Grand Canyon West is the part of the canyon most visitors from Las Vegas actually see. It lies on the Hualapai Reservation, outside the national park, and is run by the Hualapai Tribe as a tourist destination with three main viewpoints connected by a shuttle: Eagle Point, home of the Skywalk; Guano Point, with the most open views; and Hualapai Ranch, a Western-themed area.
Because it is managed separately, the rules are different. You buy an entry package from Grand Canyon West (national park passes are not accepted), and the Skywalk — a horseshoe-shaped glass-floored walkway that juts 70 feet out from the rim — is an extra. The canyon here is narrower and less layered than at the South Rim, but at roughly two and a half hours from Las Vegas it is much easier to reach in a day. Our South Rim vs Grand Canyon West guide compares the two.
What to see and do: Grand Canyon West & the Skywalk
Walk the Skywalk
The glass walkway at Eagle Point lets you look straight down into the canyon beneath your feet. Personal items, phones and cameras are not allowed on the bridge — lockers are provided and staff sell photos. Decide in advance whether it is worth the extra cost to you.
Eagle Point
Named after a rock formation that looks like an eagle with spread wings. Even without the Skywalk ticket, the rim views here are dramatic.
Guano Point
The best views at Grand Canyon West: a short scramble up a rocky knoll gives a 360-degree panorama with the Colorado River curving below. The remains of an old tramway for mining bat guano give it its name.
Fly to the canyon floor
Unlike the national park, Grand Canyon West allows helicopter landings below the rim, often combined with a pontoon boat ride on the river. See our helicopter guide.
How to get to Grand Canyon West & the Skywalk
- From Las Vegas, the drive is about 125 miles (roughly 2.5 hours), crossing the Hoover Dam bypass bridge and passing through Joshua tree forest; the last stretch of road to the West Rim is now paved. Most visitors come on a day tour from Las Vegas or by helicopter or plane.
- Self-drivers need to buy an entry package online or on arrival; see the tours page for tickets that include the Skywalk.
Insider tips
- Arizona does not use daylight saving time while Nevada does, so in winter Arizona is an hour ahead of Las Vegas. Check which time zone your tour or ticket uses.
- There is little shade at the viewpoints — bring a hat and water, especially in summer.
- Skywalk photos are sold separately; budget for them if you want a souvenir.
Best tours & tickets for Grand Canyon West & the Skywalk
These top-rated experiences pair well with a visit to Grand Canyon West & the Skywalk:
Coach day tour from US$99 Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam View, Lunch/Skywalk Options, WiFi
The most-reviewed Grand Canyon tour on GetYourGuide, with more than six thousand reviews. It visits Grand Canyon West on the Hualapai Reservation — the closest part of the canyon to Las Vegas — with a photo stop for Hoover Dam. The Skywalk is an add-on: choose it when booking if you want to walk the glass bridge.
- Early arrival at Grand Canyon West, often ahead of the crowds
- Hoover Dam photo stop
- Optional lunch and Skywalk
Coach day tour from US$99 Vegas: Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Skywalk Option, & Two Meals
A hugely popular, light-hearted West Rim day trip with breakfast and a barbecue lunch, more than four thousand reviews and a 4.8 rating. You stand at the edge of the canyon at Eagle Point; the Skywalk itself is optional.
- Breakfast and BBQ lunch included
- Photo stop for Hoover Dam at the bypass bridge
- Eagle Point, home of the Skywalk (optional)
Entry ticket from US$114 Grand Canyon West: Skywalk Admission + All Access Pass
If you are driving to Grand Canyon West yourself, you need an entry package; this one includes the Skywalk, the shuttle between the three viewpoints, a zip line ride and food and shop vouchers. Grand Canyon West is run by the Hualapai Tribe, so national park passes are not valid here.
- Skywalk glass bridge
- Three viewpoints by hop-on hop-off shuttle
- Zip line ride, food and retail vouchers included
Entry ticket from US$66 Grand Canyon West: Afternoon Entry Admission + Skywalk
A cheaper late-entry ticket for Grand Canyon West, valid from 3 pm, with the Skywalk and the viewpoint shuttle. Good for self-drivers who arrive in the afternoon — check closing times for your date so you have enough light.
- Valid for entry from 3:00 pm
- Skywalk included
- Hop-on hop-off shuttle to three viewpoints
Helicopter flight + Skywalk from US$639 From Las Vegas: Grand Canyon Skywalk Express Helicopter Tour
Fly straight to Grand Canyon West and walk the Skywalk, the glass-floored bridge that juts out over the canyon, with priority entry — all in two and a half hours from Las Vegas.
- Fly to the West Rim by helicopter
- Skip-the-line Skywalk access
- Live pilot narration
Helicopter flight with landing from US$279 Grand Canyon West: Canyon Floor Landing Helicopter
If you are already at Grand Canyon West, this short flight drops you onto Hualapai land near the river, thousands of feet below the rim. Landings like this happen at Grand Canyon West, outside the national park — tours over the park itself do not land in the canyon.
- Land 3,500 feet below the rim near the Colorado River
- About 20 minutes on the canyon floor
- Live pilot narration
