Don't Bother Visiting The Grand Canyon Skywalk
Update: We asked the Skywalk to confirm that they have a "no-refunds" policy. Their answer is at the bottom of this post.
Unless you want to spend a minimum of $75 per person, plus another $29 per "official" photo (no cameras are allowed), and risk missing out entirely with no refund a partial refund if the attraction is closed due to weather (which happens suddenly and frequently), you should avoid the Grand Canyon Skywalk. According to Travel On The Dollar, which just got back from visiting the Skywalk in person, you can't even walk on the glass floor, and instead have to stand on a carpeted section and look through the other half.
Follow Up:
We contacted the Grand Canyon Skywalk and asked them if it was true that there was carpet on the glass floor, and whether they provided refunds in the event the attraction was closed. Their director of customer service, Gloria, responded,
For safety reasons, we do lay down the carpet, but still allow you to see through the glass bridge.
If you are not able to see the Skywalk due to weather conditions, your ticket is completely refunded. We only close down the Skywalk due to inclement weather, such as electrical rain storms, and lightning.
Note that this refund covers the cost of entrance to the Skywalk, not the separate entrance fee to Grand Canyon West where it's located—in other words, you'll get back $30 of the $75 total required to visit. The other attractions still available to you, according to Gloria, are "Guano Point [where you can] enjoy a bird's eye view of the Canyon, and the Hualapai Ranch, a taste of Western Adventure."
"Grand Canyon Skywalk is a sham!" [Travel On The Dollar] (Thanks to Parind!)
(Photo: slideshow bob)
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Comments:
I like that part of the fee is $45 to access Hualapai land. Anytime the original Americans can stick it to the man is a win in my opinion.
How 'bout we let the Indians have this one, huh guys?
@twophrasebark: My sentiments exactly. I don't mean to dig up painful history but I just don't feel right bitching about $75 to use their skywalk.
Damn injuns!
$29 for a PHOTO TAKEN BY THEM? What are they going to do if I whip out my camera and take a picture? Detain me - call the police? If I can get just two photos in that's a $60 savings...
Why did they even make a skywalk?
I see no point, just like those overhang hot tubs the cruise industry is raving about. you're over water in water. so what?
Over the loud protest of my husband, we skipped this "attraction" on a recent trip to the Southwest. I just sent him a link to this article, with a (very loving) "I told you so." It would have so irked him to pay $29 for a photo.
@twophrasebark: Neither me, nor anyone in my family, nor anyone I know has ever done anything to the Hualapai or any other tribe.
So the $45 I'd pay is sticking it to me for what reason now?
Except that of course they cant actually ban you from taking pictures. If they allow access to the public, you can take pictures. They can hit you for trespassing and escort you from the property, but you can snap pictures all day long.
@dohtem: I missed that part. They should certainly charge whatever they want. I just donèt get why a normal person would pay it, kwimÉ
Hey, I understand the Hualapai tribe wants to make some bucks off the white people, but there have to be more effective ways to do this. $75 a head is going to price most folks out of the ballpark.
And carpet? What's up with that? That's just foolish. The whole point is to look down between your feet at the awful abyss and cringe in abject terror!
Now, what would be worth $75 would be if they did let you out there in bad weather - suitably attached to the structure. They could put you in a harness, lock you via a few feet of steel cable to the railing, and let you wander out over the canyon in high winds and driving rain. What bragging rights! And I'd pay the tribe a boatload of money for a photo of that, proving I have giant cojones.
@jamesdenver: I'm sure many sneak a picture or 2. even if it's crap cellphone quality it beats paying $30 for a picture
@AppleAlex: "sup dawg, I herd you like water. So we put a hot tub in your boat so you can be in water over water"
@El_Fez: Well, it's on a reservation, and the Hualapai are an independent nation. So I guess they could make taking pictures illegal and toss you in the tribal jail. Do you want to test it?
@bobert:
Doesn't Federal law still apply? I've never really understood how laws work on reservations.
go to the south rim, it is much cheaper and the view is far more spectacular.
They are just banking on visitors to Vegas not wanting to make the 4 hour drive to the south rim and hoping that this gimmick will lure people.
Skip it, from what I hear every move you make there costs money.
Nothing wrong with a Consumer site talking about what a bad deal it is if it's a bad deal, regardless who runs it.
I think someone here ones stepped on my great great grandfather's foot. Therefore, I deserve to sell you this tiger-repellent rock for only 10 easy payments of $49.95.
@jamesdenver: When I took unauthorized photos at a museum, they made me erase them off my memory card in front of the guard.
My wife and I did this tour last year and the skywalk was not much of a highlight. It doesn't extend very far over the canyon. It's a nice view, but not spectacular. I'm not sure what this business is about a carpet covering the glass--we didn't see that.
@Applekid: That is, one of your great great relatives once did. Yeesh. See? Clearly my mistake is due to your shameful ancestry affecting me.
@domesticdork: Mine's working perfectly. I'll sell you a few of mine to get you by. Here, the first one is free. ?
@HiPwr:
You didn't do anything to them but you're willing to keep the land our ancestors stole from them, as in, basically the entire United States?
So, bro, I think you can cough up the $45.
@dohtem:
Why not? A ripoff is a ripoff. I don't care if it's being done by indians, a bus load of nuns, or mother tersa (which would be interesting since she's dead)
@twophrasebark: My ancestors came to this country too late to steal land or own slaves.
So, fuckyouverymuch!
@El_Fez: The very fact that you paid an 'entrance fee' means they don't allow access to the public. They allow access to ticket holders who agree to their terms.
Grand Canyon Skywalk strategic plan:
Step 1: Build Skywalk
Step 2: ?????
Step 3: Profit!
@HiPwr:
Oh, so your family just gave money thereby enriching the people who stole the land and caused the genocide. Sorry--not in a tribe? Just as complicit.
@cknight:
Woah there, that makes you a business invitee--it doesn't mean you relinquish your fundamental civil rights.
@El_Fez: They're not banning you from taking pictures, they're banning you from bringing camera equipment onto their property. They're allowing the public, but under their conditions. No different from when you enter a company or industrial location and have to surrender your camera at the security desk before you go in. In my line of work I do that on almost a daily basis and it's one of the reasons my latest cellphone has no camera.
There was a hour long TV program about its construction not too long ago (I think it was on the NatGeo channel), and apparently the tribe doesn't advertise widely the admission fee or ground rules... until you drive 20 miles on the dirt access road through the desert to the staging area, THEN you find out how much it really costs. The report hinted that the reason that the road was unpaved was to create an environment where most people, having driven through hell to get there, decide to pay the fee and not ruin their day, rather than just drive back out over the dirt road again having seen nothing.
From what I remember about the TV show, I'm pretty sure you also have to wear booties over your shoes. You have to surrender just about everything you are carrying to go out on the skywalk, not just cameras. The tribe's stated reasoning for that is to prevent possible scratching and damage to the glass floor from accidental droppage, and also to keep people from throwing things over the edge.
And of course, there's that $29 a photo....
There was no carpet over the glass at the time they filmed the TV show. They may have had damage to the glass since then anyway and just covered it up. Or else too many people were refusing to walk out on it because of the glass floor and they just gave up on the idea.
@Laura Northrup: Wait.... You Payed $75 to go look off a bridge?! I'll let you pay me 10 to look out my apartment window.
So I've noticed a lot of people saying the Indians should just have this. I'm not American and I'm sure most of the tourists going there are not either. So what exactly would we be 'giving the indians'?
I'ld pay $75 to base jump from the thing. Not much else though.
@HiPwr:
Slowly and explicitly for the "special" kids in class: If your ancestors came too late to be the thieves--they still participated in the economy and political structure created and perpetuated by the thieves. The money> bought land, rented land, paid taxes--take your pick.
There's certainly a principled argument that descendants are not responsible for the actions of their forebears; the claim, "we came too late to be guilty" isn't part of that argument, however.
@treimel: I guess you know more about my family than I do. Perhaps you can give me your notes on my family tree so I should know how guilt-ridden I should be for their actions.
@domesticdork: Yeah, some friends of mine found out about this and clued us in, so we'll never pay that.
@HiPwr:
What do I need to "know" about your family to know that you participate in the economy and political structure of the Untied States? Hint: Nothing.
@baquwards: I know a friend who told me about this two years ago. It's incredible that they are still doing this, and I will certainly vote with my wallet.
@jamesdenver: Scalping and being forced to wear just a loincloth for the long, long walk home is the usual punishment for the first offense.
Second offense is, they get your women. (Or men, depending on their mood).
The resulting photographs are free. Having them deleted is where it gets expensive.
If you are going to drive the dirt roads anyways, just head to Tuweep - cheaper and better views.
$75 really? Why would anybody pay that in the first place? That seems silly, or am I missing somethingÉ
And why is my question mark key suddenly not workingÉ