The National Parks in America are closed thanks to the government shutdown. Will this affect your trip to the Grand Canyon? Well, if you are planning on taking a tour, especially an aerial tour, it may not affect your plans at all.
The South Rim is definitely closed. That is where the main gates are located, near the city of Tusayan in Arizona. Fortunately, the West Rim is not actually located on Park land so it is still open and conducting operations as normal.
West Rim Tours
Therefore, if you plan to take a tour to the West Rim out of Vegas, you don't have to worry about the government shutdown. The West Rim is only about 100 miles from Vegas so it is a quick 2-hour drive. You could also go by plane and get there in thirty minutes or by chopper and get there in 45.
However, you won't be able to fly to the South Rim from Vegas until the Park is back in operation. There is also no flight to the South Rim from the West Rim. You can still see the South Rim by catching a flight out of a city in Arizona, otherwise, you will have to wait until the government shutdown is over if you want to depart from Vegas. So if you really want to take an aerial tour of the South Rim, you will have to look for a flight out of a city like Sedona, Flagstaff, or Phoenix.
Tours Of The South Rim
You can take two kinds of South Rim aerial tours. You can take a plane ride that lasts almost an hour and flies over spectacular landmarks from the South to the North Rim and the eastern edge of the Park. You can also opt to take a helicopter ride that covers the same ground. You can also take a shorter version of the helicopter tour that only lasts around a half an hour. You will see fantastic panoramic views and many unusual rock formations on these air tours. The choppers and planes cover the same ground but the choppers fly lower so you have a better view. However, the helicopter tours are more expensive.
Fun Things To Do
When it comes to choices, tours to the West Rim out of Vegas offer you plenty of things to do. Since Grand Canyon West is operating as usual, you can catch a bus tour as well as airplane and helicopter tours. You can even take landing tours there. The landing tours are really popular because you get a more personal experience of the canyon and you get to do fun things like walk out on a glass bridge over the canyon. Of course, the air-only tours are exciting since you get to soar over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and many interesting and beautiful rock formations.
There is one popular tour at the West Rim you should look into. It includes a helicopter ride to the floor of the canyon where you can enjoy a champagne picnic. You could also take an exciting airplane tour that stops at the Grand Canyon West Airport on top of the rim and gives you the opportunity to explore the area for about three hours. You could take a walk on the Skywalk if you dare, or go to the bottom of the canyon for a relaxing raft ride on the gentle waters of the Colorado River.
Conclusion
It is nice to know you won't have to worry about the tours in the Grand Canyon being shut down. Don't even worry about the government shutdown. Don't let the shutdown ruin your trip. Before you go, understand how the tours are operating, especially if you want to go to the South Rim. Remember the main gates to the Grand Canyon National Park are closed so if you want to see the South Rim region of the canyon, you have to do it by air. The tours in operation are as popular as ever and fill up fast. Book your seats early or you might get shut out and miss a good opportunity to see some truly amazing natural scenery. Go to the tour operator's website to buy your tickets because you will get an Internet discount that will save money on your tour.
The South Rim is definitely closed. That is where the main gates are located, near the city of Tusayan in Arizona. Fortunately, the West Rim is not actually located on Park land so it is still open and conducting operations as normal.
West Rim Tours
Therefore, if you plan to take a tour to the West Rim out of Vegas, you don't have to worry about the government shutdown. The West Rim is only about 100 miles from Vegas so it is a quick 2-hour drive. You could also go by plane and get there in thirty minutes or by chopper and get there in 45.
However, you won't be able to fly to the South Rim from Vegas until the Park is back in operation. There is also no flight to the South Rim from the West Rim. You can still see the South Rim by catching a flight out of a city in Arizona, otherwise, you will have to wait until the government shutdown is over if you want to depart from Vegas. So if you really want to take an aerial tour of the South Rim, you will have to look for a flight out of a city like Sedona, Flagstaff, or Phoenix.
Tours Of The South Rim
You can take two kinds of South Rim aerial tours. You can take a plane ride that lasts almost an hour and flies over spectacular landmarks from the South to the North Rim and the eastern edge of the Park. You can also opt to take a helicopter ride that covers the same ground. You can also take a shorter version of the helicopter tour that only lasts around a half an hour. You will see fantastic panoramic views and many unusual rock formations on these air tours. The choppers and planes cover the same ground but the choppers fly lower so you have a better view. However, the helicopter tours are more expensive.
Fun Things To Do
When it comes to choices, tours to the West Rim out of Vegas offer you plenty of things to do. Since Grand Canyon West is operating as usual, you can catch a bus tour as well as airplane and helicopter tours. You can even take landing tours there. The landing tours are really popular because you get a more personal experience of the canyon and you get to do fun things like walk out on a glass bridge over the canyon. Of course, the air-only tours are exciting since you get to soar over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and many interesting and beautiful rock formations.
There is one popular tour at the West Rim you should look into. It includes a helicopter ride to the floor of the canyon where you can enjoy a champagne picnic. You could also take an exciting airplane tour that stops at the Grand Canyon West Airport on top of the rim and gives you the opportunity to explore the area for about three hours. You could take a walk on the Skywalk if you dare, or go to the bottom of the canyon for a relaxing raft ride on the gentle waters of the Colorado River.
Conclusion
It is nice to know you won't have to worry about the tours in the Grand Canyon being shut down. Don't even worry about the government shutdown. Don't let the shutdown ruin your trip. Before you go, understand how the tours are operating, especially if you want to go to the South Rim. Remember the main gates to the Grand Canyon National Park are closed so if you want to see the South Rim region of the canyon, you have to do it by air. The tours in operation are as popular as ever and fill up fast. Book your seats early or you might get shut out and miss a good opportunity to see some truly amazing natural scenery. Go to the tour operator's website to buy your tickets because you will get an Internet discount that will save money on your tour.