Day Trip: Page, Arizona
- Location
- Page, AZ, beside Glen Canyon Dam and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Glen Canyon fee
- $30 per private vehicle per week; $55 annual pass; no cash
- Horseshoe Bend
- $10 parking per car, truck or RV (City of Page); park passes not accepted
- Bend hours
- Sunrise to sunset (times may vary)
- Antelope Canyon
- Guided tours only; $15 Navajo Parks entry fee per person plus tour cost
- Visitor center
- Carl Hayden VC at the dam: 9-5 MST to Nov 2; 9-4 MST from Nov 3
About
Page sits beside Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Much of the land around it belongs to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which is run by the National Park Service. The Carl Hayden Visitor Center is at the dam, and Glen Canyon Conservancy's Flagship store is in town.
Horseshoe Bend is about 5 miles south of the Carl Hayden Visitor Center, off U.S. 89. Here the Colorado River makes a roughly 1,000-foot-deep, 270-degree curve. The Park Service explains that the Colorado Plateau uplifted about 5 million years ago and trapped the river in its winding bed. The overlook is inside Glen Canyon NRA, but the parking lot is on City of Page land.
Antelope Canyon is managed by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation in the LeChee Chapter, near Page. Its Navajo name, Tse'bighanilini, means "the place where water runs through rocks."
What to expect
At Horseshoe Bend you pay at the city's booth, then walk 1.5 miles round trip on a hardened, ABA-compliant path with 137 feet of elevation gain. The city says it takes about 20 minutes each way. There are two shade structures on the trail but none at the overlook, and no toilets past the parking lot. Part of the overlook has been fenced since 2018, but much of the rim is exposed.
Antelope Canyon requires a booking with one of the tour operators listed by Navajo Parks. Upper Antelope sits at about 4,000 feet, with walls rising 660 feet and a wider, A-shaped floor. Visits there have a two-hour limit. Lower Antelope is a narrow V-shaped slot with stairs, and Navajo Parks says it is not for anyone claustrophobic.
Plan the trip
Good to know
- Glen Canyon NRA does not accept cash. Entry is $30 per private vehicle per week.
- There is no parking anywhere along U.S. 89 near Horseshoe Bend. Vehicles there are ticketed and towed, and the city bans passenger drop-offs and pickups at the entrance.
- Horseshoe Bend parking takes cash or a physical card, with no tap payments, discounts or refunds. America the Beautiful passes do not apply.
- Dogs are prohibited at all Navajo Tribal Parks, including Antelope Canyon. Leashed dogs are allowed on the Horseshoe Bend trail.
- Navajo Tribal Parks close on major holidays and on Navajo Nation Family Day, the day after Thanksgiving.
- Drones are banned on the Horseshoe Bend trail and across Glen Canyon NRA without written approval from the superintendent.
Questions about Page, Arizona
Do I need a tour to see Antelope Canyon?
Yes. Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation says guides are mandatory at every Antelope Canyon location. You book with one of the operators it lists. There is a $15 entry fee per person, per location, per day, and the tour itself costs extra. Navajo Parks is not issuing photography or filming permits for Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon.
Does my national park pass cover Horseshoe Bend parking?
No. The overlook is inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but the parking lot belongs to the City of Page, which charges $10 per car, truck or RV. The city does not accept America the Beautiful or Glen Canyon passes, offers no discounts or refunds, and takes cash or a physical card.
How long is the Horseshoe Bend hike?
The trail is 1.5 miles round trip with 137 feet of elevation gain. The city says it takes about 20 minutes each way on a packed, mostly flat path that works for wheelchairs and strollers. Bring water and sun protection. Summer temperatures can top 100°F, and there is little shade apart from two structures along the trail.
When is the Carl Hayden Visitor Center open?
The visitor center at Glen Canyon Dam is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time through November 2. From November 3 to March 1 it is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area itself is open 24 hours a day.
Which part of Antelope Canyon is easier to walk?
Navajo Parks describes Upper Antelope Canyon as roomier, with an A-shaped floor that is wider at the bottom and easier to move through. Lower Antelope Canyon is V-shaped and narrow, with stairs that are harder to manage. Navajo Parks says Lower Antelope is not suited to anyone who is claustrophobic.