Walk the Grand Canyon Skywalk

Walk out on a glass bridge suspended 4000 feet above the Grand Canyon floor. The Skywalk is now open at Grand Canyon West, along with visitor tours led by Hualapai guides

Arizona made international news this week with the opening of the Skywalk at Grand Canyon West. It has taken three years to build this monumental glass bridge, which gives unparalleled views over the Grand Canyon.

Having left Arizona for England two weeks ago, one day before the roll-out of the Skywalk took place, I was pleased (and not a little jealous) to watch the official opening on the BBC. After all, that lucky reporter got to make one of the first sky-walks later that day, after the guests of honor had inaugurated it.

The first steps on the Skywalk were taken by Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, one of the Apollo 11 astronauts who took the first steps on the moon. On this historic first walk he was joined by a fellow space traveler – Native American astronaut John Herrington – and Chairman Vaughan of the Hualapai Nation.

From this week, the Skywalk is open to the general public. There is no other structure like it in the world.

The U-shaped glass bridge extends 70 feet out from the canyon rim. At its tip you are suspended in space, looking straight down to the river on the canyon floor 4000 feet below.

To read my article about the Skywalk, click here.

The Skywalk lies on remote land belonging to the Hualapai Nation. It will help bring more visitors to this western end of the Grand Canyon, the least-visited section of the park.

It will also bring income to an area where there is much poverty and unemployment. In an interview quoted by Reuters news agency, Aldrin called it "a vision of hope for the future."

Visiting the Skywalk is not cheap, but it's a unique experience you won't get anywhere else.

To read my article about How to Visit the Skywalk, click here.