ARIZONA NEWS

Grand Canyon Skywalk shuts down temporarily to guard against virus

Mar 18, 2020, 4:15 AM | Updated: 7:43 pm

(AP Photo)...

(AP Photo)

(AP Photo)

PHOENIX – The popular Grand Canyon Skywalk and other tourist-related operations run through Grand Canyon West will be closed temporarily in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the parent company said Tuesday.

Shutdown begins Wednesday.

The decision comes the day after the White House announced stricter guidelines to be followed for the next two weeks.

Among the new recommendations: Over the next half month, Americans should not gather in groups of more than 10 people, schooling should be at home and discretionary travel and social visits should be avoided.

The skywalk celebrated its 10 millionth visitor in early January.

“At this point in the coronavirus outbreak, there’s too much uncertainty for us to risk the health of our guests and the people we work with on a daily basis,” Colin McBeath, CEO of the Grand Canyon Resort Corporation, said in a press release.

Employees, more than 500, will be paid during the break, McBeath said.

Colorado River tours, the Zip Line and Hualapai Ranch and the Hualapai Lodge are also shut down.

The Lodge’s Diamond Creek restaurant will remain open for takeout orders from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Walapai Market on Route 66 will also continue to operate normal hours.

McBeath said no workers or visitors had reported testing positive for COVID-19.

“At this point, our plan is to reevaluate the situation in two weeks and decide then on an appropriate timetable for reopening,” he said.

The skywalk is located on the West Rim about 90 minutes north of Kingman on the Hualapai reservation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Grand Canyon Skywalk shuts down temporarily to guard against virus