Exploring Page, Arizona - Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend

As follow up to yesterday's post on the Lake Powell Half Marathon, here are a couple tourist activities activities to consider while visiting Page, Arizona. We explored Page the day before the race, so we took the low-key approach to sightseeing, opting for easy walks over a strenuous hike.

Antelope Canyon:
Antelope Canyons are slot canyons on Navajo lands just east of Page. To access either Upper or Lower Canyons you must sign up with an official tour operator. This is required as flash rains have resulted in flash flooding of the canyons. The Upper Canyon tour includes a fun Safari style ride through the desert with an easy half mile walk in and out of the water carved formations. The mixture of ambient light, rock colors and the carved sandstone formations result in a beautiful scene.



I've read the Lower Canyon is just as breathtaking - the main difference is access to the Lower Canyon involves stair climbing and traversing uneven canyon boulders.

Horseshoe Bend:
Another popular destination is Horseshoe Bend, another geological formation carved out of the Colorado river. This 3/4 mile hike proved to be a little more strenuous but not too taxing. The view at the rim, with no rails or chains was literally breathtaking.


Lake Powell:
The Lake Powell Half Marathon's namesake is a man made reservoir that formed after the the Glen Canyon Dam caused the Glen Canyon to flood. The result is a flourishing water recreational area. We stayed at official race hotel, the Lake Powell Resort and found the accommodations nice and comfortable with fantastic views of the lake.

There are plenty of boat rental / tour opportunities around Lake Powell.

Getting to Page - While we flew in and out of the little town of Page, most people opt to fly via Vegas due to the plethora of flight options and lower cost. The driving time to Vegas is 4 hours. Another option is to fly into Flagstaff, 2 hours south. The Grand Canyon is not too far out of the way either, so many will visit Page while out in that area.