At Horseshoe Bend, the mighty Colorado River displays its vibrant blues and greens as it circles around the stunning red rock of Northern Arizona! Take a short and sandy trail to the overlook, one of the most phenomenal river views anywhere in the country.
After seeing all of the amazing pictures of this place, I desperately wanted to experience it for myself. When I first gazed down at the water below, I gasped! The beauty of the river is astonishing.
What You Need to Know
The trail to Horseshoe Bend was recently rebuilt, and fees are now required to hike along this extremely popular trail. The entrance fee for cars is currently $10 and national park passes are not accepted.
The trail to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook is 1.2 miles roundtrip. I would rate this trail as easy because of the short distance and minimal elevation gain. Leashed dogs are allowed on this trail, but not recommended because of the heat of the sand.
This trailhead doesn’t have any drinking water, so come prepared with everything that you need for a hike in the desert heat.
Check out the City of Page website for more information.
The Route
From the parking area, you are greeted by a wide and well-traveled trail through the sand.
You’ll see hikers of all ages and abilities along the trail — with a surprising range of footwear choices as well. I still recommend preparing yourself with water and proper gear as you would on any hike. The sun and heat can be especially unforgiving in this part of the country.
The newly renovated trail is now wheelchair accessible! Because of this, there is very little elevation gain as you make your way to the overlook.
New shade structures have been placed along the trail as well.
After a short walk along this well-graded path, you’ll reach the overlook. The viewing platform and guard rails are newly installed for your safety.
There are still plenty of areas to view Horseshoe Bend along the cliffs without the guard rails, but you should do so at your own risk. The sandstone cliffs can be fragile and unstable.
The moment when you finally peer over the edge of the Horseshoe Bend Overlook will absolutely take your breath away! This is mostly because of the beauty and grandeur of the winding Colorado River, but also because there is nothing but a thousand-foot drop between you and the water below.
Have a fabulous time soaking in this stunning view. Happy trails!
Getting Here
Horseshoe Bend is located within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, just south of Page, Arizona. From the Glen Canyon Dam in Page, drive approximately 5 miles south along US-89. You will see a sign for the Horseshoe Bend Overlook. Follow the sign and turn right into the parking area.
If you are approaching Page from the south along US-89 North, look for the turnoff for Horseshoe Bend a few miles before reaching town. The sign is small and the left-hand turn sneaks up on you if you are not paying close attention.
The hike to Horseshoe Bend makes a great side trip if you are traveling between the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon!
CLICK NEXT TO READ MORE ABOUT THE GRAND CANYON
Are there other hikes in Glen Canyon you recommend? We have about 3-4 hours to spend in this area as a side visit between Sedona & Grand Canyon (using your 3 Day Grand Canyon Itinerary!)
Most people also take a tour through Antelope Canyon while they’re in the area. It’s amazing!
Can you recommend a guide company for a tour of antelope canyon? Also, do you recommend the upper antelope canyon or lower?
I don’t have a specific company to recommend, but Upper is better for photographs….Lower is more fun! It really depends on what type of experience you’re hoping for :)
Hi, I’m planning on going to Arizona from April 5 to April 11. Do we need a permit to hike the Horseshoe bend ? Do we only have to pay to park ?
You’ll just need to pay to park. Have fun!
I am planning on taking my dad out in a wheelchair. Do you think the ground is hard enough to push a wheelchair on? Or is it too soft like a beach?
They just reconstructed everything so that it’s wheelchair accessible. The sand is hard-packed, so you should be able to push his wheelchair on that trail with no problems!
Is this open now??
You can find current conditions here: https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
I was there back in October 2017 and it looked like a religious pilgrimage with a line of several hundred people hiking up and down the hill. I would paste the link to my Horse Shoe Image only I can’t Copy & Paste to the Website Window Below. :(
Question, How is the new construction at the Horse Shoe going to effect photographers from climbing out on the edge to get the money shot?
Haha a have a picture like that as well. It’s a crazy place.
I’m not sure about the new construction. We were there a few months ago and it was still being built. What I couldn’t tell was if they were going to fence off anything beyond the overlook and make you stay right there behind the bars or if the option to venture away at your own risk would still be there. They are putting the new overlook at a great spot though so I’d imagine you could still get a great picture either way.
We just did this hike a couple of months ago! I was surprised it was so easy, since I had heard quite a few horror stories about it being so hot out there and so strenuous to walk on the sandy trail.
I’m trying to go through my travel pics from my last trip in order, so I won’t be getting to my pics from Page until later… but I can’t wait!
I would love to see your pictures! I was pleasantly surprised with the length of the hike, although we were lucky to be hiking in October so that it didn’t get too hot on the trail. I’m happy to have you on the site and hope to hear from you again :)