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 iconic aerial-style viewpoint in the American West.
Horseshoe Bend lies 8 km south of Page, beside US-89. It is a deeply incised meander of the Colorado River within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The river wraps around a sandstone headland through 270 degrees, forming a perfect horseshoe. The viewpoint sits on a cliff edge about 300 m above the river. From the parking lot, walk along a gentle 1.2 km sandy trail (about 2.4 km round trip, 30 to 40 minutes, with some shaded shelters) to the edge. Since 2018, a main viewing platform with railings has been built, but the two sides remain natural rock without railings. You can sit on the edge and take photos that make it look like your feet hang over the abyss, but falls happen every year, so keep a safe distance from the edge and watch children closely. The best light is from 9 to 11 a.m., when the sun is behind you and the river looks emerald green, and around sunset, when the rock walls glow red but the river is in shadow. A wide-angle lens or the 0.5x ultra-wide setting on a phone is needed to fit the whole horseshoe. Drones are prohibited. Costs: the Page city parking lot charges 10 US dollars per vehicle, and no national park pass is required. You can also join a kayak or rafting tour from the river for about 100 to 150 US dollars to look up at the bend from the water, or take a small plane from Page airport for aerial photos. Nearby sights include Antelope Canyon (15 minutes' drive), so you can visit both on the same day, seeing the light beams at Antelope in the morning and Horseshoe Bend in the afternoon, or the reverse. The Glen Canyon Dam overlook and the shore of Lake Powell at Wahweap Marina, where you can take a boat to Rainbow Bridge in summer, are also within 15 minutes. Notes: in summer, trail temperatures often exceed 38°C and there is no water along the way, so carry at least 1 liter per person. The wind is strong at the edge, so do not extend drones or selfie sticks over it. Winter sometimes brings snow, but it is quieter.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset (car park open 24 hours)
Nearby sights
- Water Holes Canyon
- Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
- Glen Canyon Dam & Carl Hayden Visitor Center
- John Wesley Powell Museum
- Hanging Garden Trail
- Lees Ferry
- Wahweap Overlook
- Lake Powell Boat Tours (Wahweap Marina)