Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon from Sedona

A road trip to Arizona cannot be complete without a visit to the two famous Arizona attractions: Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Chances are if you have social media you’ve seen pictures of both of these magnificent structures. Trust me when I say they are even more incredible in person. You have to go for yourself to see them and believe it!

Luckily, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are in close proximity to each other, making it very easy to visit both in one day. After visiting these epic places on a day trip from Sedona, I’m here to share my experience and tips so that you can plan your own trip!

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Where Can I Find Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon?

Page, Arizona is home to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend and located in Northern Arizona near the Utah border. Page is a small town, but gets a lot of visitors because of its close proximity to Grand Canyon National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Antelope Canyon. There is so much to do in Page, it has become a vacation destination for outdoor lovers and a great starting point for national park enthusiasts.

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How to Get to Page from Sedona?

The fastest route from Sedona to Page is by car. A non stop drive will take approximately 3 hours and is a distance of 163 miles.

My first stop was Horseshoe Bend for sunrise. Horseshoe Bend is located just outside of Page, Arizona. In order to make it to Horseshoe bend for Sunrise, I was on the road by 3 AM to begin my journey. This magnificent bend in the Colorado River sits below Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. It is truly a sight to behold!

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Horseshoe Bend

I have heard that Horseshoe Bend is absolutely beautiful at sunrise and also less crowded than at sunset. I booked my tour for Antelope Canyon at 11 AM, so I decided I wanted to go to Horseshoe Bend early in the morning before the crowds.

When arriving to Horseshoe Bend, you will see a dirt parking lot on the side of the road where you can pull over and find a spot. You then must hike into the bend on a dirt pathway, which takes about 10-15 minutes depending on your physical fitness. It can be somewhat steep to some so bring water because it can get pretty hot depending on the time of year you go.

Once you make it to the bend you’re rewarded with an absolutely stunning sight. Horseshoe bend is an amazing, natural sight and a wondrous scene that really does take your breath away! For now, it remains quite an off the beaten path attraction. There is no observation deck, fees to visit and no handrail or fencing to keep you away from the edge. This is something important to note for those that plan to bring children.

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Horseshoe Bend Tips:

• Wear comfortable shoes but if you’re not wearing hiking boots, don’t worry. I wore flats and had no problem.
• Arrive for sunrise or after 10 AM to avoid a huge overcast shadow over the bend. We noticed between 8-10 AM that the shadow really put a damper on taking any decent photos.
• If you’re not a morning person try visiting Horseshoe Bend around 12-1 PM, the crowds seem to die down around this time and the Bend is quieter. Beware that it may be very hot around this time, depending what time of year you visit.
• Be prepared for the possibility of strong winds. During my visit I experienced this and actually had to end up leaving because it was so bad. Sand was pelting people and we had to eventually leave because it was unbearable.
• There are absolutely no railings around the edge of Horseshoe Bend. Proceed to the edge of the canyon with caution! Just over that edge is a longgggggg fall straight down into the Colorado River.
• Dogs are allowed, but need to be on a leash.
• There is no fee to visit Horseshoe Bend and parking is also free.

 

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Alternative Ways to Experience Horseshoe Bend

If you’re spending more time in Page and you’re looking for different ways to view Horseshoe Bend here are a few options:

• Kayak or Canoe on the Colorado River and around Horseshoe Bend for a view from the bottom
• Rent a boat or jet ski and cruise down Lake Powell and experience the Bend from the water – check out Antelope Point Marina or Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas for rental opportunities
• Experience Horseshoe Bend from the sky with a helicopter or airplane ride
• Take a Colorado River Discovery raft tour, that starts on Lake Powell and takes you to Horseshoe Bend

For more information, click here for a complete list of recommendations, tour options, and pricing.

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Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon located on Navajo land in Page, Arizona. While not the only slot canyon in the area, it is the most photographed. There are two sections of Antelope Canyon, Upper and Lower.

The Lower Antelope Canyon is underground, narrow and requires you to climb down ladders, whereas Upper Antelope Canyon is above ground and wider. Upper Antelope Canyon is the more famous of the two canyons but is more expensive. Regardless of which one you chose — with its glowing, red canyon walls and beams of light shining through the dusty air, both Canyons are breathtaking.

We decided on Lower Antelope Canyon, as opposed to Upper Antelope Canyon, although both appear to be equally beautiful. As you begin to research Antelope Canyon tours you will no doubt find many options. You cannot enter the canyon without booking a tour! We booked a tour with Ken’s Tours, which cost $40 plus an $8 Navajo Park fee and had to all be paid in cash the day of. Yes, the tour is crowded and can even feel very rushed, but you will be spending it feeling in total awe of the beauty of the canyon. It will not disappoint! Our tour guide, Nolan, was great as he showed us places for optimal photos, adjusted my camera settings to the lighting and even took photos of us. There were some downsides to the tour which included minimal time to take photos and large crowds of people in the canyon. If you’re looking to get photos without other people in them it will be tricky. As with many popular sights, your tour will not be the only one in the canyon. What I did was I made sure to be the last one in our group so that we could linger slightly to get photos. Even doing this, we had to move out of the way for the tour group behind us.

Note that there are special photo tours available, however they are more expensive and you need a camera and a tripod. If you are an avid landscape photographer, I would highly consider one of the photography tours.

Lower Antelope Canyon is famous for its ladders. You will descend down into the canyon on a series of ladders and as you make your journey through the canyon, you will climb several more. People either love them or hate them. I didn’t mind them at all and I was wearing a dress.

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Antelope Canyon Tips:

• Arizona does not participate in Daylight Savings Time. Tours follow Arizona time, which is in the Mountain Standard Time (MST) zone. This means that during daylight savings time (generally March-early November), it’s the same time in Arizona as in Nevada and the West Coast. If you get confused just call your tour company to confirm the time.
• The only way to access the canyon is with a Navajo Guided Tour.
• If you want to book the premium time for light beams book well in advance. You do not have to pay until the day of the tour – so even if you’re not sure – you can book it and cancel later.
• Consider the time of year you’ll be visiting. We went in April and it was windy and cool. If you visit in the summer prepare for heat.
•  The popularity of these canyons has grown significantly over the past year, therefore I would recommend booking your tour in advance. To avoid disappointment, make your reservations far in advance (two months in advance, but up to six months in advance during the summer season).
• You can not bring ANY bags, selfie sticks, tripods or a Go Pro into the canyon with Ken’s Tours. Leave any valuables in your hotel or figure our a safe place to store them during your tour.

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Arizona is an incredibly stunning state.  Have you been to Arizona? What were your highlights?

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