Horseshoe Bend
The Colorado River loops around a sandstone tower 300 meters below a cliff-edge viewpoint.
Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0
Horseshoe Bend guide: the trail and parking fee, the overlook, the best light for photos, safety at the edge, kayaking from Lees Ferry, nearby Antelope Canyon and tips.
What to expect
A few kilometers south of Page, Arizona, the Colorado River makes a tight, almost circular loop around a sandstone butte, carving a meander about 300 meters deep. From the rim, the green river, the orange rock and the sky fit into one of the most photographed views in the American Southwest.
The overlook is reached by an easy trail about 1.2 kilometers each way, wide and mostly flat, with shade shelters along the way. A railed viewing platform was added in 2018, but most of the rim has no fence, and the sandstone at the edge can be crumbly, so stay back from the drop.
The site lies within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but the parking lot is run by the city of Page. In the middle of the day the sun lights the river at the bottom; at sunset the bend falls into shadow while the sky glows, and crowds are at their largest.
Kayakers can see the bend from below by taking a boat upriver from Lees Ferry and paddling back down. Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell are a short drive away.
Horseshoe Bend: top things to do
- 1The view from the rim
- 2The river lit at midday
- 3Sunset over the bend
- 4A kayak trip on the river below
Horseshoe Bend: best time to visit
All year; spring and fall avoid the summer heat on the trail.
Insider tips
- Bring water; there is no shade at the overlook itself.
- Use a wide-angle lens or a phone’s wide mode to fit the whole bend.
- Stay well back from the unfenced edge.
Fees, passes and parking
- Federal park passes such as America the Beautiful are not valid here.
- The parking lot is run by the City of Page and charges a fee per vehicle; national park passes are not accepted.
Checked Oct 28, 2026. Official prices
Gas and fast charging nearby
12 gas stations within 20 km
- 3.7 km Marathon
- 4.1 km Maverik
- 5.6 km Conoco
- 6.1 km Shell
- 6.3 km All-American Fuels
- 6.3 km Red Mesa Express
- 6.3 km Tesla Supercharger Fast chargers (Supercharger)
OpenStreetMap data, Oct 28, 2026.
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