When I decided to book a trip to Las Vegas, I knew that there was no reason to stay within the city limits the entire time. The area is surrounded by various parks, activities, and easy access to one of the United States’ most famous landmarks, the Grand Canyon. One full day of my trip was dedicated to marking this destination off of my travel list. Below is a recap of my day trip to The Grand Canyon.
The west rim
My sister and I decided to visit the west rim of the Grand Canyon because it’s the closest to Las Vegas. A bus tour was booked online with a shuttle picking us up at the Luxor and taking us there and back with a quick stop at the Hoover Dam as well as a few bathroom breaks. The entire round trip would take 11 hours. We went with the basic package, skipping the addons for meals and additional activities which turned out to be a smart move in the end.
What may not have been smart was going at peak season at the end of July. Upon checking the rates a few months later, I found that the price was half as much as what we paid for our flat rate tickets.
Catching our bus
We got an early start, catching a bus at the Luxor at 7:30 am. We visited the front desk the night before and got directions on where to meet. Those Vegas hotels are huge, and it’s not easy to find a specific area in or surrounding the property.
The next morning, we arrived at a small parking lot a half hour early where several busses were idling, off to take tourists to various destinations. Our bus pulled in just before 7:30, and we got called up to check in one by one.
Once onboard, our bus was similar to a Greyhound with slightly more leg room than an airplane, charging ports that don’t work, and an onboard bathroom that only the bravest and most desperate dare use.
After what seemed like forever, we were on our way only to stop at another hotel a few minutes later and pick up the rest of our group. The bus was full by the time we departed for our actual journey. I listened as a large family behind us struck up a conversation with an empty nester couple and talked about living on the east coast. It was comforting to hear that several people on the bus were also several thousand miles away from home.
Highway traveling
As we traveled down the highway, our bus driver, Marcus, would occasionally point out interesting landmarks and buildings along the way. A few minutes in, he indicated Railroad Pass Casino on our left and told us that it was one of the first casinos built in the area. Aside from its large sign posted out front, it was a fairly unassuming building. I came to find that sitting on the left side of the bus was a good choice because many of the landmarks ended up being on the left side of the road.
The terrain is very rocky and mountainous, but the highway itself is flat and curvy. In Pennsylvania, I’m used to some hilly areas and tons of trees and farmland, not brown mountains and yellow dirt. Then there were the typical highway landmarks such as businesses and gas stations where a gallon of gas costs twice as much as it does at home.
After 40 minutes, Marcus pulled up to a checkpoint. Armed guards stopped the bus, and Marcus assured us that they just had to come on briefly to check us out. He wasn’t concerned and basically shrugged it off like it was a necessary measure but also a waste of time.
Scary checkpoint
A man dressed entirely black, his face covered with a black bandana, and his eyes covered with sunglasses came onto the bus, large gun strapped around him. He walked up the aisle, opened one of the overhead compartments at the front of the bus, which was empty since nobody brought luggage any larger than a small backpack, and then told us we were good to go. I felt a collective sigh of relief among the passengers once he left. Outside my window, I watched him pull off his mask and sunglasses, revealing a perfectly normal human being underneath the disguise.
The Hoover Dam
We then weaved through the road to a parking lot that seemed to be out in the middle of nowhere. Marcus stopped the bus in one of the spaces at the bottom of a winding, concrete ramp. He told us to follow the ramp up to the top, walk down along the road, and we’d come to the Hoover Dam. He then asked everyone to be back within 20 minutes.
We all got out and stretched before making the climb up to our destination. It was only a five-minute walk or so, but it was all uphill and in the baking sun.
I had brought a hoodie along with me and was wearing it in the bus due to the air conditioning. This was the only spot on the trip where I didn’t feel the need to wear it, but it still wasn’t sweltering the way I’d expected.
We weaved our way up the ramp and then made our way down the stretch of highway. Luckily, we were separated from the speeding traffic on the right by a thick concrete wall that obscured most of our view of the road. Suddenly, over the railing to our left, the Hoover Dam came into view.
It was several thousand feet away, and it didn’t look so impressive from where we stood, but there it was, this famous landmark that I’d seen in movies and read about in history books. We snapped some pictures, took a nice, long look, and then headed back to the bus.
On the way back, we saw some small desert rocks piled up on each other near the railing. Later, I learned that they’re often stacked to serve as a trail marker, but the metal railings and concrete path were enough of a hint.
The second part of the ride
Once everyone was back on, we headed towards our rest stop. There, anyone who had purchased a breakfast meal could grab a free Subway sandwich. We got out to use the bathroom and buy snacks. But with so many people from our bus and another that had stopped, the checkout lines were long.
Once we were back on the road, we passed through Joshua Tree. Marcus explained how the trees reminded those who named him of Joshua from the Bible with his arms outstretched. They did look like something from another planet to me who was used to pine and maple trees.
Joshua Tree went on for miles, and even though it was something you don’t see everyday, it got old fast. The desert is a pretty bland, colorless landscape with the occasional mobile home parked in the distance. I felt myself feeling sorry for anyone who had to look at this terrain all day everyday.
Arriving at the Grand Canyon
We finally reached The Grand Canyon a little before noon. The home stretch was a winding road. I kept looking around for the canyon in the distance and could only see more mountains.
Eventually, we pulled into a parking lot. Marcus stopped in front of a long, white building and announced that he was going to run inside to get our entry tickets before we deboarded. He was in and out in a few minutes. When he returned, he instructed us to go into the building, check in, and then go out the back to wait for a shuttle that would take us up to the canyon. So, even though we were there, we weren’t there.
It was just before noon, and Marcus told us to come back to the bus by 3:00. That seemed like plenty of time to see what we were there to see and head back.
It was cloudy in the area, and the air was charged. It didn’t feel dry like Vegas which I found to be strange.
After walking through the building’s welcome center and gift shop, we made our way outside to a line of people waiting for the busses. The busses ran every 10 to 15 minutes or so, and as we stood in line, we watched floods of people file out the side doors and then the line move forward as dozens of people squeezed into the empty bus.
When it was our turn to get on, we barely found seats, but the ride was only about five minutes or so. It was hilly but not the ear popping mountain that I expected. Our bus driver explained that there was lightning in the area, and when that happened, The Skywalk was closed. He said he’d know for sure if it was still closed when we got to the top. When he noticed that no one was on it, he confirmed it and was met with groans from those who had paid for Skywalk Access and were about to eat that fee. Luckily, that didn’t include us.
Eagle Point
Our first stop was an area called Eagle Point. The shuttle bus driver mentioned to look for the rock formation in the shape of the outstretched eagle which explained where the area got its name. He then said when we were finished to hop on the next bus and that it would take us to Guano Point just down the road.
When we got dropped off, a crowd of people was lined up at the edge of the road to get on to be taken to Guano Point. The rest of us walked a few hundred feet past some picnic tables placed on a rocky terrain, and there was the canyon. The edge was marked by a single rope with warnings to watch your step. Many people ventured beyond that rope and took selfies at the very edge of the canyon. I was on edge the entire time.
A big red building sat to the left where the Skywalk jutted out over the edge of the canyon. The sky was gray and stormy in the distance. Everyone “ohhed” and “ahhed” when they saw lightning, but it didn’t stop the helicopter tours from flying by.
I couldn’t see the bottom of the canyon, just sheets and sheets of jagged rock. My sister pointed out the eagle-shaped formation in the rock that did look like an eagle with its wings outstretched.
Picnic tables were set up behind us, but the restaurant was closed due to the storm. The ground was pretty level with some rocky areas and shoots of plant life sticking out from them, but the Skywalk building kept us from hiking too far past the rim.
Guano Point
After a half hour or so, we decided to head to Guano Point. So, we got in line as it began to drizzle. The bus stop was under cover, but the line grew long fast.
Luckily, we got a bus within 20 minutes or so and were transported up the road to Guano Point. Guano Point had more of a museum-like feel to it as members of the Hualapai Tribe that runs the west rim performed songs in front of a stage, and different huts and teepees were set up to view around the surrounding area.
There was no rope at this point, and people got really bold with their willingness to walk up to the edge of the canyon. The rocks seemed to be redder too, and the terrain was a little more treacherous. A large rock structure nearby was easy to climb, and dozens of people had scaled it to take photos.
We walked approximately a third of a mile along Guano Point which curved, and on the other side, we could easily make out the Colorado River. It was the first and only time that I could see the bottom of the canyon.
There was also a gift shop that was open at Guano Point. There were a lot of Hualapai Tribe-themed merchandise, though it seemed to be typical junky souvenirs rather than authentic, handmade items. I bought a magnet to remember my trip.
Catching the bus back
It began to rain steady as we headed back into the bus line, and it felt more like late spring than nearly August. I was grateful that I had brought along the hoodie, but it was surprising how chilly it was in the desert.
The time flew so fast that it was nearly 2:30 by the time we got in line. The busses seemed to be coming slower, and there were more people in line. I did see some of the tribe members selling jewelry at a nearby picnic table, and I was interested in checking it out, but I didn’t want to lose my place in line. One bus got held up by a wheelchair ramp that malfunctioned, and we had to wait for the next one to arrive.
Finally, we got on a bus and headed back down the hill. There was earlier mention of a third stop, but the bus driver did not pass up any additional stops and instead took us back down the hill. Once we were back to the main building, we had a few extra minutes to look around at that gift shop and grab an order of nachos to scarf down before boarding the bus.
Leaving the canyon
The bus to head back to Vegas was only half full when we boarded a little before 3. But 15 minutes later, some people were still missing. Marcus rounded the parking lot once before asking where the last two people were. Someone shouted that they had been in line behind them at the top of the hill. A few minutes later, they came running from the main building.
Though it had rained steady most of the day, it was hardly a soaking rain. Yet on our way back, the roads were flooded in multiple places, and Marcus really had to punch it to get through the flooded desert roads. At one point, he braked hard before coming to a full stop. Outside my window, I saw three cows cross the road as nonchalant as the deer cross my road at home.
We stopped once for a 15-minute bathroom and snack break. Those with a dinner ticket picked up their fast food there as well.
From there, the bus was quiet and subdued as if we were a bunch of kids who had been tired out from a fun day out with our parents. The people in front of us had dozed off, and even the children were still quiet.
We made it back to Vegas by 5:00 pm. I was surprised to see us pass by the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign, a landmark that we had skipped over while sightseeing the day before and didn’t think we’d get to see.
Marcus reminded us twice that he does accept tips. So, I made sure to give him some cash on the way out for his tour guide knowledge, clear directions, hardcore driving, and willingness to not leave anyone behind.
Final thoughts
The Grand Canyon was not what I was expecting in terms of how it is laid out and set up. There were no tour guides or signage to let us know any facts or stories about what we were seeing, and I couldn’t believe how there were little to no barriers to keep you from falling off the edge.
The Grand Canyon is definitely something that everyone should see once, but I feel like my three hours there was more than enough time to get my fill. I wasn’t interested in a helicopter tour, rafting, or hiking that steep terrain, but I can definitely see how others would be.
The day went fast. It was a shared experience with a group of strangers. And ultimately, it’s not something you do everyday.
Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? Leave your stories in the comments below!
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I love how honest and transparent this article is! I had no idea there were no guides or barriers?! And that checkpoint sounds so scary. I’d love to go one day but will make sure it’s more tagged onto a different trip rather than going specifically!
Yes, even though it’s a big tourist attraction, it’s still a dangerous area, both in terms of terrain and security. I know that a lot of people travel to the canyon and stay nearby, but I can’t see myself wanting to do much more there besides visit the south rim briefly.
Beautiful photos!!