Horseshoe Bend

Recently, I embarked on a journey primarily to kayak in Horseshoe Bend. It's likely that you've come across its stunning images, as it stands out as one of the most recognizable landmarks in the southwestern United States. Some signs welcoming you to Arizona even showcase its beautiful curves.

Honestly, for quite some time, I mistakenly believed that Horseshoe Bend was located within the Grand Canyon itself. In reality, it lies slightly to the north of the canyon, nestled between the Glen Canyon Dam and the eastern fringes of the Grand Canyon.

Most visitors experience Horseshoe Bend from the lookout point. You can find the trailhead approximately 1.5 miles from where highways 89 and 98 intersect in Page, AZ. It's easy to locate due to clear signage and the numerous cars and buses parked nearby. You’ll need to pay a parking fee of $10 to Arizona (so a National Park Pass won’t be helpful). Once you park, it's a simple hike to reach the viewpoint.½mile hike to the overlook.

Upon reaching the trail's end, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Horseshoe Bend. However, the main observation area tends to get quite crowded. I suggest wandering a bit away from the platform in either direction along the rim for a more peaceful experience.

After capturing some memorable pictures, our group set off to Lees Ferry, a crucial launching point for river trips in both directions on the Colorado River. Paddling upstream leads you through Horseshoe Bend towards the Glen Canyon Dam, while going downstream takes you all the way to the Grand Canyon. Don’t miss walking across the Navajo Bridge on the way, which consists of two bridges — one for vehicles and the other for pedestrians. This is the last point to cross the Colorado River westward until you reach the Hoover Dam.

Our primary aim for the trip was to kayak through Horseshoe Bend. To get ready for this adventure, I searched online and found a company that offers backhaul services. They provide a boat ride upstream on the Colorado River, dropping you off to kayak back to where you started. They also offer rentals for kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. The backhaul service costs $80 per person, while kayak rentals are priced at $35 for each day. Kayak Horseshoe Bend I suggest making your reservation at least two weeks ahead of time. Additionally, I strongly recommend turning this into a camping trip instead of just a day outing. There are about four designated camping spots along the river, which our boat guide pointed out as we traveled upstream. The campgrounds have basic amenities like outhouses and fire rings. It's best to approach your campsite early, as the spots with fire rings often get snapped up quickly. As of April 2024, no permits are required.

When you arrive at Lee’s Ferry, do keep in mind the local time in Arizona. Although Arizona falls within the mountain time zone, it does not observe daylight saving time. Therefore, during the daylight saving period, the state operates on Pacific time. I made the error of forgetting this and ended up arriving far too early. In truth, this isn't the first time I've encountered this issue in Arizona. While I accept responsibility, I suggest that Arizona should consider aligning its time with the rest of the mountain time zone.

For our outing, we opted for the two-day camping experience. The boat captain informed us that we should anticipate windy conditions the next day, urging us to cover as much distance by kayak as possible on our first day. This created a bit of a dilemma since it conflicted with her recommendation to secure a campsite early. Nevertheless, avoiding being stranded by the wind took precedence over merely securing a campsite with a fire pit. Out of the 15 miles we needed to kayak from our drop-off point near the Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry, we settled on completing 9 miles on the first day and camping at the 'mile 6 campground.' The captain also advised us to get an early start the next day to beat the winds, which turned out to be wise advice.

The first day’s paddle was quite enjoyable, but we felt a bit rushed to complete the nine miles we had planned. The weather was moderately windy, forcing us to paddle against the current at times. We tried to balance enjoying the scenery while maintaining a comfortable pace. It was also somewhat difficult to determine when we had entered the Horseshoe Bend section of our 15-mile route. The best indicator was seeing the numerous visitors standing along the rim, where we had been earlier.

The boat driver highly recommended a stop at a day-use beach featuring ancient petroglyphs on a nearby rock face. We took her advice and were truly impressed by the site, which was accessible via a clear trail stemming from the beach.

After our exploration, we reached our Mile 6 beach around 5:00 PM. Luckily, we found the last available fire ring. Since the day was still young, we enjoyed some wine at the beach before heading up to our campsite as the sun began to set.

We had a relaxing evening and were pleasantly surprised to wake up the next morning to a windless environment. From my experience, the desert winds typically pick up around 11 AM, which is also what the boat driver mentioned.

Our return journey for the last six miles back to Lees Ferry was accompanied by very pleasant weather. Still, we felt the pressure to reach our destination before the anticipated winds began to rise. Ultimately, we arrived back at the boat launch site about three hours later, perfectly timing our return just before the gusts kicked in.

Just a few miles from Lees Ferry, we stopped to admire the 'Balanced Rock,' which I genuinely recommend visiting if you’re in the vicinity.

If you’re traveling to Horseshoe Bend from Las Vegas, you might want to consider enjoying stops along the way such as the Grand Canyon, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and the Sand Cave. If your journey takes you through Kanab, UT, I highly recommend checking out the

In conclusion, I wholeheartedly suggest kayaking through Horseshoe Bend. If you're pressed for time or the season isn't ideal for paddling, at least make sure to hike to the overlook if you find yourself visiting Page, AZ. Iron Horse Restaurant . Great food, service and atmosphere.

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