Ultimate Guide to Horseshoe Bend + Lower Antelope Canyon

Page is roughly a 4 - 4.5-hour drive from Phoenix and Las Vegas which are the two most common starting points. We were slightly pressed for time and didn’t want the long road-trip so we opted to fly into Flagstaff (roughly a 2-hour drive) and it worked great for us. It’s a much smaller airport which tends to make it a bit pricier and with less direct flights than PHX or LAS, so it just depends on what you’re willing to spend. Personally, I thought the time it saved us made it worth spending a little more to fly into Flagstaff. However, if you’re looking for a road-trip then PHX or LAS are equally great options as well. That being said, you’ll definitely need to rent a car to get around. Be extra alert if you’re driving through the desert in the dark! Most roads in the desert have no lighting and hundreds of wild-life roaming around so be careful!

Luckily, when it comes to finding a place to stay Page is quite cheap. That said, being a small town in northern Arizona there aren’t a plethora of options. However, the few that they have are pleasantly nice and they’re all relatively close to everything. I will note that when looking for a hotel, it’s important to find one with breakfast included since there aren’t a lot of dining options in Page.

Horseshoe Bend, formed by the Colorado River, is an incised meander in the shape of a horseshoe. It is a truly remarkable site to see, but even more breathtaking at sunrise. We were debating if we should visit during sunrise or sunset, and after reading other blogs it was unanimously advised to visit during sunrise because the sunset can cause poor lighting and dark shadows leaving you with a less-desirable view.

Before you actually reach the canyon, there is a small uphill hike roughly about 15min, so we were definitely glad we brought some water. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a gorgeous colorful sunrise over Horseshoe Bend- it was totally surreal to say the least. There were only a handful of other people so it really felt like we had the whole place to ourselves and it was completely serene. All the colors from the sunrise beaming off of the rocks was stunning and pictures truly don’t do it justice. After taking in the views, we explored the surrounding area where you can casually walk around and/or climb a few rocks for fun- there are no hiking trails.

Visiting Horseshoe Bend at any time of day is honestly a treat, but if you’re able to make it for sunrise it’s totally worth the effort. When visiting, be mindful there are absolutely no fences/gates so be extremely careful exploring and especially if you have kids, there have been several life-ending accidents.

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon located on Navajo land just east of Page. The canyon includes two separate sections: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Upon researching, I was surprised to learn that the only way to visit the canyon was by a guided tour. The Antelope Canyon is protected by the Navajo Parks and Recreation and only authorized tour companies can guide visitors through the canyon. You can choose between the Upper Antelope Canyon or the Lower Antelope Canyon. Although the Upper Antelope Canyon is more popular, both canyons offer very similar experiences.

We opted to tour the Lower Antelope Canyon because it tends to be less crowded; easier to take photos, and slightly more affordable. There are two tour companies that will guide you through the Lower Antelope Canyon: Ken’s Tours and Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. The prices and tour times were comparable, but Dixie’s had better reviews and more available slots so we opted with them. We reserved our tickets a few months in advance and they were close to being completely sold out, so definitely reserve with as much time in advance as you can! When visiting, most are expecting to see those famous light beams shining down through the canyon. Although there’s no guarantee, your best chance would be somewhere between 11am-1pm depending on the weather of course. Regardless of the beams, it’s still an incredible tour.

We really enjoyed our tour with Dixie’s. We were in a group of about 15 people and our guide was absolutely wonderful. She offered to take numerous photos of us throughout the tour and showed us the best setting/filters on our iPhones for the best photos. When you first enter the canyon, you have to descend down very steep stairs and taking photos is forbidden due to safety. Once you make it down, your hour-long tour begins in which you learn about the formation of the canyon and take in the views. The tour was very crowded and felt like we were always waiting on others to take their photos, but overall it was a wonderful tour and we’re so glad we did it. The Lower Antelope Canyon is a truly remarkable gift of nature.

Horseshoe Bend and Lower Antelope Canyon were both incredibly beautiful and satisfying. We were completely gratified with our trip to Page. However, if I had the chance to do it again, I would try to cram in some time on Lake Powell. We were pretty bummed to miss out on some great paddle boarding! That being said, you really don’t need to spend more than 1-2 days if you’re just wanting to see the highlights of Page.