Grand Canyon West Travel Guide, Take a Walk on the West Side!
Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Have you walked OVER it? The Grand Canyon West is undeveloped. There are no guardrails or rock walls to obstruct your view. It is the home of Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge suspended 70 feet past the rim and 4000 feet above the canyon. The glass can hold 71 million tons so no need to be anxious walking on it. If you are in Las Vegas and have a day to spare, don’t miss the Grand Canyon West Rim. Use this Grand Canyon West travel guide to plan a day trip from Las Vegas with a stop at Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam along the way.
READ Grand Canyon Travel Guide, South Rim for First-Time Visitors
READ Las Vegas Nevada Road Trip
Plan Your Visit to the Grand Canyon West Rim
Where is Grand Canyon West?
The West Rim of the Grand Canyon is located in Northwestern Arizona 130 miles East of Las Vegas. The area is a little over 17 square miles with 3 major stops. Expect to spend 3-4 hours at Grand Canyon West.
Is Visiting Grand Canyon West Worth it?
The Grand Canyon West Rim gets a bad rap. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is beautiful, but so is the West Rim. The two experiences are different and should not be compared. Picking one over the other is apples to oranges. I suggest you plan a day trip to Grand Canyon West if you are in Las Vegas and save the South Rim for another vacation.
How Do I Get to Grand Canyon West?
Grand Canyon West Rim is located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in a remote area of Arizona. The physical address is 5001 Diamond Bar Rd, Peach Springs, AZ. This is an easy 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas or a 1.5-hour drive from Kingman Arizona. A stop at Grand Canyon West is a good day trip opportunity from Las Vegas or could easily be added to a Route 66 road trip from Kingman.
Grand Canyon West Entrance Fees and Hours?
Grand Canyon West is open daily from 9am-5pm. The entrance to Grand Canyon West is $45 and includes access to the viewpoints and the hop-on/hop-off shuttle. A skywalk ticket is another $23 and ziplining is $39. You may also choose to purchase a meal ticket for $22.
Can I Spend the Night at Grand Canyon West?
Cabins are available to rent at Hualapai Ranch. Your reservation includes a general admission ticket to the canyon. There is no alcohol permitted on the reservation. There is a Western-style dinner in the property’s dance hall for overnight guests. Watch the sunset over the canyon, enjoy cowboy stories, s’mores, and a campfire in the evening. Gaze at the stars and search for the Milky Way before going to bed. Be sure to set the alarm for sunrise over the canyon.
When is the Best Time to Visit Grand Canyon West?
Summer is very hot with temperatures in the high 90s. Clothing should be lightweight and light-colored. Also, bring a hat, wear sunscreen, and drink plenty of water. Fall is usually beautiful. The temperature cools to the 70s in late October and crowds thin.
Grand Canyon West Rim Travel Tips
Allow for 3-4 hours in the area.
Bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
Save money by purchasing a bundled ticket ahead of time.
Be sure to bring food if you do not wish to purchase a meal plan.
Bring belongings with you when you leave the car, it is not a quick trip back to the parking lot.
Alcohol is not permitted at Grand Canyon West.
10 Things to Do at Grand Canyon West
Walk over the canyon on the Skywalk and photograph Eagle Point
Check out the 360° view of the canyon from Guano Point
Enjoy lunch on the edge of the canyon
Walkthrough the Native American Village exhibit
Watch a Native American Dance performance
Watch a reenactment of a western shoot-out at Hualapai Ranch
Take a wagon ride to Quartermaster Point
Take a helicopter to the floor of the canyon
Go whitewater rafting on the Colorado River
Zipline across the canyon
The Perfect Grand Canyon West Rim Day Trip
Lake Mead
Lake Mead sits on the Colorado River 24 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. The lake is actually a reservoir that serves 20 million people in the Arizona, Nevada, and California areas. Start the day off early to avoid huge crowds and catch the sunrise over the lake from Lake Mead Overlook in Boulder City. Then drive down to the Las Vegas Boat Harbor for more photos of the lake before moving on to Hoover Dam.
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam sits on the Colorado River between Arizona and Nevada. It was built during the Great Depression to provide clean water. Drive across Hoover Dam to Arizona and continue winding up the hill past the parking lots. Turn around and slowly make your way back down stopping at various points to take photos. Park at the bottom and walk across the dam. Move on to the parking lot next to the Colorado River Bridge. Walk up a short hill to the access point and walk out on the bridge for the classic photo opportunity of Hoover Dam.
Grand Canyon West Rim
The West Rim is an easy two-hour drive from Hoover Dam. Park your car and pay the entrance fee. Jump on the shuttle; it runs every 15 minutes and will transport you to 3 spots. Skip Hualapai Ranch and go straight to Eagle Point. Hang out on the cliff and ponder life until the crowd clears, then take your photos. The huge rock in front of you is Eagle Point. If you look closely you will see what appears to be an eagle about to take flight. Notice how close you are to the rim of the other side, you can see so much detail, it’s absolutely beautiful.
Head over to the skywalk when the next shuttle group arrives. Place all your belongings in a locker, including your phone, and camera. There are two lines, one is for those getting photos and one is for those only walking across. The photo line is long and the photos are expensive. Walk slowly across the bridge, you are not allowed to double back. You are above the canyon and the view is unobstructed. It is a surreal experience, take your time and enjoy it. There is also a Native American Village exhibit and Native American Dancers in an open-air amphitheater at this stop.
Move on to Guano Point and enjoy lunch at a picnic table on the edge of the Grand Canyon. Climb the rock for a 360° view of the canyon and Colorado River. Why the name? Guano (bat poop used for fertilizer) was briefly mined in the bat cave below you in 1958-1959. A tower remains as a reminder of man’s attempt to mine the canyon.
If time permits stop at the western-style Hualapai Ranch before leaving the area. Grab an ice cream, watch a tribal dance, giggle at a western shoot out, and enjoy this touristy area. You may opt to take a horseback or wagon ride to Quartermaster Point for views of the Colorado River and North Rim. There are also cabins available here for an overnight experience.
Check the Grand Canyon West website for current events
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Arizona Travel Guide
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Grand Canyon West Attractions and Day Tours
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