Type “did evel” into the Google search bar and it autocompletes with “did evel knievel jump the grand canyon.” Let’s cut the clickbait. The quick answer is a firm no. But many are confused or misremembering a notorious stunt over a different canyon, which happened 50 years ago this week.
🏍️ Thrill Seeker
Evel Knievel, a stunt artist who became a household name for flashy motorcycle jumps — and the broken bones that often came with failed attempts — talked openly in the press about wanting to jump the Grand Canyon in the late ‘60s. However, it wasn’t something likely to gain approval by federal authorities in what is mostly a national park.
🐍 The Snake River Canyon Jump
Knievel found an alternative, opting to jump Snake River Canyon outside Twin Falls, Idaho in 1973. Instead of using his usual motorcycle, the stuntman opted for the Skycycle X-2, a custom steam-powered rocket. The spectacle made national headlines and was broadcast on network television to an audience of millions.
The Skycycle X-2 launches at Snake River Canyon in 1973. (Bettman/Getty)
🚀 How Did It Go?
The stunt was a dud. A safety parachute attached to the rocket accidentally deployed upon launch and the vehicle faced wind resistance. Knievel spiraled to the bottom of the canyon, just missing the Snake River, but surviving the crash-landing. The jump site at Snake River Canyon remains a tourist attraction today.
⛲ Caesars Spill-Out
Some of the confusion over the Grand Canyon may stem from Evel Knievel’s close association to Las Vegas. His most famous motorcycle jump took place at Caesars Palace in 1967, although that one was incomplete too. He jumped the resort’s fountain, but crashed upon landing and was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Jumping the Caesars Palace fountain in 1967. (Bettman/Getty)
🎰 A Vegas Icon
Knievel only had one other jump in Vegas — actually a series of jumps leading to one over 13 vans inside the Convention Center in 1973. Yet he still feels like one of our own — thanks in part to a daredevil spirit that matches the local ethos. So it’s no surprise the Evel Knievel Museum is coming to the Downtown Arts District in 2025. In the meantime, order a slice at Evel Pie, a Fremont East pizzeria decorated with memorabilia. (The Snake River special is made with rattlesnake sausage.) It’s also worth noting that Evel Knievel returned to Caesars Palace to marry his second wife in 1999.
👀 Did anyone ever jump the Grand Canyon?
Son Robbie Knievel followed in his dad’s tire tracks as a daredevil himself. His presence in Vegas was even stronger, surpassing his father’s legacy with jumps over the Caesars Palace fountain, above 30 limousines at the Tropicana, between the two Jockey Club towers, and in front of the Mirage volcano. And yes, he did jump a portion of the Grand Canyon near the West Rim in 1999.
