Mar 16 2008
Grand Canyon West, owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe of Arizona, has welcomed thousands of visitors over the past two decades. Here are some interesting facts about Grand Canyon West, located West of the Grand Canyon National Park.1) When did Grand Canyon West Open?
Grand Canyon West shares its "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 a 2.5 to 3-hour drive (each way) east of Las Vegas, Nevada or northwest Williams, Arizona. It is also 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.
