Page & Lake Powell
The light beams of Antelope Canyon and the river curve of Horseshoe Bend are among the most iconic photographs in the American West.
Page is a small city on the border of northern Arizona and Utah. Founded in 1957 as a construction camp for Glen Canyon Dam, it is now a major photography hub on the American Southwest's Grand Circle. The city sits on a Navajo sandstone mesa. To the east are slot canyons such as Antelope Canyon and Water Holes Canyon on the Navajo Nation; to the south is Horseshoe Bend; to the north is Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the US, formed by the dam. Its winding shoreline contrasts red rock walls with blue water, and you can take a boat trip to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Heading west along US-89 are The Wave near Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, White Pocket, Buckskin Gulch and the Toadstools; to the southwest are Lees Ferry, the starting point for rafting the Colorado River through Grand Canyon, and Navajo Bridge. Seasons: Mar–Oct is best, and the light beams in Upper Antelope Canyon are most pronounced at midday from Apr to Sep. Summer days often exceed 35°C, and Jul–Sep is the monsoon season, when slot canyons may close temporarily because of flash floods; winter is cool and quiet. Getting there: Page has a small airport, but most people drive: about 440 km (4.5 hours) from Las Vegas, about 220 km from the Grand Canyon South Rim and about 190 km from Zion. We recommend 2–3 days. Note: attractions on the Navajo Nation such as Antelope Canyon and Water Holes Canyon require an authorized guide and advance reservations; the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time, putting it 1 hour apart from the rest of Arizona in summer; Lake Powell is part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which requires a separate entrance fee; The Wave requires a lottery permit; backcountry dirt roads are hard to travel after rain, and most rental car contracts do not allow driving on them.
Top sights
- Antelope Canyon – A slot canyon on the Navajo Reservation, where floods have polished the sandstone into flowing waves. Sunbeams fall onto the canyon floor a…
- Horseshoe Bend – A 270-degree horseshoe bend of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon, seen from a clifftop about 300 m above emerald water. It is the most icon…
- Lake Powell Boat Tours (Wahweap Marina) – Take a boat from Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell and cruise through red sandstone canyon inlets. Routes include the Antelope Canyon waterway…
- Glen Canyon Dam & Carl Hayden Visitor Center – A 216-meter-high concrete arch dam that holds back Lake Powell. The visitor center explains the dam and hydropower, and guided tours take y…
- Glen Canyon Dam Overlook – A free viewpoint on the edge of Page, overlooking the dam, the bridge, and the deep Colorado River canyon from the rim.
- Wahweap Overlook – A high sandstone overlook north of Page, looking over Wahweap Bay, the marina, and lone rocks in the lake. It's the best free spot for a pa…
- Antelope Point Marina & Antelope Canyon Kayak – Paddle a kayak from Antelope Point Marina into the lake section of Antelope Canyon, gliding quietly between towering, narrow sandstone wall…
- Rainbow Bridge National Monument – One of the world's largest natural stone bridges, about 88 meters high and considered sacred by the Navajo. Most visitors reach it by boat…
- Lone Rock Beach – A beach on the Utah side of Lake Powell where you can drive right up to the water and camp, with a huge lone rock standing in the lake.
- Water Holes Canyon – A slot canyon on the Navajo reservation south of Page. Its rock textures and light rival Antelope Canyon, but it is much less crowded. A gu…
- Antelope Canyon X – A lesser-known canyon where two slot canyons cross in an X shape. Fewer people and a slower pace make it ideal for photographers who want t…
- Hanging Garden Trail – An easy short trail near the dam that crosses sand dunes to the 'Hanging Garden,' where water seeping from the cliff face nourishes ferns h…
- John Wesley Powell Museum – A small museum in downtown Page that tells the story of John Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition, the first to float the Colorado River. It als…
- Alstrom Point – A cliff viewpoint overlooking Padre Bay on Lake Powell, with Gunsight Butte and blue bays lined with houseboats. It's one of the most spect…
- Lees Ferry – The starting point for Colorado River rafting trips through the Grand Canyon. The emerald river flows past preserved 19th-century ferry and…
- Navajo Bridge – Twin steel-arch bridges spanning Marble Canyon. You can walk the old bridge for a view of the Colorado River 140 meters below, and Californ…
- The Wave (Coyote Buttes North) – A wave-like sandstone wonder in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, with layers rising and falling in flowing curves. Daily permits are lim…
- White Pocket – A sandstone wonder deep within Vermilion Cliffs, with white and red patterns. No lottery is required, but reaching it means crossing dozens…
- Buckskin Gulch & Wire Pass – One of the longest slot canyons in the American Southwest. Enter from the Wire Pass trailhead and experience the deep, narrow canyon withou…
- Toadstool Hoodoos – A short trail beside Highway 89 that ends at white rock pillars capped with red 'hats.' These mushroom-shaped rocks are easy to reach.
Where to eat
- Big John's Texas BBQ – Page's most popular Texas-style smokehouse, with picnic tables, live music, and brisket and ribs as the specialties.
- Birdhouse Fried Chicken – A locally run fried chicken shop with top local ratings on Yelp and Tripadvisor, cheap and quick.
- El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant – Page's most-reviewed Mexican restaurant, with generous portions, open until 10 p.m., and plenty of vegetarian options.
- Ranch House Grille – A family-style breakfast spot that opens at 6 a.m. and serves breakfast all day, ideal before an early Antelope Canyon…
Itineraries
- US West National Parks & Coast Grand Loop – A Los Angeles loop passing through Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Yosemite, and San Francisco, returning…
- Southwest Grand Circle Self-Drive in – A loop from Las Vegas linking Utah's red-rock parks, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon and the Grand Canyon South Rim.