Grand Canyon West, owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe, has proudly provided memorable and often times life changing experiences to thousands of visitors over the past two decades. In celebration of this success we would like to share 20 fun and interesting facts that have helped shape the Grand Canyon West we know today.

1) When did Grand Canyon West Open? Grand Canyon West shares it’s “birthday” with the State of Arizona. On February 14, 1912, Arizona became the 48th and last of the contiguous states admitted to the Union. Seventy-six years later on February 14, 1988, the Hualapai Tribe created Grand Canyon West and opened its land to travelers. The first official tourists were a group of 30 from the United Kingdom.

2) When was the Hualapai Reservation formed? On January 4, 1883 President Chester A. Arthur signed an Executive Order officially recognizing the Hualapai as a Native American tribe and created the Hualapai Reservation.

3) Are there Hualapai tribal members that work at Grand Canyon West? In 2007 alone, Grand Canyon West had quadrupled its number of employees, which provided job opportunities to hundreds of Hualapai men and women.

4) How much of the Grand Canyon does the Hualapai own? The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long and the Hualapai Tribe owns 108 miles of the “West Rim,” which lines the southwestern side of the Canyon. The entire Hualapai Reservation occupies nearly 1,000,000 acres.

5) Where do the Hualapai live? The capital of the Hualapai Tribe is Peach Springs, Arizona, which has a population of 2000 people - 1500 of which are Hualapai members and the remaining 500 are from other tribes.

6) Where did the Hualapai come from? In the Tribe’s “Creation Story” the Hualapai originated from the sacred mountain, Wikame, which is located 20 miles north of the point where Arizona, Nevada, and California meet. Petroglyphs found at Wikame tell a story of the world covered with water and depict the creation of the Hualapai people and other Yuman-speaking tribes.

7) What should I say when I meet a Hualapai? “Gamyu” that is the traditional greeting of the Hualapai.

8) Is Grand Canyon West the Hualapai’s only means of income? The Hualapai economy is based completely on tourism. Revenues from Grand Canyon West, the Hualapai Lodge, and Hualapai River Runners are the primary economic vehicles that fund the schools, roads, and other social services the Tribe relies on.

9) Where is Grand Canyon West? Grand Canyon West is only a 2.5 to 3-hour drive (each way) east of Las Vegas, Nevada or northwest Williams, Arizona. It is also just 4 hours from Flagstaff. From Las Vegas, visitors could drive to Grand Canyon West and back in the same amount of time it would take to go one way to Grand Canyon National Park (5.5-hour drive each way). As a result many choose to take a daytrip to Grand Canyon West rather than a multi-day trip that takes away a night on the Strip.

10) What animals might people see on a trip to Grand Canyon West? Grand Canyon West is home to a variety of wildlife including Desert Big Horn Sheep, Mule Deer, Coyotes, Gray Foxes, Mountain Lions, Bobcats, Burros, Eagles and Red-Tailed Hawks to name a few.

11) Does Grand Canyon West use any “green” energy? Grand Canyon West’s main terminal and the guest facility at Guano Point are partially powered by solar panels. Researchers are also using Eagle Point as a testing ground for new wind power technologies.

12) Do the Hualapai work with other Native American tribes? Grand Canyon West offers an experience that includes multiple tribes in the region and educates the public on the differences in customs and culture. Representatives from the Navajo, Havasupai, and Hopi (to name a few) haul in materials from their reservations and build their tribe’s traditional dwellings in the “Indian Village” for visitors to explore. There are also dancers from these tribes that perform daily for the visitors.

13) Is there really a glass walkway that hangs over the Canyon? Yes, Grand Canyon West is home the Grand Canyon Skywalk, which is a glass walkway that is nearly three times as high as the tallest building in the world (approximately 4000 feet above the canyon’s floor). The Skywalk opened to the public on March 28, 2007.

14) Who was the first to walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk? The first person to walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk publicly was one of the first men to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin. Also to walk during the “First Walk” ceremony was the first Native American in space, John Bennett Herrington, who led the Tribal leaders to greet Buzz Aldrin at the apex of the walkway. History was made.

15) Do the Hualapai offer rafting in the Grand Canyon? The Hualapai operate the only one-day whitewater rafting trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon called Hualapai River Runners. The rapids scale from class 3 to 7 and the trip ends with a helicopter flight to the top of Grand Canyon West.

16) Are there movies filmed at Grand Canyon West? Multiple blockbuster films have been taped at Grand Canyon West most recently were “Into the Wild” with Sean Penn and “Next” starring Nicholas Cage.

17) Where did Robbie Knievel jump over the Canyon? On May 20, 1999 Robbie Knievel jumped a distance of 228 feet over a 2500-foot deep side-canyon at Grand Canyon West. It has since become one of his most famous successful jumps.

18) Is there really a viewpoint at Grand Canyon West named after bat droppings? Yes, one of three viewpoints at Grand Canyon West, Guano Point, is named after an old guano (bat droppings) mine that operated in the 1930’s. Guano was used primarily as a fertilizer because it is extremely rich in minerals. Daring miners would hoist hundreds of pounds of guano across the Colorado River up to the present day Guano Point. The ruins of the mine and pulley system still remain, visitors can walk right up and touch them.

19) Are there cowboys at Grand Canyon West? Yes, the Hualapai Ranch is a Wild West town that has cowboys that guide horseback rides along the Grand Canyon and even give lessons in roping and axe throwing.

20) Where is the closet airport to Grand Canyon West? Grand Canyon West has had an onsite airport from the very beginning. Originally, there was just a small dirt air strip, now there is an airport that accommodates nearly 30 tour companies with a 5,000-foot paved runway and 10 helipads.

Thank you for your continued support, we hope you enjoyed these facts on the Hualapai and Grand Canyon West. It has been a great 20 years, but the best is yet to come.

About Grand Canyon West: Grand Canyon Resort Corporation, which is wholly owned and operated by the Hualapai Nation, manages Grand Canyon West, Hualapai River Runners (whitewater rafting), and the Hualapai Lodge. Grand Canyon West is a collection of viewpoints and attractions spread over 9000 acres of the Grand Canyon’s West Rim in Northwest Arizona, just 120 miles east of Las Vegas, Nevada. Grand Canyon West is the only place in the Canyon where visitors can access a boat ride on the Colorado River via helicopter and is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass walkway 4000 ft above the canyon floor. The site attractions are: Guano Point, with panoramic canyon views, includes the Hualapai Market, High Point Eatery, and the historic Highpoint Hike; Eagle Point hosts the Grand Canyon Skywalk, Native American dance performances, and the Indian Village with authentic recreations of multiple tribes dwellings and The Skywalk Cafe; and The Hualapai Ranch, which is a western town with cowboy performances, horseback riding, wagon rides, and a Cowboy Cookout. All inclusive tours are available from Las Vegas, Phoenix and Sedona by airplane, helicopter, coach, SUV, and Hummer. Grand Canyon West is open daily and overnight cabins are available. Visitors can view a complete list of activities, book reservations, and get directions on the web at www.destinationgrandcanyon.com or calling 1(877) 716-WEST (9378).