Best Outdoor Adventures Around Page, AZ
Page, Arizona, is a small town with big time adventure! Located in southern Arizona near the border of Utah, Page is perhaps best known for being the gateway town to Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. From hiking to boating to exploring slot canyons, there’s something here for every outdoors lover. The best time to visit the Page area is basically anytime except mid-summer when it’s brutally hot. Check out these top outdoors activities to help plan your next trip to Page!
See Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is a place that you’re almost guaranteed to have seen on some postcard, guide book, or social media post, but it is popular for a reason. Horseshoe Bend is a prime example of an entrenched meander, which is a geological phenomenon that occurs when the land surrounding a river begins to rise up, causing an already meandering river to pick up speed and downcut deeper and deeper into the bedrock. In normal people's terms, it’s a sharp bend in a river surrounded by deep canyon walls. Horseshoe Bend is perhaps one of the most photogenic and easily accessible examples of this, only requiring a 1.5 mile round trip hike to see. The best times of day to see this are sunrise, sunset, and early morning; I would avoid mid-afternoon as the sun will be directly in your eyes and will wash out your pictures. Heads up that there is a small parking fee that your annual park pass will not cover.
Marvel at Antelope Canyon
If you ever saw the old Windows 7 wallpaper featuring swirling, colorful stone walls of reds, oranges, and purples and thought “I must see that”, then Antelope Canyon is where you need to go. Made famous by its stunning colors and incredible formations, Antelope Canyon is perhaps the world’s most intricate and beautiful slot canyon. The two most popular sections of the canyon are the Lower Canyon and the Upper Canyon, which can be accessed via tours offered by the Navajo / Diné Nation, whose land this canyon is on (to be more accurate, the entire area is traditionally Navajo land that was stolen). Other nearby slot canyon alternatives include Canyon X and Cardiac Canyon, both of which also require tour reservations but are quieter and less popular than the Upper and Lower Canyons. I wrote a separate blog post detailing instructions on how to visit Antelope Canyon so I won’t get into it now, but you can check it out here.
Of note, the Navajo / Diné Nation has been kind enough to allow the public to see this magical place. Follow all instructions given by your guide and please show this place and its caretakers the respect they deserve.
Spend the day on Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a massive man-made lake created by the Glen Canyon Dam and spread out along the Arizona-Utah border. Located within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, it offers a plethora of outdoor recreation such as camping, kayaking, boat tours, and house boating. There are multiple marinas spread out along the lake that offer boat and other watercraft rentals; however, keep in mind that not all the marinas may be open or accessible due to recurrent low water levels. Some fun activities to do on the lake include kayaking to a different part of Antelope Canyon, taking a boat tour to the Rainbow Bridge National Monument, or renting a boat to explore the lake’s side canyons yourself.
Hike to the Toadstool Hoodoos
Just outside of Page within the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is a trail that will take you to some unique hoodoos. Unlike the famous hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, the Entrada sandstone rock formations here are capped with a rock “hat” made of Dakota Sandstone. Not only does the trail let you walk right up to the toadstools but there are some incredible views to the colorful badlands in the valley below. For more details on this trail check out this blog post.
Check out historic Lees Ferry
Lees Ferry is the historic jumping off point for river rafting trips on the Colorado through the Grand Canyon. There are several things to do in this area including checking out the Navajo Bridge, observing the endangered California Condors, hiking, boat tours, and kayak rentals. Lees Ferry is one of my favorite places in this area. Take a hike up the short but strenuous Spencer Trail for awe-inspiring views over the river and Vermilion Cliffs or hire a boat to shuttle or “backhaul” you up river to Horseshoe Bend where you can check out the famous landmark from below before kayaking back to Lees Ferry. There are a couple of companies that offer this service including Lee’s Ferry on the Fly and Kayak Horseshoe Bend.
Hike through Buckskin Gulch
About 1 hour from Page is one of the best slot canyon hikes in the world, Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch. It’s also one of the longest slot canyons in the world, stretching over 20 miles! The canyon’s passageways are windy with waves in the walls that cause the light waves to reflect and bounce around, highlighting the canyon’s various colors and features. It brings about a sense of childlike wonder. However far you choose to hike through the gulch, you’re sure to have a fun time!
This is just a small sampling of some of the amazing outdoor activities you can do in and around Page, Arizona. I've visited the area several times and I still have so much I still want to do! Save this post for your own trip!
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