Grand Canyon Skywalk: Bargain or Bust?

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Dear Deal Detective:

Dear GaterHater

,

The Grand Canyon

Skywalk

is a glass "bridge" that extends part of the way over the Grand Canyon's West Rim. It is privately owned and maintained by the Hualapai tribe and located on the Hualapai Reservation; it is not affiliated with

Grand Canyon National Park

.

Tourists visit the Skywalk for an opportunity to see all the way to the bottom of the mile-deep canyon with nothing between them and the abyss but a layer of glass. Only you can decide if this sounds like an experience you're likely to enjoy.

The West Rim is located approximately 240 miles from the park entrance at the

South Rim

. The tourism infrastructure in this part of Arizona is less developed. You won't find restaurants, stores, or even gas stations nearby. The closest town, Kingman, is 70 miles from the West Rim.

This brand of isolation is a double-edged sword. On one hand, the remote location and resulting smaller crowds make for a different kind of Grand Canyon experience. On the other hand, you're basically in the middle of nowhere. If something goes wrong with your car, or the weather turns foul, or you desperately need a Snickers bar—well, you're pretty much on your own. It presents particular problems for families, whose needs may be dictated by those of the youngest members.

All that aside, I've heard good things about the Skywalk itself. As long as you understand and accept what you're signing up for (more on this in a second), I think you'll find the experience a good one.

Visitors to the West Rim cannot simply "do" the Skywalk and go home. Instead, you must purchase a tour package from the Hualapai tribe, such as the

Hualapai Legacy

for $29.95 per person plus a $20 per vehicle "permitting and parking fee." This gets you access to the village and a hop-on-hop-off shuttle bus; it's a glorified entry pass. To experience the Skywalk, you'll need to fork over an additional $29.95 per person. Capitalism at work, or nickel-and-diming at its worst? You decide.

Other

tour options

include horseback rides ($59 to $99), an off-road Hummer "adventure" ($59 to $89), and a combination helicopter/pontoon experience ($159 to $219). These prices are all per person, too.

For $79.95 per person plus the $20 "permitting and parking fee" you can stay overnight at the

Hualapai Lodge

in Peach Springs (90 minutes from the West Rim) and get the equivalent of the aforementioned "Hualapai Legacy" day package. But be warned! Our adventure travel columnist, Josh Roberts, spent one sleepless night at the Hualapai Lodge a few years ago en route to the

spectacular Havasu Falls

and cautions that a train passes by at least once an hour throughout the night. A very, very

loud

train. Bring sleeping pills and earplugs, or seek lodging elsewhere, such as at the

Hualapai Ranch

($129.95 per person plus the $20 vehicle fee) or the kitschy

Grand Canyon Caverns' Inn

on Route 66. The latter, with its faux dinosaurs and mammoth caverns, is especially good for families with young kids.

Last but not least, you can experience the West Rim and Skywalk as part of a

package

departing from Las Vegas. Among other options, an airplane-tour-and-Skywalk combo day trip currently goes for $295 per person and lasts six to seven hours.



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