Stockton Hill Road To Grand Canyon West

​Stockton Hill Road runs north from Kingman, Arizona to the Hualapai Grand Canyon West Resort Area and Lake Mead. This road passes through some interesting Mojave Desert farm and ranch land along the way.  Some old time western resorts can be found along this road too, which adds to the charm.

After passing through the lengthy valley of ranches and farms, the trek starts going uphill into a region of towering bluffs and eroded mesas. The closer that one gets to the Colorado River Basin, the more majestic the landscape becomes. This region is a true outdoorsmen’s paradise where getting back to nature wild west style is easy to do!

When driving down Stockton Hill Road, several old classic western ranch resorts can be seen along the way. These traditional western ranch resorts have not changed much since the golden age of automobile touring, when the king of all roads was Route 66. The ranch lodges are a great option for those who plan to explore all that this region has to offer in a traditional way. There are plenty of mountain biking trails, pony rides for the kids and the horseback rides through the picturesque Grand Canyon West region are what these resorts are famous for. It is the old west experience that most foreign travelers seek and the old time Grand Canyon West ranches certainly cater to this crowd. One of the ranch lodges even has an English Pub, which will surely please the British tourists that long for a brew from back home.   

There is a fork at the end of Stockton Hill Road that goes to either Meadview by Lake Mead or to the Hualapai Grand Canyon West resort area. The Hualapai Nation Grand Canyon West complex has become a major tourist destination in recent years and the main attraction is the Skywalk. The Grand Canyon Skywalk is a horseshoe shaped glass platform that extends over the rim of the canyon. The Hualapai Grand Canyon West experience also includes Eagle Point, Guano Point, the entertaining Hualapai Ranch and a full scale airport that features helicopter tours. 

Traveling back to Kingman at the end of the day will reward travelers on Stockton Hill Road with great views of the sunset. The sun can be blinding when heading south, but as the sun rolls over the edge of the earth, the sky becomes filled with vivid bright colors and it will be difficult to resist pulling off the road to view this magnificent sight!  

Another sight to keep an eye out in this region also occurs just after sundown. Shortly after dusk during the spring season, many reptiles seek the warmth of the sun baked pavement as the cool night temperatures fill the air. The orange color Ground Snake in the photo above is a good example. Arizona Ground Snakes come in many different colors and the orange and white varieties look as pretty as can be. Ground Snakes are not venomous, so there is no need to panic if one is encountered.  In fact Ground Snakes actually prey on bugs, so they are good to have around.

The Stockton Hill Road scenic drive definitely is for visitors that are interested in doing the Hualapai Grand Canyon Skywalk and for those who seek the old traditional western ranch resort experience. Just pack up the car, fill up the tank and get the show on the road, because Stockton Hill Road is the gateway to to Grand Canyon West adventures!