Skywalk – Step Out 4,000 Feet Above the Grand Canyon
You’ve seen the breathtaking scenery of the Grand Canyon, but have you ever stood on glass 4,000 feet above the canyon floor?
The iconic Pasarela aérea at Grand Canyon West is a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that extends 70 feet past the canyon’s edge, offering one of the most surreal views in the world.
With only glass beneath your feet, the Skywalk gives you a unique perspective of the canyon that you literally can’t get anywhere else. It’s bold. It’s bucket-list. And it’s only at Grand Canyon West, just a two-hour drive from Las Vegas.
How It Was Built
El Pasarela aérea is a feat of modern engineering. The $30 million glass-bottom bridge took four years to complete and was the largest glass cantilever bridge in the world at the time.
To build it, engineers used a technique inspired by the rod and plate methods used to construct the Egyptian pyramids, carefully rolling the structure out over the canyon’s edge without touching the walls below. The foundation is supported by counterweight rods anchored deep into the red limestone bedrock, allowing the entire bridge to extend 70 feet beyond the rim with no support underneath.
Here are some impressive facts:
- It’s anchored with over 1 million pounds of steel and glass which can support the weight of 71 fully-loaded 747 airplanes (yes, really)
- The Skywalk is built to withstand magnitude 8.0 earthquakes and winds up to100 mph, and designed to hold up to 800 people at once
- It was constructed in sections and carefully rolled into place over the edge of the canyon, without any scaffolding touching the canyon walls, a feat of both innovation and respect for the land
What It Feels Like to Walk It
There’s something about stepping out onto glass with nothing but open air beneath you that triggers pure awe. The moment you look down through crystal-clear glass to the canyon floor thousands of feet below, everything shifts. The vastness hits. The silence settles in. And suddenly, you’re not just looking at the Grand Canyon. You’re in it.
The moment you look down through crystal-clear glass to the canyon floor thousands of feet below, everything shifts. The vastness hits. The silence settles in. And suddenly, you’re not just looking at the Grand Canyon. You’re in it.
Since its opening, the Skywalk has welcomed over 10 million visitors from around the world to take in one of the most dramatic views on Earth. It’s the kind of experience that doesn’t just impress you, it stays with you.
Whether you’re road-tripping from Phoenix or escaping the Las Vegas Strip for the day, the Skywalk en el Gran Cañón Oeste is a must-stop for anyone who wants to see the canyon from a whole new angle.