By Lindsey Collom
The Republic | azcentral.com Tue Jun 11, 2013 6:55 PM
An alternate route to Grand Canyon Skywalk opened Tuesday afternoon, bypassing a portion of the main road to the Hualapai Tribe attraction that was barricaded last week by a dude rancher who said his business was harmed by tourist traffic cutting through his property.
The Hualapai Tribe obtained a permit Tuesday morning from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management that allowed crews to complete the final grading of the bypass route on federal land near the dude ranch.
In a statement issued by the tribe, Chairwoman Sherry Counts thanked U.S. Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Arizona, and Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, for their influence in fast-tracking the permit process.
“These elected officials took a stand for tourism and for the safety of all visitors to the Grand Canyon,” Counts said. “On behalf of the Hualapai people, and the thousands of tourists who come to this region every day, I’m very grateful for their leadership.”
Grand Canyon Ranch Resort owner Nigel Turner said he will protest the BLM action.
Turner closed Diamond Bar Road to tourist traffic on June 5 to protest what he claims is the federal government’s failure to abide by the terms of a 2007 settlement involving a permanent road now under construction. In May, he asked a federal judge to enforce the terms of the settlement. A ruling is expected later this week.
Scores of tourists over the years have driven the unpaved, winding road through Turner’s ranch. Unless arriving by air or four-wheel drive, visitors have had no other option but to take Diamond Bar Road to reach the West Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Visitors accessed the road for free until May 25, when Turner began imposing a toll on the one-mile stretch that crosses his property. Armed guards had been enforcing the toll of $20 per person or $500 per tour bus.
Turner contends that he is well within his rights as a private landowner, and that his business has suffered as a result of the traffic and the noise from construction of the new permanent road. The working dude ranch attracts between 400 and 500 visitors a day and accommodates about 40 overnight guests, many from overseas, Turner said.
He was arrested last week on a misdemeanor count of threatening and intimidating. His arrest stemmed from an incident with a construction worker near the roadblock. Turner was released within hours after posting bond.