A New Road to Grand Canyon Skywalk

Rough roads have made driving difficult for Skywalk visitors, but a new car-friendly surface will provide smoother access to the remote entrance at Grand Canyon West.

Driving to Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk will soon be much easier. Work began this week to improve the 14-mile unpaved stretch of Diamond Bar Road that leads to the park entrance.

The Skywalk is located in a remote section of the Grand Canyon, on Native American land belonging to the Hualapai Nation. Small cars can take a battering on the rugged terrain of this wilderness region, which is best suited to 4-wheel-drive, SUVs or other high-clearance vehicles. But this lonely land has its own raw beauty, and many visitors prefer to drive themselves – until they reach that last unpaved section of the road, which can become impassable with heavy rain.

Diamond Bar Road will eventually be paved. Until then, Mojave County has approved a temporary solution that will see the road widened, covered with four inches of gravel, and treated with a sealant. This will reduce both dust and travel time, and make the drive easier for cars of all sizes.

Visitors planning to come by car should still be aware of the terrain and remote nature of the area before setting off, and always carry a working spare tire, tools and bottled water. The nearest major services are at Kingman, Arizona – over 70 miles away.

More than 50,000 people have visited the Skywalk since it opened at the end of March 2007. The road improvements are part of an ongoing program to address the sudden growth the attraction has brought to this remote tribal area. The Hualapai also operate a number of activities, from Hummer and helicopter tours to whitewater rafting.

Grand Canyon West lies about l20 miles east of Las Vegas and 72 miles north of Kingman, Arizona, a considerable distance from the most visited part of the park at the South Rim. For those who don't wish to tackle the road, there are Park and Ride services from Dolan Springs, and more than 30 tour and transportation companies operating from Las Vegas, Phoenix and Sedona.

For more information on visiting the Skywalk and Grand Canyon West, click here.

To read my article about the Skywalk, click here.