Grand Canyon Skywalk
Grand Canyon Skywalk
Article by Representative
Welcome! The Skywalk is a beautiful place to visit in the fall and winter. We are open 365 days a year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
The Grand Canyon Skywalk is on Mountain Standard Time, and is now one hour ahead of Las Vegas and other cities in the Pacific Time Zone.
The Skywalk is now open from 8 am to 5 pm, and the last ticket is sold 90 minutes before closing time. Walk the path of the eagle ? 4,000 feet above the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon. Look down through 2.5 inches of crystal-clear glass to the Canyon floor below.
Stand on the edge of an engineering marvel that extends 70 feet over the Grand Canyon’s rim and weighs 1.2 million pounds.
Gaze at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s natural wonders.
Are you ready to “Walk the Sky?”The Grand Canyon Skywalk is located at Grand Canyon West Rim, on the Hualapai Nation.
Visiting Grand Canyon West Rim is a wonderful Day Trip from Las Vegas or Northern Arizona. In addition to ‘Walking the Sky’ at the Skywalk, you can watch traditional performances by Hualapai tribe members, take a one-day white water rafting tour, land in a helicopter at the bottom of the Grand Canyon or stay overnight in one of the cabins at the Hualapai Ranch. “Once a dream ? now a reality.”
Businessman David Jin envisioned the Skywalk after soaring through the Grand Canyon on a helicopter. He wondered, “What if people could experience the same beauty standing at the edge of a glass bridge?”
Hualapai tribe members led by the Hualapai Tribal Council and David Jin made the first walk on the Skywalk March 20, 2007. Former astronauts Dr. Buzz Aldrin (second man on the moon) and John Herrington (first Native American astronaut) also participated in the celebration.
The Skywalk has since hosted more than 1.5 million people from around the world. Designing an engineering marvel
In 1996, businessman David Jin of Las Vegas, Nevada, approached the Hualapai Tribe with the idea of a glass walkway over the Canyon. He won approval from the tribe in 2003. The Skywalk was designed and engineered by Lochsa Engineering and MRJ Architects and built by Executive Construction Management, all based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. Engineers conducted tests on the geologic stability of the site and researched the foundation by testing the compressive strength of the rock. They found that the red limestone rock could withstand 16,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. Engineers also conducted extensive testing during the planning and design phase to ensure the Skywalk could easily withstand the high winds that have been known to blow through the Grand Canyon. The design originally extended 30 feet over the edge of the rim of the Grand Canyon but eventually evolved into a horseshoe-shaped bridge extending 70 feet past the edge of the Grand Canyon wall.Building the Skywalk
On October 6, 2004, the Hualapai Tribe blessed the site and one month later drilling for the Skywalk began. Drilling lasted one and a half years. Next came a foundation consisting of eight columns that support box beams. Each box beam is 6 feet high, 32 inches wide and has 2-inch thick walls. The Skywalk is designed to absorb vibration and avoid galloping in windy conditions. The beams were custom fabricated in Utah in 40 foot sections then trucked to Grand Canyon West. The Skywalk was assembled on site. The first permanent caps were attached to the eight concrete columns to support the Skywalk. Pieces of the bridge were put into place and welded together once aligned. The welding took four months to complete. Three tuned mass dampers specifically calibrated to meet the wind and weight requirements of the location were placed inside the horseshoe frame making it structurally sound. Mass dampers help distribute the weight on the glass bridge. A manipulator was used to lift the glass panels to the Skywalk with large suction cups. Two-and-a-half years after the groundbreaking ceremony, the Skywalk rollout began. Engineers used the same rod and plate method used to build the Egyptian pyramids to roll the Skywalk out over the Canyon. On the first day, the Skywalk was rolled halfway out. By the end of the second day, the Skywalk structure rollout was completed. The structure then had to be welded and secured. Engineers placed 128 weld runs on the tops, bottoms and sides of all eight columns.
“Unbelievable view, absolutely breathtaking! Must see it for yourself from the Grand Canyon Skywalk!”-Customer Testimonial
“Best thing I’ve done in Nevada in a long time! It’s a once in a life time experience”-Customer Testimonial
“Simply Amazing! I think this was the best adventure I have ever had on a vacation. It is a little pricey but so very worth it. Everyone should have the chance to experience this great wonder of the world!”-Customer Testimonial
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