, what line to stand in or what the line is for once you stand in one. There was only one cashier station with the ability to take credit cards. The Southern Rim is run by the National Park Service and has ample signage, facilities, parking, guardrails etc. Someone is going to fall off the side of this Canyon. Although I walked to the edge – anyone could have slipped and grabbed ahold of me and brought me down with them. VERY VERY disappointing. The only people that won’t find it disappointing are those that fly in via plane or helicopter and fly back out. The Skywalk is nice, but you can’t take any belongings on there and you don’t put your belongings into a locker like they say – you put it in one of those bins like you do at the airport, write your first and last name on a raffle “ticket” and trust your personal belongings to the SECURITY guards. They wear security jackets and put your items in a storage area that has a back door that I could walk into when I exited. You’re putting your purse, camera and everything else into a bin that is placed on a shelf in a room that is not locked. Save your money, you’ll have better luck at the roulette table. – Jeanie
I contacted the folks over at the Skywalk but have not heard from them regarding these complaints. They may be avoiding the issue or may simply be too busy to respond to all the emails they get – or both – so I ask you…
Have you been to the Grand Canyon Skywalk?
What do you think of your experience?
Message to those who leave comments: Thank you for your feedback. This kind of honesty and detail will help many others make an informed decision about their trip. I would love to add any photos you care to share with our readers so they can see what to expect. From the parking area to the food tables to the views themselves. Let me know if you have photos to share in your comment and be sure to use a valid email so I can reply. And again, thank you. Don’t forget to DIGG This!
Similar Posts:
- Grand Canyon Skywalk on Google Maps
- Grand Canyon Skywalk Pictures
- “Making Of” the Grand Canyon Skywalk
- Walk the Skywalk
- Grand Canyon Skywalk Celebrates One Year Anniversary
I have been to the Skywalk and was surprised it cost more than we thought BUT it WAS well worth it. It was truly amazing to think of how this was built. It’s just opening so yes there were some glitches as you might expect, but it was still a fun day and I wouldn’t have missed it for a second. No you can’t take your cameras on it…..they don’t want cameras being dropped over the edge messing up the canyon floor with camera debris …. not to mention that dropping a camera might scratch the glass on the floor and sides, but it’s not so delicate it would crack it….far from it ….it’s very sturdy. It’s not a tourist trap…. everyone was very nice to us there, and it’s worth it. I recommend going early in the day . The twelve mile dirt road in is a bitch though… we had a flat tire… but they fixed it for us for free while we were seeing the sights. We did the Spirit package, ($81.00) which is the Skywalk, a bus ride to two spectacular view points and a great lunch, and more. A Hualapai woman told us that once David Jin makes his money back on this project, then the tribe will start benefitting from it. In my opinion it was worth it ! Would go again !
Not so. In fact that is EXACTLY what happened! There is a 20 inch (!) crack in one of the glass panes (just over half way down on the lower right hand side). I asked a security guard and he said someone dropped their camera and the glass cracked!!! He was not joking. As a matter of fact, that is why they don’t allow cameras on the Skywalk anymore! And yes, they now have a guy taking your picture. It costs $15. And you get a free blank envelope card with it.
I contacted the folks over at the Skywalk and asked them about the cracked glass.
One thing to keep in mind is that the floor is made up of 5 layers of glass. The top most layer is likely intended to be replaced for just this very reason.
[...] me an email containing a negative review of the Grand Canyon Skywalk, though, much in the spirit of some reviews available on the internet, and that reminded me of a story that a guy our party met in Havasupai village told. He said that [...]
Went to the Skywalk on 5/23. It was worth the trip from Las Vegas although the last 14 miles of the drive are on a dusty, bumpy unpaved road. Drive slowly and stay away from the edge of the road if possible. We did see people drivng too fast which created large clouds of dust and also saw someone drive off of the road. There were multiple cashiers and short lines to purchase tickets. Tip baskets were not an issue although they were present in several locations. After watching tourists, I understand why belongings are not allowed on the Skywalk. We saw people throw things into the canyon just to see how far they would fall. Lunch is served on paper plates but food was freshly prepared and we were able to have both chicken and barbecue beef. If you want a mega-buffet then eat in Las Vegas Plenty of trash barrels at Guano Point and the staff came around with trash bags to assist with clean-up. There are no barriers or railings to obstruct the view anywhere. If you are nervous about being near the rim of the canyon, then don’t walk too close to the edge. Motorcoaches were adequate and the drivers are polite. It is important to remember that this is a new venture and that some things are still under construction. We noticed that European tourists were scratching their names in rocks – this is unacceptable. Also, there were numerous beer cans and other trash that people left in the main parking lot. We were allowed to stay on the Skywalk as long as we wanted because it was not crowded. Had the souvenir photo taken and the cost was comparable to that charged at theme parks for a similar photo. Tribe members were polite and informative – they seem to take pride in their venture.
My friend and I rode down on motorcycles from Canada. She had no interest in the Skywalk so didn’t even go but I was going. I was horrified to realize those last 21 miles had 14 miles of gravel first. Obviously I misunderstood the website since I thought you could pay to take a shuttle over that part. I rode past the turn off a couple miles and stopped at Rogers Market where the wonderful lady working there tried unsucessfully to find me a ride up. So I decided to just hitchhike since she said she would watch my bike. My husband would have had a fit but there was no cell service. The people who gave me a ride were so nice and interesting and thanks for giving a ride to the strange lady wearing a bandana and carrying a camera bag, purse and Gatorade. LOVED the Skywalk. Even tho I had thought the price a rip off before I went I did not resent it at all once I was there. Everyone was so nice and the Skywalk itself was well worth it. It wasn’t busy and I didn’t want to leave once I got brave enough to walk on the clear part. The lockers were easy to use and it was easy to get change for them. The food was good and talked to such nice people. A worker got me a ride back to the paved road on a bus when he realized I was hitchhiking. Tho how long those buses will last on that terrible road I don’t know but the scenery is great. I had a great time and look forward to going back when it is finished. Happy to have gone when it is so new. I’ve been to the North Rim and South Rim but the West Rim is by far my favorite.
A friend from work and I had never been to the Grand Canyon so we planned a trip together. First we drove to the West Rim to see the Skywalk glass bridge and then we went to the South Rim for an overnight mule ride to the bottom of the canyon. The South Rim was wonderful as well as the mule ride. The West Rim and Skywalk were a huge waste of time and very disappointing. With the AAA discount it cost about $73 per person for the Spirit entrance package including the Skywalk. What a rip off. Tacky, dirty and cheesy. I think the real reason you can’t bring your camera is that they want to make an extra $20 by taking your picture. They could get around the safety issue by requiring a neck cord or string to secure your camera so that it doesn’t get dropped. We had lunch at Guano point (aptly named). It was very dirty, the toilets were out of order, the lunch lady who slopped the food on our plates licked frosting off her fingers between serving pieces of cake. We couldn’t wait to get back in to our filthy car and drive back down the 12 mile wash-pan dirt road. I wish I had seen this web site before planning this vacation.
My family and I were at the Skywalk on Aug. 25. I truly is a beautiful area, but I totally agree about the unorganization there. We purchased 4 Spirit tickets $49.95 each and 4 Skywalk tickets $25.00 each. There was a thunderstorm so we were not allowed on the Skywalk (which I understand). We also were not allowed into Eagle Point (where the Skywalk and Indian Villiage are) therefore we were not allowed into the Indian Village either. The ticket agents were continuing to sell Skywalk tickets, even though it was closed. The bus drivers were continuing to drive people to Skywalk, even though it was closed. This was because they did’nt know that Skywalk was closed. There is no means of communication between security at Skywalk, the bus drivers and the tickets agents. They had a load of angry people when they all found out that Skywalk was closed and they were still sold tickets for something they could not do. After we all (about 30 of us) demanded our money back, they refunded money for the Skywalk, but not for package tickets. My family and I did receive our meal, but we could not tour the Indian Village or the ranch. I was very disappointed that I did not receive a refund for at least part of the Spirit package since we could not see everything. When I tried to explane to the manager that security would not let us into the area at all, his response was ” Security had no right to not let you into the Indian Village, and it is open now (at 6:20 pm, they close at 7:00 pm) We spent 3 hours on busses, going back and forth between stops, hoping we could see something, but it never happened. This place is not ready to open to the the public, especially with the prices they charge. The 14 mile of dirt washboard road is a nightmare too. The best part of the trip was seeing the Buffalo and long horn cattle on the side of the road on our way out. My advice to any one wanting to go there is to wait about 2 years, maybe they will have everything completed by then. They are charging way too much for something that is not finished yet. I think it will be a very nice place someday, but not now.
You are all idiots.. The unpaved road is not part of the Skywalk property and David Jin (the investor) had no say on paving the road.. Talk to the Hualapia Indian’s on that one..
And.. Your neck cord idea won’t work either.. The guy that dropped his camera and broke a pane of glass had a neck band that broke.. His little oooopppsss cost the Skywalk over $50K to repair the broken pane..
You also have to remember.. YOU ARE IN THE DESERT PEOPLE… NOT LAS VEGAS.. It is all part of the adventure and with you lasy ass people that aren’t up for it.. Stay home..
I wrote about a miserable trip my husband and I had on our blog…I want the world to know how they have taken a beautiful natural place and destroyed it by greed! I wrote a Grand Canyon West Review for Trip Advisor as well. Am I mad? You bet. I feel cheated. But at least the security guard that took away my cellphone and camera was polite.
I have been to the Grand Canyon on several occasions including riding the donkeys to the bottom. I have not been to nor will I ever go to the Skywalk. The entire concept is embarassing and insulting at the same time. The laws that allowed this obscenity to be built should be repealed and the walk and all of it’s supporting site should be destroyed and returned to it’s original condition.
read about the skywalk in lonely planet book of south west america 2007, very dispointed with the whole thing,a mad dust bowl drive to the walk being overtaken by lunatics on a slippery, dusty , gravelly track, very dangerous. ripped off with an obsurd fee taken by uninterrested so called locals. if thats the best they could come up with, then the whole project wants throwing over the side of the canyon, together with your (free) meal, which was very poor and gave me the runs for a day afterwards!!!!
LONELY PLANET DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND REVISE YOUR BOOK AND TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS RIP OFF !!!!!!!!!
Yep, ripoff. Scam alert! Visitor beware! In order to walk on the sky walk, the least package would cost you about $80 after tax. Then get in queue to get on their shuttle. Then submit camera, cellphone at locker, for $1. 80 bucks is not enough, eh? Then get in the queue for sky walk. There two official photographers on either end occupying about 1/3 rd of space with people in the queue waiting for photo. All you have lift is about 20 feet mid section, and people have lined up along the outer glass wall. Wait again until someone comes off the edge to get a view from the edge.
The only cool factor is to lookdown and feel, wow. Worth $80? No way.
Then get in the queue (again!!!) for the shuttle…..if you are going to other points, shuttle saga continues.
Driving on unpaved road is cool, kind of adventurous, and I knew about it, so no complaints there. But advertising $25 and charging you $80 bucks just plain wrong.
Did I mentioned about the whole placed is rigged up with noise? Generators, helicoptor noise, just plain bad environment.
Its just plain wrong to turn a beautiful piece of land into awful place.
Just made a trip to the Skywalk this past weekend and all the complaints are true. You spend about $80 per person to see this glass skywalk without allowing you to take any pictures but you can buy a photo taken by the park at a cost of $26. (not the best photo, at that.) And yes there are tip jars or baskets everywhere for just saying hello to you. You are greeted off the bus by some native indian that wants a tip. Get out of my face! They are full of scam. They are not friendly, very rude people. They welcome your dollar not you.
You are misled by the $29 entrance to the Skywalk but another $29 to enter the park. $20 to park your car if you drive there. (I drove) and then $11 for a buffet which is so bland that the paper plate you were served on tasted better. And $30-$80 for souvenirs. Equals to about $150 per person. That ain’t cheap…
Let talk about safety factor. NO SAFETY FENCE. Nothing stops you from going over the edge of the cliffs. I heard on the news that a 3 year old boy went over the edge not knowing what he was getting into and his dad nearly went over trying to save him. Very dangerous for the curious kids. I saw a group of tourist just standing on the edge not knowing that they were standing on loose soil that was on the brink of chipping off the cliff potentially taking about 20-30 feet of solid ground. Even the other viewpoint were very dangerous without any safety fence or guard rails.
As far as the WOW factor, it rates a 10. Worth about $125-150, NOT. This park is in its early infant stages of being a true national park. There are lots of potential. At this time, its very very disorganized, the people are not welcoming at all. Everyone is trying to scam you for a dollar. Oh, about that dirt road. Very rocky terrain. 14 miles long. Get a SUV rental. You can only go 10-15mph on this very rocky road. The view is excellent with joshua trees backdropped by the mountains.
I recommend that you give this Skywalk a chance to become organized and mature with better planning. 1 to 2 years should have the Skywalk in shape for tourist.
Hello all, Just wanted to give my say. First of all………about the road: The dirt road does not belong to the Hualapai Nation. The Hualapai Nation has had their portion of the road paved for quite a long time. The unpaved portion is a county road….property of Mohave County. For some crazy reason, they still haven’t paved it yet. Any complaints about the road should go to Mohave County. The County is now continuously grading the road however…..you can now easily drive 35-40 mph (although the speed limit is 25) except for some turns.
You are wrong about a 3 year old boy going off of the edge at Grand Canyon West. Totally false. Maybe southrim….but not west.
The food is getting better…….more options now. There is now a “cafe” right at the skywalk.
There are always going to be generators being this far out in the middle of nowhere. The sound polution does suck…..however, they also provide people with modern day needs. People have to have some kind of telephone service, lights, heating, cooling, etc. People would easily die out here if they are not properly prepared for the extreme heat & cold…..modern technology saves lives!
Just remember, this is not YOUR land. This land BELONGS to the Hualapai Nation. They are allowed to do what they want with it (and rightfully so). They have the right to increase revenue in order to better themselves.
To Bob Adams,
Thank you for correcting so many mis informed people.
[...] Canyon West has quadrupled, rising from 500 per day to more than 2000 per day. The Skywalk’s popularity has helped Grand Canyon West grow tremendously resulting in hundreds of new job opportunities for [...]
I just got back from the Skywalk 3/23/08 and the overwhelming feeling that I was getting ripped off didn’t let me enjoy the beautiful scenery I was seeing. The dirt road is tough but does add a sense of adventure I really enjoyed so that didn’t bother me until later… A restroom facility somewhere in between would be nice. When I arrived I was greeted by a gentlemen who charged me $20.00 to park. Ok whatever. (Footnote: This is not a national park so you won’t qualify for discounts like Senior citizen price reductions accepted at the Grand Canyon South Rim.) Once i was let through I was directed to a dirt parking lot with no entrance and exit signs. I found the area very congested with buses, people, and aircraft everywhere. Once I parked I walked back to the area to purchase the tickets. It’s $29.99 to get to the skywalk and another $29.99 to actually get on the skywalk. The skywalk is like 3 minutes to get to on the bus. I can’t help feeling robbed. Maybe if the bus did all the hard dirt road travel it would be justified but nope. We were a party of 5 so do the math and the cost of parking, bus, and skywalk is like $320.00 plus tax! Well, the spending doesn’t stop there… Once you get to the skywalk and have your personal belongings stripped you finally make it on. It is a great view but instead of standing there enjoying the view and relaxing you are being moved along a line to take pictures at three different locations on the skywalk. I was really disappointed that I could not use a camera. I understand that it is a hazard but I can’t believe some engineer couldn’t develop a material with more strength or whatever. Come on, a camera falls 6ft and damages a 30 million dollar investment. Limit the size of the camera or allow one per party. Well fine let them take the pictures and by the way they have three packages. One picture for $27.99 two for $47.99 or the ultimate package for $99.99 which includes two prints and all six pictures on a USB. Add the minimum one picture and that makes my cost go up to ~ $348.99. Add the ultimate package and you are looking at ~$420.00. Please observe the duration of the photo purchase line. I was in line for over an hour! The system went down and they didn’t tell anyone. They decided to just look at you and then go through all the pictures and hope they would find you. I was behind an Asian family and it was rather insulting and embarrassing that the people at the register thought that all Asian people look the same because they would click on every picture and then look at the family. That is insulting and an outrage. I made my feelings known to one of the supervisors (dressed in black) that the system was horrible and inadequate. I was pretty upset. I tried to get half off my pictures for my troubles but they were not having any of it. They directed me to the comments cards and to the website… The comment cards are blank index cards and I couldn’t find a message post on the web. Oh and the pictures are OK. It looks like they were taken by a 3 mp camera. I am posting this and sending them a copy of this post to their e-mail address on the web. Oh.. back to the dirt road, it was a deciding factor in me staying and paying the prices. It felt like I had gone too far and been through too much to go home empty handed.
Just got back myself from a trip to Vegas and a drive to the Skywalk. The dirt road is pretty rough and kicks up so much dust that you need to leave a lot of room between you and the car in front of you (if there is one) to avoid running into them if they should suddenly slow down or stop. You can’t see!!!!! The whole racket out there is a huge ripoff. $20 to park your car, $29 to get into the park and take a bus ride to Eagle Point where the skywalk is and another $29 to walk the skywalk. We opted to NOT walk the skywalk. After driving a couple of hours, we realized that we had better eat something while we were there since there wasn’t much to pick from on the drive there. Well, they know that and price the food accordingly to GOUGE you once again. Everything was $12.99. Chicken strips, a “mini” burger or a hot dog were the only choices. So we opted for the 3 chicken strips and about 12 french fries and $2 for a canned drink. I felt so violated, and was so pissed off. Two of us split this measly little meal just to tide us over until we could get some real food. After hanging around Eagle Point for a while, we jumped on the bus to go the next point. Guano Point. Now, this is worth spending your entire time at. Talk about breathtaking views, and awesome picture taking. WOW. Going here made the entire trip worthwhile. I still say the entire experience was WAY overpriced, but I am glad I went as I will probably never go back. Again, I think they know this too and figure they can GOUGE every tourist at least once.
i had a skywalk trip last week…..to be HONEST….that was the amazing trip in my whole life…i enjoyed the canyon west more than the canyon south…..i am a kind of adventerous person….so loved a lot……i went there to enjoy the sunset….and it ws full moon tooo…so enjoyed both…..i took the last bus….and once i ws there i was the only one to enter the skywalk…SO GOT A CHANCE TO BE ON THE SKYWALK AS THE ONLY VISITOR other than the staff who assist me.i cherish that moment in life….i agree the cost is little high…but for me it ws worth it!!!….i didnt see any tipping box as read in one of the earlier feedback…i got a nice staff to assist me to the skywalk.yeah the canyon west is under construction and the road isnt yet done and the rails are coming….but think it opened jus a yr ago…..plsss don miss SKYWALK…..things like this happen once in life time unless u visit canyon often……
Went July 07 to the skywalk and felt totally violated. Got all my money back which was over 75.00 per person by writing to Las Vegas BBB and the PR people for the skywalk. They told me pricing would change but it has not ,it is just divided up differently. It is more than last year cost just allocated differently to parking, the tour and the skywalk. Go to the south or north rim. They charge about 25 for the carload and that is it. These Hulapai indians are laughing all the way to the bank.
Bob Adams is misinformed. The US government compliments of American workers and taxpayers have given large amounts of federal grants to this tribe. They are just being greedy like so many other people in America and want more!! So they figured out a way to gouge the hard working class of America, those who go out to work everyday, and labor in various professions. I just wanted to see the beauty of creation but felt severely ripped off by the entire skywalk experience. It is an eyesore and is destroying the very essence of nature and should be taken down. So many greedy people in this world! What a damn shame. I could be sitting around in the neighborhood I was raised ,where so many were alcoholics ,and drug addicts on welfare but I left the neighborhood and went to school on my own and did not blame anyone else for my troubles ,and went on to work in the very honorable profession of nursing for over thirty years now. People should stop blaming others for their miserable lives and do what hard working people do everyday.
My first visit to the Grand Canyon was on 5/2/08. I was very excited. We had heard about the skywalk by accident and decided to make the 90 mile detour for the tour. The sign at the main road , prior to turning onto the dirt road, listed the fee as $20 with “Other Charges Apply” under the listed fee. Twenty-one miles was listed. We assumed 21 miles of bad road. So the road’s condition should not be a surprise to any traveler.
Unlike the previous blogs, the dirt road was the most adventurous. Our Prius traveled just fine. We didn’t need a Hummer. Wonderful sights and photo oportunities. We stopped to take pictures of fauna and wildlife regularly. Several roadside canyons were worth the stop. Road was grated, so our car was covered – but it is the desert after all. By nature, deserts are dirty. What we noticed on our travels were the inconsiderate drivers speeding down this gravel road – kicking up so much dirt and gravel you could barely see the road and I feared for our windshield.
Once we arrived at our destination, with a 20 in hand, we were informed of the long list of “Other Charges Apply”. The employee was very polite and honest when telling us how much of our time would be spent at this location. We opted not to enter due to cost, time, and yes, we felt it a classic bait and switch.
They had signs up stating you could not stop on either side of the road. I feel it was so you could not take pictures, not becuase it caused a hazard. Good clearance once off the road and there were turn-outs a plenty. You couldn’t get a good view if you wanted, it appeared that “they” had built along the rim to best obstruct the view. Which is good business if you want to own the view and charge for it. We tried to make a ultra-brief stop to take a breath-taking picure of a field in full bloom, but were immediately moved on our way by a reservation bouncer! He followed us until we left the reservation property.
VERY BEST part of the trip was our stop at a little gem of a ranch that was tucked away (entrance visible from road) about midway on the dirt road portion of your tirp. Called the Diamond Bar Ranch. History and western lore abounds. This totally washed away any residue of bad taste left in my mouth by the Skywalk excusion.
Skywalk a big DON’T. Diamond Bar Ranch a big DO.
[...] on this is pretty strong but as you can see from these reviews, most people walk away disappointed. No worries, you can see the Skywalk from pictures I took [...]
First of all, the Grand Canyon West is a beautiful place to visit, but you need to know a few things before you go. My husband and I went there in May 2008, and were surprised by a few things once we got there. You drive down a dusty unpaved rode for approximately 14 miles, and you are not driving directly to the Grand Canyon West, you will park at the airport ($20). Then you must purchase the bus tour to get to the Canyon ($30 per person). If you decide to go on the skywalk, that will cost you an additional $32 per person. I was a little irritated at all the commercialism to see the Grand Canyon West, but when we entered the entrance to the skywalk, that’s when I got mad. You can’t take anything on the skywalk, your purse/backpack will be locked up in a locker, but what made me mad was we couldn’t even take our camera on the skywalk. But don’t worry if you want pictures of your time on the skywalk you can purchase them $$$. You say you might get hungry while you are there, food can be purchased for 12.95, and you will have the choice of a hamburger, hotdog, or chicken strips with fries, but I hope you’re not thirsty, because that does not include a drink. If I decide to go again I will drive the extra 100 miles and go to the National Grand Canyon South where you pay to enter the park, and see the Grand Canyon without all the cha-ching.
My husband and I are going to visit the USA and the Grand Canyon next month and we thought about visiting the Skywalk, too. But since the costs are so enormous we will not go there and drive directly to the south rim of the canyon. I’m sure it is a great experience that you will never forget but it really seems to be a perfectly planned rip-off. The amount of the fees that are charged for every little thing are really an insult for every person who needs to work hard for his/her money, even if the fees go to a Native American tribe, which I respect. But charging less would give them a better reputation and attract more visitors (like us). I can understand that the tribe wants to earn money and create jobs and that this project was really expensive. But this really seems to be the wrong way.
I’m disappointed that I will not see this attraction and I hope, that the conditions to do so will change in the future so that I can have the chance to experience it without being totally ripped off.
Susanne from Germany
One more thing I want to comment on:
It is kind of ridiculous that you cannot take cameras on the skywalk because it could drop and break the glass. They should have built the upper layer of the glass out of a more resistant material, which should be no problem. I have been on the CN Tower in Toronto and the also have a glass floor. It was no problem to walk on this glass floor with normal shoes, drop things on it and look down. So why not on the skywalk? I know the glass was produced in Germany and has a fine quality, but they should have also taken care of the resistance.
about the dirt road…..everyone is misinformed. a portion of the road belongs to the hualipais, a portion is county property, and a portion is privately owned.
We had a terrible experience at the Skybridge. After a long dive down a dusty dirt road we finally arrived to be told about the way overpriced options. We chose the bus route and got to the first station. The view was breathtaking but we decided against the skywalk due to the unexpected 200.00 (6 ppl) we had to pay for a 4 minute bus ride! After being there about 20 minutes we were ready for the next station. We waited in the 110 degree hot sun for at least
40 minutes and by the time we got back on the bus my 6 year old son was dehydrated and began feel sick on the bus. We did not get off at the 2nd stop because we thought the Ranch would have AC or at least a place to cool down. We were wrong. The buffet was not good and my son continued to get worse. He drank water and laid down now even vomiting the water and no place for him to cool down. If the bus system was faster or more available shade the view might have been worth it. But our experience was so horrible I would not recommend this site to anyone especially traveling with children.
Visited the Skywalk 6/30/08. Huge Ripoff!! Dirt road didn’t bother us, it was outrageous costs for EVERYTHING, $29.00 for tickets, 29.00 for bus ride, 20.00 to park the car, (why not have a parking lot, instead of a 29.00 bus ride of 4 minutes!?) Lied to by a bus driver who said ” You can get great pictures from the skywalk”, when you get there, they confiscate “anything loose, because people throw things over.” They let us keep our jewelry, shoes, sunglasses, but not our cameras. WHY? Because they put you in lines like cattle, take your pictures, and then charge $27.00 for each pic. If you don’t want your pic taken, you are ordered to stand where you are not in the photographer’s way. The view is just as good if not better in other stops, the glass bottom is totally overrated, hard to see through and not very wide. DON”T WASTE YOUR MONEY!”
The skywalk is a remarkable struture over looking what we know as the “stairways to heaven”. I have visited the bridge 6 times and will continue to go. The price you pay is worth seeing the beauty of mother nature from a bird’s eye view. I would like to encourage everyone to experience the GLASS BRIDGE – SKYWALK. Though if YOU DO NOT LIKE the GREAT OUTDOORS, STAY BACK IN VEGAS. This destination is for those who enjoy the out doors.
If you are planning a trip, PLAN AHEAD. Buy your tickets ahead, prepare as though you are going on a hiking trip.(Good comfortable clothing and shoes, water, snacks, and of course a good light weight camera) They will not allow you to bring anything with you while walking on the GLASSS BRIDGE. F.Y.I.- you are walking on only FIVE SHEETS Of GLASS, it only takes one idiot to drop something to crack the GLASS. Otherwise, you can take some awesome pictures of you and your love one’s around the bridge. Plus, there are two other stops with spectacular views and picnic tables. Plan to leave Vegas in the morning and give yourself a 2 hr window for travel to the bridge. The road is half and half- 60 miles paved and then 40 miles dirt. Also, check the weather report prior to leaving. Sudden afternoon showers and or sand storms will appear thus causing a hazzie view. *For those who hate the drive- You can also fly, check with the local Vegas tour groups.
Enjoy Life!
I just came back from visiting the Grand Canyon West. I had read all the reviews and decided to go anyway and see what it was all about. I am a travel writer and wanted to write an article about this unique destination.
While I loved the bridge and the Guano Point, those are the only two things worth experiencing. I stayed at the cabins at the Hualapi Ranch and the accomodations were horrible. There were 3 of us and they gave us a room that was so tiny it was the size of my walk in closet. The towels are cheap and thin and there’s s only room for one person of normal size in the bathroom. While sitting on the toilet, I could lean against the opposite wall.
They have wall air conditioners that make a horrible noise at night and one cannot sleep. The fan on the ceiling hit the beams so we had to turn it off at night to sleep. The front porch is beautiful with a great view of the top of the canyon and the sunrise is wonderful, however, sunrises and sunsets are beautiful anywhere in Arizona.
The worst was the food. Two of us got sick from the dinner and one of us got sick with the powdered eggs they serve for breakfast. We paid $120.00 per person for a total of $360.00 for a horrible room, bad food and none of the perks they advertise. There was no night campfire, no cowboy shows at the ranch, not even one person at the office where one checks in. The only people were at the saloon restaurant where an annoying person dressed up in period clothing came to our table to tell us about his life while we were trying to ignore him and eat. If this was their idea of entertainment, it was badly done.
We went to the Skywalk but again, we could not take cameras, personal items etc. However, they do take your picture which costs $30.00 per picture. You can buy a package of all the pictures they take, a USB drive with all the pictures of the area taken by a professional and a souvenir ashtray (why ashtray is beyond me, being from California, I’m even insulted to be given an ashtray for a souvenir.) All that for $100.00 plus tax. I think that was a better deal than just buying one or two pictures. The pictures do come in a souvenir frame that’s very nice.
Since my visit was in the middle of summer, the hot weather makes you tired very quickly. It’s hard to find cold water bottles anywhere in the area which is the most flagrant act this people can commit. Not having cold water available and having to pay $2.00 for 16 ounces of warm water is egregious.
I’m asking for a refund of the accomodations and the food. I don’t ever write bad articles of the places I visit but if you are intent on going to visit this destination, it’s necessary to know that the only place worth visiting is the Skywalk. Stay away from the ranch and the souvenir shops. Their prices are outrageous and not worth the goods.
Renae Lindsay
Adventure Travel Writer
Malibu, California
I will not take my out of state visitors to the skywalk this summer. The price, roads, dust, lacking infrastructure and safety all sound inappropriate or inadequate to meet our desire to enjoy the beauty of the canyon from this architectural feat. It is very disappointing to hear how ill planned, usurious and unwelcoming the skywalk attraction is. However I am thankful to have the facts from people who have been there. Thanks to all of you who have shared their experiences. I’ll check the reviews and U tube next summer to see if anything has improved.
We visited the Grand Canyon West Rim and Skywalk last Monday on Labor Day, Sept 01, 2008. We were group of seven people. All unanimously concluded that it is expensive and not worth to see after passing through lots of pain and driving.
The cost is approximately $60 /pp (29.95 for sky walk and 29 for compulsory bus ride) plus taxes and car parking fee of $ 20. There is no good facility for parking cars in spite of charging parking fee. Cars are not allowed to Skywalk or other point. You are forced to buy bus ticket and ride.
The drive to the Hualapai reservation is pretty rough and tough. 14 of the last 21 miles are on unpaved, dirt, un-graded road. I saw a couple had a flat tire. There is no mobile connectivity. There is no support system on that long 14 miles stretch. An SUV is better; but make sure it’s a rental. I would never drive my own car on this road. Rock chip can harm your windshields. My friend got 3-4 scratches. Tourist bus/ truck / dumper run fast on this dirt road and their tire throw rock chip on your car.
If you are not suffering back pain, you will have it by the time you reach the destination, by driving on this road. One can have asthma also because of dirt.
The views are spectacular, but what not worth of your money and suffering of pains to reach there. I would better stay another day at south rim.
We visited on 9/4/2008 and I can say it was a trip to HELL, not worth the pain. The dirt road was horrible; I even got sick from the dust and a back pain that is still killing me besides that my husband asthma got worse. Thank got it was a rental car, I would never take my car thru this road; like someone said you will need a couple of trips to the carwash with detailing included and alignment for sure!!! and on top of that you have to pay $20 for parking on the dirt I though it was low. People there are not helpful or polite at all. Everyone is expecting a tip. They do not give you that much information about the cost of the trip or anything so, when you arrive there (an hour 1/2 later and 14 miles of dirt road HELL) you are force to take the tour if you want to see the skywalk. The tour is the visit of three Indian villages I believe it was like $29 each and then $29 for the skywalk totaling $125 approximately per person besides the $20 per car you paid per parking. We ask if we were able to take just the skywalk (because that was all we were interests to see) and they said NO! That we had to do the 3 village tour (that was around $100) to be able to see the skywalk. At this point we asked if we were able to see anything else around that area and they said that we were not allowed to waked around the canyon at all or drive there.
I was so mad that they were try to robe us that I told my husband that I was not going to contribute to this and we decided to leave. However, we only regret the 4 hours (one afternoon) we lost in hell. Specially were you are on vacation and want to use the time for the best.
I will recommend in the other hand the south rim, it was only $7 to get in beside that the road are good, people were nice very helpful and it was prettier, they offer good tour at a reasonable prices A+
General Custer got scalped and so did we. Everything on the internet had the cost at 25.00. We got there to find out it was $20.00 to park and $75.00 + to get to the walk. Now lets talk about The lunar 14 mile un-paved crater ride on their land. They should go back to just drinking whiskey for a living.
I am so thankful to the people who took the time to write about their experience wrt the Skywalk. I was all prepared for the visit but have decided against it for now. 12/24/2008
Compared to simply visiting the National Park, its an embarrassing scam. Avoid.
I never write reviews, but I just have to say that we visited the West Rim last week and it was the highlight of our trip to the Canyon. We had been to the South Rim, but preferred the rustic nature of the West Rim. If you’re young and enjoy adventure and don’t mind paying money for the experience, you should definitely check it out. My husband enjoyed the unpaved road… felt like offroading in the desert. And the views were spectacular. The only advice I’ll give is the road through the town of Kingman is a speeding trap. The speed limit sign changed from 50 to 25, but we have no clue where it changed. It was not well posted. Be prepared for very high fines for going over 25.
I’ve just returned from a trip to the Grand Canyon, and having never written a review, I felt compelled to express what an absolute con it is. There is no justification for the price. The Grand Canyon is a wonder of the world, and should be free for all to enjoy. In the UK all museums are free for all to enjoy. They should take a leaf out of their book and ask for donations instead of freeloading and ripping people off.
I visited the Grand Canyon West On April 3rd 2009. I drove from Kingman along along stockton road, then the 14 mile gravel road, which is very winding and somewhat scary. Speed limit is very slow, average 30 miles an hour. If I had know this before I would not venure on this route. Mind you there is no other route. The price is very expensive for this mediocre view. If i had to do this again, no way, too expensive and too rural. The glass bridge, I refused after I saw it from outside, and one of the workers advise me not to go as the better views, which indeed is true was at guano point. They charge $8.00 per person for parking in this Halupie land. When they come out in town they should pay 3 times as much, only fair is it not?
I went during the 2nd week this attraction was opened to the public. This is one of the biggest disappoinments and rip offs there is. Johnny Bravo said the sky walk is what is going to save the nation, I don’t see how. Or I should say, not with my or my friends money. First of all, the sky walk is over a rock bed and not straight over the edge as advertised. Big mistake. Secondly, not only do you have to pay $30 bucks to get on it, you have to pay to get on the reservation also. Never mind the hell you go through on the unpaved road just to get there. There are only 2 points of interest on the reservation Eagle point and Guano point. The views are limited, you can’t access the floor of the canyon withouot paying etc…..Save your money and visit the South Rim. You can’t even take cameras onto the skywalk either. Not that there is much to shoot anyway. Rip off, rip off, rip off.
David Miranda
Blackfoot, Idaho
Thanks for the reports. Very informative. The overall consensus seems to be “Don’t do it; save your money.” Thanks, I will.
I agree with the comment above ….how sad, I was looking forward to it, as were my children. We will do the South Rim.
Melanie Shapleigh
Brentwood, Los Angeles
I went to the skwalk and thought it was an incredible experience, first we stopped in the local village for a meal, it was in some small shanty type restraunt, the food was great and the people very friendly, the 12 mile dirt road ride was something new and fun. the parking at the skywalk was free and the prices $46 to get in and $30 to walk on the skywalk seem to be expensive, but if you compare this to $7 for a bottle of beer in Vegas, $92 to see Tom Jones in the MGM, $140 to see the Lion King show in the Mandalay Bay hotel, it is not that much of a rip off that people on here are saying, It seems that they hate to see the local indians making a few dollars out of thier amazing scenery. go there $76 to see one of the most amazing sites on the planet is that a rip off?
Wow. Sounds like many of you wouldn’t be happy unless you had your own personal valet to wipe your overly sensitized whiney asses. Don’t like dirt roads? Stay home squishy tourist. Afraid of falling? Why did you choose the Grand Canyon? Stay at home you soft, useless drones. You could save the money that many of you are moaning about by staying in your pampered zone. Stay home and quit whining!!!
@Robert, while I agree people can be a little too particular, most of the comments were dissatisfied in the value of their experience. They argued that you could get a much better experience of the Grand Canyon from the National Park and for less money.
People would put up with the dirt road and travel time if the view was more worth while, the cost was reasonable, or there was more to see and do once you got there. As it stands now, the view is rather disappointing, there isn’t much more than a few token Indian teepees in the middle of a vast desert, and there’s little in the way of vegetation or wildlife to observe.
So I think people are justified in their complaints and others have a right to be well informed about what to expect. But thank you for your feedback. Have you had a chance to go or know someone who did?
Thanks for all the info……… My wife and I had planned to go until I started reading reviews! WOW!
This is one reason the “net” is so great. I will not be going to the skywalk “Grand Canyon West”
The Grand Canyon is huge so I think I can find a piece that won’t leave me feeling ripped off. Again the net is great to find the neat places to go. I had never heard of Byrce Canyon until I started looking for places and I read good things about it.
Jim B.
Kingston Ontario
we took a small plane to the canyon and helicoptered down, went to the skywalk for lunch…lunch was so bad that i threw up within 15 minutes! skywalk not included in our tour, but we could see it and heard many many negative comments from ripped off tourists, including both americans and those visiting from foreign lands…yes, tip jars out for everyone…we were supposed to get a ‘tour’ of a ranch, never happened…but then again, that is the tour company’s fault…but again, beware…DO NOT PAY in advance to walk the skywalk…not worth your time and $$$…you get a much better view from the cliffs right next door…and it is true about the paper napkins/plates/cups are blowing away and into the big trash can, aka: bottom of grand canyon…bad idea, bad investment, bad public relations!
My wife and I were going to visit the Skywalk but after reading all the negative comments about being ripped off … we decided to visit Bryce Canyon and other areas of the Grand Canyon. I certainly don’t mind paying my fair share for anything, but this is a joke. Not allowed to have your own camera on the Skywalk? This is the biggest ripoff of all. I have been to the CN Tower and the floor there is glass and there is no problem with cameras. How about the Sears Tower balconies in Chicago? Guess what this is made of? You’re right … glass. And can you use a camera you ask? You’re right … yes. Does it cost anything to take pictures … I know this is hard to believe … but NO!
This bullshit about breaking the glass on the Skywalk is a joke. Just another way to rip off people and then laugh all the way to the bank.
And for those morons who say “you’re in a desert, it is a harsh environment so get used to it or take your pansy ass home” . Well, can you imagine if these morons had to pay 15 bucks for their favorite lard laden coffee, another 20 bucks for their favorite artery clogging all you can eat breakfast, 25 bucks for a table to sit at, 15 bucks for a fork and knife and eat it in a delapitated shack on the side of the road with no bathroom, and all the while being served by obnoxious dimwits who keep hinting about tips. Would these dorks get mad? You bet your ass they would be. And, they would be the first to complain and the loudest. So suck it up dorks, the place sucks and it is just one great big ripoff.
Thank you to everyone who gave their honest opinions about this place being a rip off. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU
I was planning to go tomorrow for my birthday, but after hearing nothing but bad reviews from people who have gone, and reading many confirmations on here, I’ve decided not to go. I hope they rethink their greedy business plan and learn a little bit about customer service and thankfulness.
No need to say anything more about the road to get there. First of all I will say the Grand Canyon south rim is one of my favorite places to go mainly because of it’s beauty and tranquility. The first thing I noticed when arriving to GCW was how noisy and dirty it was. After getting charged for parking in what looked like an overflow parking lot to a KOA campground, we made our way to the bungalow and purchased our tickets. Keep in mind the attraction IS the skywalk. We boarded the bus that took us there only to discover there is another ticket you need to purchase for the skywalk once you get to there. That’s right we paid out the kazoo for a bus ride that goes less than a mile and makes four stops. You can only go where the bus takes you too. You are not allowed to go where ever you want to as you are at the National Park. I paid the additional fee to walk out on the piece of glass only to be told I had to leave my camera in one of their lockers.The good new was there was no charge for the locker. Once we were on the piece of glass the guy dressed as an Indian Chief kept telling us to move because he was taking pictures for the other tourists. Pictures that they were going to charge them for. BTW I’ve been treated with more courtesy from DMV employees, than the staff at GCW . The other two canyon stops are hardly even worth mentioning. One is called Guano…something I believe because the mountain of rocks resembles Guano. The next stop was a display of different houses and the history of them that the indian nation had built over the years.The only reason the old west town is worth mentioning is…it was just too tacky not to mention. It looked like it was built in one day. The whole experience seemed like an unorganized carnival with no real attractions other than the Grand Canyon itself that was screaming “what have these people done to me”? I agree it’s a rip off but it’s more than that. It’s a mustache painted on the Mona Lisa.
Now at the National Park you pay a 25.00 fee for a 7 day pass, and free shuttle buses will take you where ever you want to go, or you can hike wherever you want to go. It’s a lot prettier there too. There is lodging inside and outside of the park and even in the Canyon floor if you like to rough it.
I went to the Skywalk, and was honestly confused when reading these posts. I’m not going to try to justify the pricing, but the $75.00 I paid for the Skywalk experience was comparable to the tickets at Disneyland, Six Flags, or any show headlining in Las Vegas right now. Only difference is I didn’t have an annoying mouse trying to convince my kids to buy an ice cream in the shape of a cartoon head. That makes me thankful.
It can’t be easy being an enterprise on an Indian Reservation trying to offer a one-of-a-kind experience to the world in a desolate and remote location. I can’t imagine what their monthly bill might be for all the support services they need in order to bring me the experience of walking on air. Bitch all you want, but I think they have something good going on here. If you walked away from the Skywalk only with the memories of how butt-hurt you were about paying $75.00 to see it, maybe you should go back to flattening your sofa while watching the discovery channel and wishing you were there. You miss the point either way, but staying home is cheaper for you, and we don’t have to hear you cry about your failure to enjoy life over an admission fee. It could be worse afterall, how easy would it be to walk the Skywalk if you were missing a leg? Or see the Canyon if you were blind? You should be thankful for the opportunity you had! Makes me sick that the world will never be good enough for some people.
I want to thank all of the honest people about their comments on this skywalk ripoff and the road to hell to get there. However, I will go to the Grand Canyon. It will never enter my mind to go to the skywalk over the Grand Canyon. I thank all of these people about their true stories they have told about these outrageous prices and obnoxious people who are in charge of the skywalk. Imagine if people like this were in charge of the whole Grand Canyon, no one would go visit it.
I’m so sorry to hear that the Skywalk has turned into nothing but a rip-off tourist attraction. My family and I were there the summer before they built the Skywalk – all the steel beams etc. were there and they had a description of what they were trying to do (which sounded very impressive!!) With that being said our visit was very enjoyable – there was a bus that took you around to various sites on the reservations (including all the photos you wanted). True, the drive was difficult and I was glad I was not driving my own car!! It sounds as if now that they are trying to gouge the tourists at every turn to make a buck (similar to Foxwoods and Mohegan Casino in Connecticut). As the Grand Canyon is truly a national treasure and so beautiful it is disappointing that the lure of the big money is destroying what it is all about. I think Indian tribes are seeing how other tribes are making big money and are trying to turn this into a money making venture instead of focusing on its beauty. Maybe with all the complaints the tribe will understand unless they change things it will be destined to be a failure!!!!! People are more than willing to pay money when they don’t feel they are getting RIPPED OFF!!!!!!!!!!
My best friend is coming in town from North Carolina tomorrow to visit me for my birthday weekend. I have only been living in Arizona for a couple months but I was fortunate enough to see the Grand Canyon a few years ago while on vacation in Vegas. She has never seen it so it’s going to be exciting being there when she sees it for the first time! Anyway, the highlight of the trip for me was going to be visiting the skywalk. I watched a documentary about it on a flight to England last month and was really excited for the chance to go. After my boyfriend read the reviews on this website he doesn’t want to go…understandably so, I wouldn’t want to drive a brand new BMW through 14 miles of dirt road either, but I am really disappointed. If it weren’t for this website I would still get to go :-) but I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Despite the rip-off prices, I would still pay it just to see it…a once in a lifetime experience. Sigh..
HUGE HUGE RIPOFF!! When the Halupie sing and dance around the big fire, let me translate for you. The lyrics are, “Oh Great Ripoff Chief of the Canyon. Thank you for all these stupid people who will takeum bumpy ride to broken glass walk over the giant hole!” People, this is as bad as it gets. When you look up “Tourist Trap” in the dictionary, they better have a picture of this place. In all my days of travelling, and I’ve been everywhere, this place takes the cake for absolutely ripping you off! Someone should be arrested for first building it, then for how it is (not) operated. A sham and a shame.
DEFINITELY GO HERE!
Our family wanted to see the Grand Canyon but could only travel in July ‘09. We spent most of the searing hot week in Vegas and were happy with the trip. We did take a day, drive out to the Canyon West & Skywalk. We had reserved a night at the Cowboy lodge. We timed it perfectly so we avoided the heat of the July summer. Rode the buses to all of the attractions including Skywalk, Guano Point, and our night’s stay at the Cowboy lodge. IT WAS FANTASTIC! Our boys loved the magician at the evening meal and we all loved the dinner. They rode the horses to the Canyon(Scary but beautiful). We sat by a fire at night and watched the sunrise in the morning before enjoying a wonderful breakfast.
The drive to Canyon west is VERY LONG. They are working on the roads but be prepared for the drive. Our pictures of us on the Skywalk, care of the reservation, are proudly displayed in our living at home and on facebook.
When I read reviews There is only simple calculation
To View 1 point i.e. sky walk
Sky walk=
$29 Bus+ $32 Walk + $30 Photo= $91
($91 Ticket /head *2) + 24 miles of gas + $ 20 Parking= $ 200 for 2 person = Huge Harassment.
This is probably the most expensive Skywalk tour attraction in the world.
The view is awesome but the Skywalk is not worth the price and effort to get there, unless you have $73 per person to flush down the toilet, it is a sham!
It’s 127 miles from Las Vegas, there’s a dirt road at the end for 12 miles, 4 miles before you get there you must park and take a bus “tour” which is $43.05 per person to take you to the Skywalk and if you want to walk the Skywalk it’s $30 per person, you can’t take your camera, there are staff members taking pictures and they charge you $30 per picture. For my whole family without walking the Skywalk I paid more than what I paid for two nights at the hotel in Vegas!!!
I strongly recommend a trip to the Grand Canyon National Park instead of this rip off!
I visited the Skywalk area in November 2009. We opted not to do the Skywalk itself as there were many other gorgeous views all around and felt we didn’t need to pay the extra money. My favorite spot was the 2nd bus stop and the views there were just incredible. It was a bit expensive. However, I live in Vegas and it was less than 2 hours to get there. The north and south rim are nearly 5 hours. That is certainly alot of gas money and time to see the canyon.
Was it expensive, yes. Was it a rip-off, not really. It’s a novelty.
As far as the road goes, I did some research on this issue. The reason why the road wasn’t pave initially was an adjacent land owner filed suit against the road, alleging it would create too much traffic and cause the property value to go down. Hmm… it’s in the middle of the desert with no view. How much lower could values go? The tribe had to pay this adjacent property owner 750k to go away and let them pave the road. As of 1/14/10, appox 4 miles of the road is now pave and the remainder to be paved by the end of 2010. This coupled with the Hoover Dam bypass bridge, it will be smooth sailing from Vegas to the west rim. Rejoice everyone!