Horseshoe Bend, located near Page, AZ, is an enormous entrenched meander carved into massive red cliffs that tower one thousand feet above the green waters of the mighty Colorado River. Recently, Horseshoe Bend has become somewhat of an iconic image of the American Southwest as it has increased in exposure. However, to this day I constantly come across individuals who see my Horseshoe Bend photos and gasp because they’ve never seen it before or don’t know where it’s located, so I still consider it somewhat of a hidden gem.
Because the overlook is quickly accessed from a parking lot, Horseshoe Bend is an ideal destination for anybody on a time crunch. If you are visiting nearby Antelope Canyon then Horseshoe Bend is a great location to start your day. You can catch the sunrise at Horseshoe Bend and then still have plenty of time to make it to a late morning tour at Antelope Canyon (which happen to be the peak times).
The hike up to the lookout point is about 3/4 of a mile from the parking lot. It’s not very difficult but you’ll be walking up and down through a lot of sand, which is not exactly the easiest thing in the world to do. If you are doing the hike in the middle of the day in summer, you will definitely want to bring some water along with you. Unfortunately, due to the loose sand the viewpoint is not accessible for disabled people.
Once up at the viewing area there are some benches for you to relax on. Be very careful going near the edge of the cliff because there are no guardrails. Moreover, the rocks are undercut meaning that there may be no supporting rock underneath the rock platform you are standing on, which means you could be flirting with disaster. There’s plenty of space for you to set up for photographs without having to get directly on the edge close so you should be okay.
Best time of day to photograph
A lot of people ask when is the best time to visit or to photograph. Personally, I think that comes down to personal preference. I like how the canyon looks just after sunrise when the sun’s shadow is creeping down from the top of the canyon. Others claim between 1pm and 3pm are the best times out there and still a number of photographers prefer Horseshoe Bend just before sunset.
If you’re passionate about photography then I encourage you to take a look at the link I’ve provided below to see which look you may prefer. And remember, this location is very close to Page so if you are staying there overnight getting photos at both the sunrise and sunset is very doable. Photographers are advised to bring their widest lens possible if they would like to capture the bend in a single photograph.
Getting There
From Page, AZ drive south on Highway 89 to between mileposts 544 & 545. Look for the exit lane and prominent dirt road on the west side of the road which you can drive a short distance on to the parking area.
Nearby Locations
- Antelope Canyon (6 miles; 10 minutes)
- Paria Canyon (38 mi; 1h 7 min)
- White Pocket (39 mi; 1h 9 min)
- Zion National Park (104 mi; 2h 7 min)
- Grand Canyon South Rim (134 mi; 2h 34 min)
- Grand Canyon North Rim (161 mi; 3h 14 min)
- Canyon de Chelly (168 mi; 3h 17 min)
Additional Resources
- http://horseshoebend.com/ (wonderful resource that will show you how the canyon looks at different times of the day)