The Grand Canyon Skywalk
Hualapai Lands, AZ - Monday, 14 Sep 2020, 12pm
A bridge, out over the Grand Canyon?! I was excited when I first heard about its opening in 2007. Sure, it's not a bridge across the Grand Canyon- that would be a true engineering marvel- but it is a glass floored platform jutting out some 50 feet (15 m) over the rim of the canyon. It's on lands of the Hualapai native tribe in northern Arizona.
Pictures from the skywalk aren't allowed- personal effects even down to phones, wallets, and car keys must be stored in lockers before stepping onto the platform- but pictures are allowed elsewhere in the area. The picture above shows Hawk and me with the Grand Canyon and the Skywalk in the background.
The Grand Canyon is slightly less grand here than at Grand Canyon National Park. The elevation drop from the rim to the river here is only 3,600 ft (1,100 m).
BTW, why no pictures from the Skywalk? "Because the glass surface has only a thin layer of laminate, and we need to protect it," an employee explained.
"No," I said to myself, "That's the answer to 'Why do we have to wear those little booties over our shoes?'"... which was the next part of the gantlet we had to run through to get out to the Skywalk. The real reason for no picture taking on the bridge is that the natives run a racket with it. They have their photographer out there, and prices start at $17 for a single photograph. Enh, I like to support native tribes, but not that much.
A bridge, out over the Grand Canyon?! I was excited when I first heard about its opening in 2007. Sure, it's not a bridge across the Grand Canyon- that would be a true engineering marvel- but it is a glass floored platform jutting out some 50 feet (15 m) over the rim of the canyon. It's on lands of the Hualapai native tribe in northern Arizona.
Pictures from the skywalk aren't allowed- personal effects even down to phones, wallets, and car keys must be stored in lockers before stepping onto the platform- but pictures are allowed elsewhere in the area. The picture above shows Hawk and me with the Grand Canyon and the Skywalk in the background.
The Grand Canyon is slightly less grand here than at Grand Canyon National Park. The elevation drop from the rim to the river here is only 3,600 ft (1,100 m).
BTW, why no pictures from the Skywalk? "Because the glass surface has only a thin layer of laminate, and we need to protect it," an employee explained.
"No," I said to myself, "That's the answer to 'Why do we have to wear those little booties over our shoes?'"... which was the next part of the gantlet we had to run through to get out to the Skywalk. The real reason for no picture taking on the bridge is that the natives run a racket with it. They have their photographer out there, and prices start at $17 for a single photograph. Enh, I like to support native tribes, but not that much.