Guano Point: Awe-Inspiring Views and Mining History

Guano Point is a dramatic overlook at Grand Canyon West, owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe. The point's name comes from a bat guano mining operation in the 1930s. A short trail, known as the Highpoint Hike, encircles the old mine site on the rim, providing varied perspectives of the canyon.Visitors can see the remains of a tramway that was constructed to extract guano from a cave across the canyon. The U.S. Guano Corporation bought the mining rights in 1957 and built a $3.5 million tramway system to extract the guano. However, the predicted 100,000 tons of guano turned out to be closer to 1,000 tons, and the operation was abandoned by 1959. A U.S. Air Force fighter jet damaged the cable system, which was never repaired.For the Hualapai people, Guano Point is also a sacred place. According to oral stories, some Hualapai tribe members jumped off the edge to their deaths rather than be captured by the military. The Hualapai call these the lost souls. Today, Guano Point offers unparalleled views of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. With minimal barriers, the location provides a raw, unfiltered experience of the canyon's vastness.