Grand Canyon Glass Walkway

The Grand Canyon glass walkway was unveiled in the year 2007. Much fanfare surrounded its launch. Dignitaries, foreign press, celebrities. Even astronaut Buzz Aldrin showed up to take the structure's immortal first steps! Since then, the bridge has been off and running as more than 200,000 people a year visit it.

The attraction most definitely deserves the attention. The U-shaped walkway weighs 1 million pounds and is bolted to the canyon's wall. The structure cost $30 million and was designed to beat back major earthquakes and 100 mph winds. It can hold up to 800 people but max occupancy is 120.

The 10-foot-wide deck is made of 42 specially made glass panels. Each panel costs a jaw-dropping $250,000. Makes sense that the Hualapai Indian Tribe, which manages the Skywalk, prohibits cameras and smart phones on the bridge, which, if dropped, can chip the glass. Travelers used to be able to smuggle in a camera but that got nixed once the tribe installed metal detectors.

There are professional photographers on the bridge who are hired to take your picture. Expect to spend $20 a print or $70-plus on an image package. I recommend going with the later. You get a bunch of great images, framed print outs, and a goody bag with a t-shirt. There’s also a great place to take pictures just south of the Skywalk. It’s the Eagle Rock lookout. Use caution in this area. There are no guard rails and the cliffs are sheer.

The bridge was designed to make you feel like you're in the center of the canyon. My hat's off to these guys. They've succeeded wildly. How could they not, right? I mean you walk 70 feet off the edge on a glass walkway and there below you some 4,000 feet is the Colorado River. The scale of things really hits home if you've taken a tour that includes a helicopter descent to the bottom. Even more so if you’ve taken a pontoon boat ride on the Colorado River.

Vegas is the place of choice from which to take a Grand Canyon glass walkway tour. It's just 120 miles away from Grand Canyon West, the up-and-coming rim-side development on which the Hualapai hope to put restaurants, accommodations, and a golf course. There are plenty of tours to choose from, too, including my fave: The helicopter-boat-skywalk trip. Do that one and you really have conquered canyon. In addition to heli trips, there are bus, airplane, and rafting tours as well.

I hope you get a chance to do the Skywalk. It beats the pants off of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum or a gondola ride at The Venetian and makes a great day trip for the entire family. Just remember to bring a hat, sunscreen, and water. There’s not a lot of shade out there and it does get hot during summer. But it’s worth it when you consider you are seeing the best of the Seven Wonders of the World.