Guano Point

5 min read Updated November 2026 Compare all tours

Guano Point is the viewpoint on the Grand Canyon West shuttle loop where some day trips stop for lunch. It sits on a rocky knoll at the rim of the Hualapai Reservation, and from the top the canyon walls open up all round you; the operator calls it one of the most dramatic viewpoints of the Grand Canyon. The free hop-on, hop-off shuttle brings you here from Eagle Point and the main terminal, and private cars stay in the parking areas.

A mine on the canyon wall

The name comes from bat droppings. According to the operator, a cave of guano was discovered on the south side of the canyon wall in 1930. Guano was a sought-after ingredient at the time for fertiliser, for dynamite and even for make-up, and the U.S. Guano Corporation set out to bring it up to the rim.

In 1957 an aerial tramway was built across the canyon at a cost the operator puts at 3.5 million dollars. It spanned 7,500 feet and covered a height difference of 2,500 feet. The deposit did not last; the operator’s own pages disagree on how long mining went on, but it ended soon after the tramway was finished. The rusted remains of the tram towers still stand on the point, and an easy path leads to them.

The Highpoint Hike

At Guano Point a short, unpaved trail climbs to one of the highest accessible points in the area. The operator calls it the Highpoint Hike and rates it moderate. It also describes it plainly: no railings and no barriers. One tour page describes the climb as the way to see the Colorado River below.

The path to the tram remains and the start of the hike is a dirt road, and the operator’s accessibility page asks visitors to proceed with caution. The National Park Service advises at least six feet of distance and a close eye on small children. Do not throw anything into the canyon or take stones home; both are against the tribe’s rules, and drones are prohibited.

The operator gives no length or walking time for the trail. On hot days the National Weather Service lists heavy sweating, weakness, cool and clammy skin and a fast, weak pulse as signs of heat exhaustion; the advice is to move somewhere cool, loosen clothing and sip water. Our page on weather and what to wear covers the seasons.

Lunch at the point

The Guano Point Cafe serves barbecue with vegetarian options, and its outdoor seating looks out over the canyon on all sides. Outside food and drink are not permitted at Grand Canyon West, so this is one of the places to eat. The All-Access Pass includes a 10-dollar meal discount on a bill of at least 20 dollars, and the cafe is one of the places that accept it.

Several day trips from Las Vegas plan lunch here. One coach tour includes breakfast on the way, about three and a half hours at the canyon and time at both Eagle Point and Guano Point, with the Skywalk as an option. Reviews of that tour mention a guide who suggested visiting the Skywalk first to avoid the crowds, and a long day: one guest was back at the hotel 13 hours after setting off.

By coach, van or helicopter

The coach tours on the tour pages spend about an hour to an hour and a half at Guano Point. One aims to arrive early, about four hours at Grand Canyon West and a stop at Guano Point for its views in every direction. A small-group van trip with a later start reaches the rim in the afternoon and spends around two and a half hours there.

Helicopter flights from Las Vegas land at Grand Canyon West itself. One flight lands first at the bottom of the canyon and then at Grand Canyon West, with an estimated two hours on the ground for Eagle Point and Guano Point; the Skywalk costs extra. Another lands at the West Rim terminal and includes the shuttle to both viewpoints.

Back at Eagle Point are the Skywalk and the Native American Village. Our overview of tours from Las Vegas compares the coach trips in more detail.