Hi ladies and gents! I said Witnessing Horseshoe Bend “in real life” in the title for this post because I feel like I see it on the Tube ALL the time. It’s plastered all over social media and other places in Page are the same. Let’s take for instance, Antelope Canyon. If you’re following any hiking or desert-themed channels, you’ve more than likely seen pictures of this beautiful and unique slot canyon…but it’s not the only one. So let me get into a few of the places we went while passing through Page and why you don’t have to stand in tour groups to experience all of what northern Arizona has to offer. 🤷♀️
Horseshoe Bend Trail Tips + Things to Do in Page, Arizona
Page is located in the very tippy top of the state, near Lake Powell (one of the largest man-made lakes in the entire world!) and about 2.5 hours from St. George, Utah (which is where we were staying when we visited this area). Page is a nice place to stop for a day trip since it’s not a super long trip and has so many activities to offer. Check out the link above to read about how many water sports and other activities are available at Lake Powell specifically!
If you want to check out Horseshoe Bend, it’s a short walk from a parking lot right off the highway, on a nice boarded walkway with little shade huts along the 1.5-ish mile trail. This is a huge stop for tourists since it’s so easy to get to, so be prepared to see large crowds and a full parking lot. Speaking of the parking lot, this is the only stop to use the bathrooms, so make sure you go before you head onto the trail!
Horseshoe Bend in Real Life: Hot, Busy, and Still Worth It
I would recommend going early if you’re able, since the sun beats on you the entire time you’re walking. You can pop in and out of the shade structures to get a sun break, but I wouldn’t rely on them being empty with all of the people coming and going from all over the world. We were only here for about an hour, but I’m happy to have included it in our travels and not skipped it over because of it being busy.
Once you get to the end of the walkway, there’s a little area to overlook Horseshoe Bend. It really is awe-inspiring especially after you see how much bigger it is than in the pictures online. You could even see tiny boats on the Colorado River (see pic above), making their way through the Bend on a tour, while others stopped on the little beach to get some rest.
Get Your Guide is a great site to book tickets to tours and other activities on, check it out when you have time to book your next adventure outdoors!😎🤙
Would I go here again? Maybe. If my future kids wanted to stop and if we were passing through. It was a nice, quick stop to view something epic, but if I had no reason to, I probably wouldn’t make a second trip. There’s just so much more to see that doesn’t require crowds. So, if you’re in the area and want a quick hour or so activity, check it out and snap some pics of your own to share online like I did. 🙂👇
Willis Creek Over Antelope Canyon? Here’s Why
Page, Arizona has so much more to offer than Antelope Canyon though, which I feel like is the only thing I usually see it associated with. Although we did not visit this canyon, we do plan on making reservations for it in the future when we’re back out that way. (Yes, reservations are required, which you will need to book in advance through a Navajo-approved tour company).
We have done some research though which I’ll share with you briefly since we’re already on the subject. 🥳
The upper part of the canyon is recommended for those looking to see those epic shots in person, and typically offer a less intense walk/hike through the trail. (Just an FYI, most of the shots you see online have been altered in color or filters. While the hike still looks awesome, don’t get your hopes up to see the intense colors you may see in photos).
Another Option…
While you can visit the Lower section instead to save a little on reservations, you may not see as many cool areas in the canyon, but what you will be offered is a more adventurous and unique experience sprinkled with a little bit of scrambling. (This sounds way more fun and less crowded in my opinion!)
Instead, I recommend checking out Willis Creek Slot Canyon. It’s accessed by four-wheeling down a rugged gravel road, where you come to a small parking lot. Then, you can hike down into the dry creek bed that offers views of its own slot canyon sections and wide washes. Honestly, the drive was half the fun. One of my favorite things to do while in these areas (as long as we have gas, water, and downloaded maps before losing cell service), is finding these far-out rugged roads that allow us to get to less busy hikes.
Willis Creek Trail Details: Distance, Access & Timing Tips
Just make sure when renting a vehicle from wherever you choose, (we currently use Enterprise), that you opt for the 4×4 option just in case you find cool places to go like this one that requires a little more of a rugged road.
This canyon was awesome to hike into. We only saw 1 or 2 other couples that passed us coming out, as we started this a little later in the day around 1pm. (If you do end up trying this hike, I’d recommend starting sooner so that you have more time to allow for the drive in and the hike itself. We found it on a whim, which crunched us a bit for time).
We spent a few hours walking through the canyon, before we got to a big wall that would make us turn either left or right. After deciding that was enough for the day, we headed back toward the trailhead. We didn’t have a gps device with us back then, and our watches had no charge left so we were assuming this was the end. (This trail is approximately 6 miles out and back for reference).
Wildlife, Water, and Knowing When to Call It a Day
We stopped there even though we had the stamina to keep going, because we were running low on water and snacks. It was also super hot out at this time of day, even though we had a decent amount of shade from the canyon walls. Could we have gone farther? Yes, but we probably would have struggled after running out of water in the desert heat. (Yes! This is *still* the desert, peeps!)
Along the way, we were lucky enough to spot a small rattlesnake rustling in the brush on the side of the dry riverbed. While safety should always come first, it’s still amazing to be able to view the wildlife in their natural habitats as a spectator observing their beauty. (We saw two snakes on our way up Wilson Mountain! This post is right around the corner, so hang out if you wanna hear about our long 16 mile journey!)
Trail Safety, Scrambling, and What a ‘Wash’ Really Means
Knowing your limits is a huge part of hiking. If you stay aware of what is needed for each hike ahead of time, you’ll be better prepared and won’t have to be concerned about putting yourself or your party in a compromising position.
We’ve learned a lot since then, which I’d love to continue sharing with you! Stick around for future travel checklists and guides on hiking. 🙌
Fun Hiking Terms To Know! 👇
Wash: A dry creek bed or gulch that lacks flowing water (but can fill up quickly with the right weather conditions). Great for hiking through when dry, but bad *and dangerous* for getting stuck in when it’s storming! Please use caution if you find yourself in one of these! ‼️
Scrambling: The action of scrambling (usually with your hands and feet), over rough or especially steep terrain.
PS! My favorite map (at this time) to download for trails is AllTrails.
(You can check out my hikes by following me on the app through this link!).
I know there’s a few others out there that are used, but I’m still getting used to this one. I would like to spend some more time learning others before using them in the wild. The hubs uses Gaia, which allows us a great opportunity to navigate with both when one is sending us off in weird directions. I recommend having at least 2 different apps to download maps from, so that you can rest assured you’ll not end up in the middle of nowhere far away from a trail. 😬
If a day trip is on your schedule (or if nothing is on your schedule because you like to fly by the seat of your pants), make sure to include these two if you’re passing through. Even though the canyon is around 3 hours away from Horseshoe Bend, we were still able to complete both and get back to St. George in the same day.
Itinerary Recap: Horseshoe Bend and Willis Creek
To recap:
St. George to Horseshoe Bend: Approximately 2.5 hours drive, 1.5 hours there.
Horseshoe Bend to Willis Creek Slot Canyon: Approximately 3 hours drive, 2-3 hours there.
Willis Creek Slot Canyon to St. George: Approximately 2.5 hours drive.
Yes, correct. You may be thinking this is an obscene amount of driving time in one day. *And I would agree.*
But back when we were fresh into the hiking scene, we always thought places on the map were way closer than they were in real life. This meant poor planning and additional wasted hours driving. Instead of time we could have spent on a longer trail or doing another activity.
We stopped less at restaurants and indulged in more gas station snacks back then. Which would explain why we tired out faster. And why we were much more sore from the lack of proper protein to fuel our bodies. While we saved on time stopping for these snacks, we missed out on recharging with healthy meals at actual restaurants.
If I were to do these two again, I would split them into two separate days and try to stick to activities closer to their respective areas. You can do this road trip in a day, but I would recommend starting your drive around 5am and not expecting to get back til around 7pm if so.
Until next week friends, see you then! ✌️😊
Thanks for reading “Witnessing Horseshoe Bend IRL & Four – Wheeling To The Willis Creek Slot Canyon”!
I’m so glad you came along for this little adventure through Page, Horseshoe Bend, and beyond. Whether you’re planning your own trip or just living vicariously for now, I hope this post gave you something helpful (or at least made you laugh a little).
Stick around for more trail tips, travel recaps, and lessons we’ve learned the hard way — so maybe you don’t have to. ✌️😊
