Grand Canyon Skywalk – A Walk In The Clouds

The latest hoopla on the edge of the Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped glass walkway situated at a height of 4,000 ft (1,200 meter) above the floor of canyon, along the Colorado River in Arizona, U.S. Skywalk is an effort from the Hualapai Indian tribe, launched on 20^th March 2007 and opened to the general public the next week. The edifice is a 90 kilometer drive from Las Vegas or directly accessible via Grand Canyon West terminal.

Skywalk – an amazing creation protruding 20 meters beyond the edge of the canyon. Its floor and walls are built of 10.2 cm (4 inches) thick glass and the walkway has a capacity to hold 70 tons of weight (that is nearly 800 people weighing 175 lb). However, the authorities have determined the capacity at 120 persons. Moreover, the tourists are provided with special shoes to prevent slipping and avoid scratches on the glass floor.

The project, after some initial hick-ups from Arizona environmental groups and former National Park officials and opponents within the tribe, claiming it to be a disfiguration of national treasure, took off well. The Hualapai officials expect the cost of the Skywalk alone to exceed by $40 million in coming years. The boost has been supported further by future plans for a Grand Canyon Skywalk complex that would enclose a movie theater, gift shop, museum, VIP lounge and several restaurants including a high-end restaurant called The Skywalk Café where the visitors would be able to dine at the rim of the canyon.