So, at 4 A.M. on Saturday, May 1st, 2021, we packed up the car and headed up to Page, AZ. From Phoenix (and Pinetop), it is approximately a 4 to 5 hour drive, and we wanted to get a decently early start to our adventure in order to have enough time to explore the canyon. As we got near Page, we started to see and traverse between the beautiful characteristic red rock structures that the area is known for, which made it a fun end to the drive. At about 9 A.M. (10 A.M. Utah time), we arrived at the Antelope Point Marina, where we had reserved kayaks to rent for the day. The staff at the Marina were very helpful by informing us about the best route to get to the canyon, and within a few minutes, we were off on our adventure!

After about 10 minutes of paddling out from the marina, we learned that this trip is not for the faint of heart. If you’re a beginner kayaker, I would definitely recommend going with someone more experienced to help out if needed. The first part of the kayak route we kept to the left edge of one of the main parts of Lake Powell, so there were quite a few waves to battle with wakes from boats and jet skis passing by. We did have a mishap with the kayak we rented, as water started to fill our boat from all the waves. We had to beach our kayak after about 30 min of paddling to drain it so we didn’t get our camera bag too wet. Definitely recommend taking dry bags and maybe avoiding Vibe kayaks. After draining the kayak, we still continued to get water in our kayak, however, thankfully the waves relaxed after entering the mouth of the canyon. Kayaking back through the tall canyon walls to the hiking area was one of the most gorgeous kayak experiences I’ve had. Much more relaxing without any waves! 

After about an hour and a half of kayaking, we reached a little beach area, set our kayaks to the side, and began our hike back through the beautiful slot canyon. The hike began with walking through a wide open area between towering rock walls, and then the canyon walls began to narrow. Most of the hike consisted of traversing between the textured, wavy, reddish-brown walls, about 4-5 feet apart, until you get to a more narrow portion about 1 hour into the hike. After this area, you reach a “Y” in the trail, where we chose to stick to the right. We hiked about another 15 minutes or so, until we decided to turn around to start the trek back to our kayaks. We were told by a fellow hiker that there is more of a “bouldery” appearance to the rocks if we had decided to take the left trail, so we are definitely wanting to explore that side if we go back again. 

Reversing the way we came, we hiked and kayaked back through the canyon — again encountering the waves in the main portion of Lake Powell. By this time, the wind had also picked up, contributing to the waviness of the water, as well as making it more difficult to paddle back against the wind. However, after about another hour, we made it back to our starting point at the Antelope Point Marina. We then went to check into our hotel and shower off all the lake water and sweat from the day. 

Later that night, we went to State 48 Tavern for dinner, which we highly recommend! Our group got the State 48 burger, the Bacon Brie burger, and the Cranberry Walnut Salad topped with grilled salmon, which was perfect to cure our growling stomachs after our long adventure. Also, there is an option on the menu to buy a round of beers for the kitchen staff, which we took advantage of and definitely encourage anyone that visits this great local spot to do so as well. After dinner, we also stopped by Big Dipper Ice Cream & Yogurt for some delicious dessert. 

The next day, after waking up sore from our canyon adventure, we ventured over to the Rainbow Room for breakfast. This was such a beautiful spot that overlooks Lake Powell, with yummy breakfast. I definitely recommend getting a dish with the cheesy house hash browns. 

Before heading home, we decided to briefly visit the Horseshoe Bend Overlook, another beautiful canyon spot in the area. This is an easy 20 minute hike down a hill to an overlook that is 1000 feet above Horseshoe Bend — which was absolutely breathtaking. A trip to Page, AZ would not be complete without seeing this gorgeous spot. In the future, we would love to kayak through Horseshoe Bend, but we will save that for another issue. 

Overall, I could not recommend visiting Page and Lake Powell more, especially exploring Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe bend. These are definitely “must see” locations for anyone who lives or passes through Arizona. We hope this article was helpful in guiding your future adventure through the area!

Antelope Point Marina is located at 537 Marina Pkwy. From I-40 take the US-89 N exit. Follow US 89 N for 208 miles until you get to Coppermine Road. Turn right and follow Coppermine Road to US-98, turn right until you reach the route 222 turn toward Antelope Point Marina. You will have to enter the Glen Canyon Recreation Area and is a National Park. There is a fee of $30 per vehicle and $25 per motorcycle…or, you can buy the “America the Beautiful National Park Pass for an annual fee of $80. Seniors (62+) can get a lifetime pass for $80 or an annual pass for $20. Current U.S. Military Annual Passes are free.

An Annual vehicle pass to just Glen Canyon is $55. There is also a fee for vessels. Go to: https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/fees.htm

Horseshoe Bend has become one of the most recognized and visited places in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
The parking lot and trailhead is located off US Highway 89, approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. Horseshoe Bend itself is in the park, but the parking lot is on city land. The City of Page requires visitors to pay for parking at the Horseshoe Bend trailhead. National Park Service passes do not apply for the parking lot. We paid $10 to park our vehicle here and $2 for a cool magnet. Go to:https://cityofpage.org/hsb