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Grand Canyon West. Contact Sweetours for your next epic Grand Canyon adventures!

Grand Canyon West: Why You Should Visit The West Rim

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If you have seen Grand Canyon in movies, you are most likely looking at the South Rim. As 90% of travelers visit South Rim, it’s easy to forget that there are other rims as well, including West Rim at Grand Canyon.

West Rim

The West Rim, known as Grand Canyon West, is only 121 miles from Las Vegas. Sitting just outside the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park, The West Rim is part of a Native American reservation owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe. It’s best known for the Skywalk, a U-shaped glass walkway that juts out over the Grand Canyon—suspending you 4,000 feet high—providing unparalleled views of the canyon floor below. Other points-of-interest at The West Rim include:

• Guano Point, meaning bat droppings, was named for an old fertilizer mine active in the 1930s
• the West Rim was the film location for movies such as Into the Wild and Next
• a one-day whitewater-rafting trip
• visit an Old West town at Hualapai Ranch, with horseback tours, roping, and axe throwing

There are two locations at Grand Canyon West where you can do activities: The West Rim and Peach Springs. At the West Rim, you’ll find the Skywalk, ziplining, aerial tours, and calm floats down the Colorado River. You can also find Hualapai Ranch, where you can rent a cabin and experience the history and culture of the Canyon.

Peach Springs is the launch point for Colorado River whitewater rafting trips. It’s about a two hour drive from the West Rim, and you can stay at the Hualapai Lodge. Peach Springs is along an unspoiled section of historic Route 66, so in addition to seeing the Canyon, you’ll be able to experience a stretch of this iconic highway.

Who should visit Grand Canyon West?

If you have less time to visit the Grand Canyon, consider visiting the West Rim. It’s much closer to Las Vegas, which means you’ll have more time to explore the Rim and experience the landscape.

You should also opt to visit the West Rim if you’re interested in the Grand Canyon Skywalk. There’s no comparable attraction at the South Rim.

As the Grand Canyon National Park has placed restrictions on group tours to the South Rim due to COVID-19, you should visit the West Rim. Here, we have compiled the reasons why you should go there this holiday season.

There are fewer visitors

The West Rim receives about one million visitors a year, compared to the five million adventurers who visit the South Rim every year. That means you won’t have to fight crowds or wait for people to clear out to take your shots of the Grand Canyon.

It’s way closer to Las Vegas

The West Rim is just a short 2.5 hour drive from Las Vegas, compared to the five hour drive to the South Rim. This makes the West Rim especially ideal for day trips or for those who have less time to visit the Grand Canyon.

Since the roads to the West Rim are not as developed as the roads to the South Rim, the Grand Canyon West region does not allow private vehicles inside. For this reason, we recommend you hop on a Grand Canyon West Rim tour.

You can fly there in no time

The West Rim is only 30 minutes away from Las Vegas by airplane, or 45 minutes by helicopter. As you make your way to the Grand Canyon, your flight will pass over the stunning desert and mountain landscapes. Don’t forget your camera!

It’s warmer

Worry about heatstroke? The West Rim sits at a slightly lower elevation than the South Rim, so it’s warmer throughout the year. Summertime temperatures average above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (~38 degrees Celcius), while the fall and winter months average a balmy 64-89 (~18-32) with lows between 38-58 (~3-15) degrees.

If you visit the West Rim in the summer, be sure to bring sunscreen and wear sunglasses and a hat. There’s only limited protection from the sun.

Best Time to Visit Grand Canyon West Rim

The Grand Canyon West Rim is open to visitors the whole year round. The Canyon can accommodate those who wish to see the beauty on any major holiday! Perhaps the best time to see the Grand Canyon is from late fall to early spring. This is the time when the temperatures are their most optimal.

So, do you feel like visiting the Canyon in January? Then what are you waiting for? Plan and Book Your Trip with Sweetours today!

Contact us for further information
Phone: 702.456.9200
Fax – 702.434.7163
Email – info@sweetours.com

sources: maverickhelicopter.com, canyontours.com, grandcanyonwest.com, paradisefoundtours.com

Seasonal Grand Canyon: Why You Should Visit Grand Canyon in Winter

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Even though many people won’t consider visiting Grand Canyon in January (it’s the cold, right?), it can be a valuable experience. Seeing the snow falling down to the bottom of the Canyon? Being able to take pictures without photobombers? No need to worry about dehydration or heatstroke? All of those sound inviting, right? So, we have come up with a list of reasons why you, in fact, should visit Grand Canyon in winter!

Less Crowds in Winter

This is probably one of the best reasons we can think of. Less crowds! Less people! And there’s snow!

Remember this is a National Park that gets 5+ million visitors a year. When do you think most of them are visiting?

Summer is the busiest time at the South Rim. The number of people is hopping in spring and fall but not like summer, and winter is peaceful and quiet in comparison. You should also consider the temperature in the Canyon. While the South Rim may be quite chilly (but not always), once you’re down into the Canyon the temperatures will moderate and much of the time be perfect for hiking. Lastly, accommodations and permits are much easier to obtain, and even last-minute reservations at Phantom Ranch are commonly available.

Watch the Winter Sunset at the Canyon

Watch the sunset at Grand Canyon in winter from Mather Point.
You’ll definitely want to catch a winter sunset at the Grand Canyon. Days are shorter during this season, so you can easily catch the sunset and then go have dinner.

You can watch the sunset at Mather Point. This is the most popular sunset spot simply because it’s close to the visitor center and parking lots – but it also has a great view!

Other popular sunset spots include Hopi Point and Yavapai Point.

Whatever you do, just make sure you stick around for a little while after the sun officially dips below the horizon. This is when the winter sky is often painted pretty shades of pink and purple.

Weather in January

The average high at the South Rim in January is 44 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average low is 18 degrees Fahrenheit (high of 6.6 degrees Celsius, low -7.7 degrees Celsius.) However, these temperatures are much warmer inside the Canyon (by 10-20 degrees, but feels even warmer in the sun.) Average days of rain/snow in January is 5.

At Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon, the average high temperature in January is 58 degrees Fahrenheit, and a low of 38 degrees Fahrenheit (14H/3L degrees celsius.)

Cheaper Accommodations in Winter

A major benefit of the Grand Canyon in winter is that staying actually in the national park was possible and not too expensive. You can even get reservations days before your arrival in several of the lodges right in the park, which will not be possible in the warmer months. Usually, you have to book your stay a year before visiting the Canyon.

Now granted, we booked so late we couldn’t get multiple nights in a row and this meant we had to change lodges a few times. However, it was mind-blowing that we could even get reservations right on the rim at short notice.

This meant no long drives from outside the park, no fears about parking and we were able to simply leave our lodge and explore. Little things like that make for a much more relaxing experience.

What To Do at Grand Canyon in Winter

When the weather is cold and it’s snowing, you might be wondering what you can do at the Canyon. There are plenty of great things to do in the Canyon in January; in fact, most of the activities available any other time of year are yours to choose from. Certainly, a hike on the South Kaibab or Bright Angel Trail is very much worth doing, but be sure to have hiking crampons for the icy trails (it’s not advisable to hike particularly Grandview, New Hance and Tanner Trails in winter unless you’re with a guide company or are experienced.)

Helicopter or airplane tours, van tours, and – if roads are clear – bicycle tours are great activities (read about Grand Canyon’s best tours for links to recommended companies.) Checking out things like the Yavapai Geology Museum and the Kolb Studio is very much worth doing if the outside weather is unagreeable.

Finally, having dinner at famous and historic El Tovar is a must-do activity in Grand Canyon, and reservations will be much easier to get in January than many months.

So, do you feel like visiting the Canyon in January? Then what are you waiting for? Plan and Book Your Trip with Sweetours today!

Contact us for further information
Phone: 702.456.9200
Fax – 702.434.7163
Email – info@sweetours.com

sources: angelsgatetours, ytravelblog.comm, wildlandtrekking.com, dangerous-business.com, walkmyworld.com