Last Tuesday I attended the ceremonial “First Walk” for the Grand Canyon Skywalk and was able to take some pictures from the Glass Bridge. Now before I go on I must ask that you not “borrow” any of my pictures as they bring traffic to my site which in turn helps pay for the service. If you can’t help yourself then please at least credit me and provide a link back to my site.
I’ve managed to upload some of the best shots and some that may only appeal to me but as you visit the gallery, please take a moment and “rate” your favorites and leave comments. Just select “Detail” from the lower right corner of the page to see these options. I’ll look into different themes to make this even easier. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I may already know the answer or can get it from the source pretty quickly.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is the first ever cantilever-shaped glass walkway to suspend more than 4,000 feet above the canyon?s floor and extend 70 feet from the canyon?s rim. Located at Grand Canyon West?s Eagle Point, the Skywalk is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. Purchase of The Spirit Package, $49.95, includes the Hualapai visitation permit, access to all points of interest at Grand Canyon West including Guano Point, Hualapai Ranch and Eagle Point, lunch at an all-you-can-eat buffet and photo opportunities with Hualapai Members. It is an additional $25 to walk on The Skywalk. To maximize visitors? experience, a limit of 120 people will be permitted on the bridge at any one time. In order to avoid scratches on the glass, shoe covers will be issued and all personal items must be left in designated lockers.
The visitor?s center, scheduled to open early next year, will include a museum, theater, VIP lounge and gift shop as well as private indoor and outdoor facilities for meetings, special events and weddings. Several restaurants and bars will be available, including The Skywalk Caf?, a high-end restaurant with outdoor patio and rooftop dining on the edge of the canyon. The second floor of the visitor?s center will provide access to The Skywalk glass walkway.
Great shots Luke! Looks like fun.
Fine shots. Nice work!
Great pictures.
I notice in a few that people were wearing some kind of shoe covers. What was the reason for that?
Those are disposable booties that slip on over your own shoes (barely got them on over my size 13W boats) They require you to put them on to keep the glass clean and prevent scratches and scuff marks.
I so want to visit this incredible structure. How lucky you were to have been a part of the first walk!
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.
I thought that’s what those disposable booties might have been for. But just thought I would check, in case it might have been a new fashion craze sweeping through the U.S. :)
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 embarassing 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.
it is a ripoff. for 75 dollors, you can not even allow to take your own photos.
the site is not really ready for tourist. they don’t have any thing else to offer except the skywalk. no resturant, no hotel,no nothing. the walk is ony 2-15 minutes. From las vegas, it took at least 3 hour drive each way. It is not worthy it. wait until they have more to offer.
very unhappy, felt receptionist very rude made it clear that we were on their land and would be using their roads and would pay in addition to the skywalk 29.95 cost a permit fee of 50 + dollars would have been fine with cost but very rude when asking questions about cost. I think we will wait until a real organization takes this over or builds thier own never too return until such time, feel sorry for investors what a joke! embarrassed to have Indian heritage
I would like to see a video of them cleaning the under part of the walk now thats a dirty job :) lol