It was hard to leave Antelope Canyon X, like literally exhausting walking up and out of that canyon. With that 2:30pm Arizona sun beating down on us, and the heat radiating up from the sand and the sides of the canyon it felt like an oven. The actual temperature was 103 degrees and it had to of been at least 5 or more degrees warmer as we walked out of the canyon. And by that point of the tour we were down to our last few sips of water, my best advice, conserve your water for your walk up and out of the canyon. And take your time walking up, continue to embrace the beauty and breathe, in through the nose and out through the mouth…don’t over exhaust yourself because there will still be some daylight left (I believe their latest tour time is 2 or 3pm) and there’s SO MUCH of Arizona to see! Our next stop is Horseshoe Bend!
What is Horseshoe Bend?
Horseshoe bend is located in Page, Arizona. The majority of the tourist attraction including the parking lot, trail and overlook are on Navajo land. It is considered the East Rim of the Grand Canyon and the shape was made possible by the incised meander of the Colorado River. Horseshoe Bend is in close proximity to Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Damn, and the Antelope Canyon/slot canyons, (so be sure to hit all 4 while you’re in the area…you could really just make a day or weekend of it at Page). From the parking lot, the trail to the overlook is roughly 1.5 round trip. The overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level and the river is 3, 200 feet above sea level, thus it’s a 1,000-foot drop. And the view, omg, it’s breathtaking!
Horseshoe Bend
Address: Highway 89, Page, AZ 86040
Phone: (928) 608-6200
Website: https://horseshoebend.com/
The trail is lovely, the gravel walk is comfortable and ADA/stroller accessible. And there are a few spots to rest, two if memory serves me correctly, with gorgeous views, but the benches are only on one side and the shade is only on one side…I’m just curious as to why they wouldn’t have the benches on both sides and the overhang extend in order to provide more shade. And I’m not quite understanding why they put pavers stones at the observation lookout, those pavers were so much hotter than the gravel, it felt like we were being cooked slowly as we looked out. I did appreciate the view, I didn’t want to leave…well, the soles of my shoes felt like they were melting, and each minute I stood there that Colorado river water just looked more inviting! So alas we made our journey back to the car, then stopped at Wal-Mart for more water, and then the plan was to swim as soon as we got back…
Tomorrow’s agenda…get up early, pack up the car, checkout, and head to Meteor Crater!!!
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 