Grand Canyon West Airport (1G4), Arizona
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Grand Canyon West (GCW), also listed under local identifier 1G4, serves Peach Springs, Arizona, from a single paved runway near the western edge of Grand Canyon National Park. The field sits at 4,817 feet elevation and operates without a control tower, relying on CTAF for traffic coordination amid a mix of fixed-wing and rotary-wing activity. There is no customs facility onsite; aircraft requiring clearance route to Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS), roughly 65 nautical miles away. Business aviation traffic through GCW is light and drawn from FAA TFMSC data, reflecting the airport's role as a general aviation and tour-support field rather than a hub for scheduled or high-volume operations.
Runways
Grand Canyon West Airport has one paved runway, 17/35, 5,000 ft long and 75 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Grand Canyon West Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Harry Reid International (KLAS), 65 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Grand Canyon West Airport recorded 7 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in November. Business aviation traffic at GCW is concentrated in a single month, with November accounting for the majority of recorded operations in 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month November, 5 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Grand Canyon West Airport averages 30.2 days above 90°F in July, 14.4 freeze days in December and 0.1 snow days in February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 102.1°F, and December the coldest, at 55.4°F.
Weather station is 12.3 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Grand Canyon West Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, pavement strength and other notes.
Runway 17 is the calm wind runway.
REIL for runways 17 and 35, and MIRL for runway 17/35, are pilot-activated via CTAF.
PCR VALUE: 34/F/A/X/T
Attention: due to proximity to Grand Canyon National Park, see SFAR 50-2; pay particular attention to regulations for operations below 14,500 feet MSL.
Practice touch-and-go landings are not authorized.
Caution: high-speed fixed-wing and rotary-wing traffic operates in and in the vicinity of the airport.
Transient parking is located at the south end of the apron.
For clearance delivery, contact Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Grand Canyon West Airport has four airfields within 47 NM. The closest is Grand Canyon Bar Ten Airstrip, 32.73 NM northeast.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at 1G4
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$1,200.00 catering order at 1G4.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is there customs clearance available at GCW?
Grand Canyon West (GCW) does not have onsite customs service. The nearest customs facility is Harry Reid International Airport (KLAS), located approximately 65 nautical miles away. Operators requiring clearance into the United States should plan to route through KLAS rather than expecting service at GCW itself.
What kind of traffic pattern should pilots expect at GCW?
GCW carries a caution for high-speed fixed-wing and rotary-wing traffic in and around the airport, reflecting its mixed use by tour operators and general aviation. The field is non-towered, so pilots coordinate via CTAF. This mix of aircraft types operating at different speeds in the same airspace calls for extra vigilance in the pattern.
Are there special airspace considerations for operations near GCW?
Yes, GCW lies close to Grand Canyon National Park, and operators are directed to consult SFAR 50-2 for regulations governing flights below 14,500 feet MSL in the area. This special federal aviation regulation imposes specific requirements on aircraft operating at lower altitudes near the park boundary. Pilots should review SFAR 50-2 in detail before planning approaches or departures at GCW.
What is the runway configuration at Grand Canyon West Airport?
Grand Canyon West Airport (GCW) has a single paved runway, designated 17/35, measuring 5,000 feet long and 75 feet wide with an asphalt surface. Runway 17 is designated as the calm wind runway. Runway edge and threshold lighting, including REIL and MIRL on both ends, is pilot-activated through CTAF.