During our great American road trip, we spent a week exploring the Southwest. Of all the places we visited, Page was one of our favourites. Spending at least one day in Page, Arizona is a wonderful addition to your road trip itinerary.
The small town of Page is close to some of the most amazing natural wonders in the USA, including Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Our one day Page itinerary will show you the best things to see with a short stay in town.
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All the details for your visit to Page, Arizona
What is Page like?
Lying along the impressive Lake Powell, Page is a small town in northern Arizona. With a population of just over 7,000 people, you’ll be able to do a drive through the town in a very short period of time.
Despite the small size, the town has a strong tourism sector. There are lots of different accommodation options, which cater to tourists visiting the local attractions. There are shops in town to grab some supplies, including a large Walmart. Plus lots of restaurants and fast food options.
There’s nothing particularly impressive about the town itself, it’s nature’s attractions you come to see in Page.
Where to stay in Page
The accommodation options in Page are plentiful. There are the typical mid-budget chain hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs.
We stayed at the Country Inn by Radisson. Our room was modern, clean and comfortable and was exactly what we needed for our short stay. We enjoyed an included breakfast, which was important here as there aren’t a huge amount of breakfast options in town. The hotel didn’t have a view, but the best sights aren’t too far away. The Walmart was across the street. Plus most of the town’s fast food restaurants were a short walk away. Given we were on a month long road trip, this was a convenient and well priced option.
How do I get to Page?
In our view, the best way to see Page is on a road trip of the American Southwest. Whilst there is a small airport in Page, I don’t think it’s the type of place you’d go for a short getaway. It’s a fairly isolated town, with the next major city at least 2 hours away.
We arrived into Page after visiting the iconic Monument Valley. It took us about 2 and a half hours to get between these two areas. If you’re visiting Page, I’d recommend trying to squeeze in a trip to Monument Valley too.
From Page, we had a long driving day to Las Vegas via the Grand Canyon South Rim. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend fitting all of this into one day if it’s your first time visiting the area. But it’s completely doable. It takes less than 2 hours to reach the Grand Canyon South Rim from Page. You’ll need at least a few hours to explore the Grand Canyon, although this is a visit we wouldn’t recommend rushing. You could then stay in the Grand Canyon village, or the nearby town of Tusayan. Or, you could continue through to Las Vegas making a stop at the Hoover Dam.
Whilst the above is how we fit Page into our road trip itinerary, there are lots of other ways to arrive into and depart Page. Below are some approximate driving distances:
Flagstaff to Page: ~2 hrs 15 mins
Phoenix to Page: ~4 hrs 30 mins
Las Vegas to Page: ~4hrs 20 mins
Your one day Page itinerary: the top things to see and do
For your Page itinerary, there are 3 places we recommend you visit: Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and Glen Canyon Dam.
Below is more information on what you can expect to see at these wonderful sights. The order in which you complete this Page itinerary is totally up to you! This will ultimately depend on the time you can secure for a tour of Antelope Canyon. Everything else can work around that.
Horseshoe Bend
Sometimes nature feels unnatural. To call Horseshoe Bend popular would be an understatement. Pre-Instagram, this lookout used to only have a few people visiting each day, and now it’s a must visit site for anyone within hours of Horseshoe Bend. It’s easy to see why. The Bend is almost unreal in the way it snakes around and performs a 180 degree turn. The stunning Colorado River with its vivid green and blue hues contrast against the red earth around it.
Tips for visiting Horseshoe Bend
The parking lot to access Horseshoe Bend is just a few minutes drive outside of town on Highway 89. There is a cost for parking, which was $10 per car when we visited.
To get to Horseshoe Bend from the carpark, you’ll need to do a short hike of around 15-20 minutes. It’s fairly easy to get there, but there is an incline on the way back. It can be tough for some, so you’re encouraged to take water and a hat with you, particularly in the warmer months.
The park is open from dusk to dawn. Many photographers will say that the best times to visit Horseshoe Bend are either sunrise or sunset. We struggled to wake up early and visited mid-morning. The Bend had a few shadows but was still spectacular.
Now for the warnings. Viewing Horseshoe Bend can be dangerous unless you take the necessary safety precautions. There are signs in the carpark advising what you should do. At a minimum, stay away from the edge. Whilst there is a viewing platform, there are large sections where you can walk around to get a different view. If you’re visiting with children, make sure you have a hold of them at all times.
You don’t need a huge amount of time down at the Bend. 30 minutes was enough for us to soak in the beauty and take our photos. Then we had the small trek back to the car.
A tour of the beautiful Antelope Canyon
Next up on your one day Page itinerary is the jaw dropping Antelope Canyon. This canyon is one of Mother Nature’s masterpieces. Here you can weave your way through grooved passageways carved into the sandstone. All formed over thousands of years thanks to repeated flooding in the area. During the wet season the water in here still fills up to the top of the canyon. A scarcely believable fact when wandering through on a bed of pink sand.
If it looks familiar, it might be because you recognise this from your Windows desktop screensaver. We can promise that in person it is every bit as spectacular.
The canyon lies on native Navajo land. To enter the canyon, you need to go as part of a guided tour run by the Navajo people. What many visitors to Page don’t realise is that there are actually two canyons: the Upper Antelope Canyon and the Lower Antelope Canyon.
We decided to visit the Upper Antelope Canyon. The Upper Canyon is the most popular of the two, and the one you’ve likely seen the most photos of. We can’t do a comparison of the two as we didn’t visit the Lower Antelope Canyon. But we were really happy our choice.
One factor to keep in mind when choosing between the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon is accessibility issues. The Upper canyon consists of a very easy walk on flat ground. The Lower canyon requires you to climb up and down ladders.
Whatever tour you choose to do, book well in advance! We visited out of peak season, in early December, but many of the tours were already booked a month out. In peak season, you’re advised to book 6 months in advance. It might sound crazy but I don’t want you to miss out during your visit to Page.
Choosing your tour of the Upper Antelope Canyon
The tour we chose was the Sightseer’s Tour run by Antelope Canyon Tours. The tour runs for about 90 minutes in total, and you’re advised to arrive 30 minutes in advance.
There are multiple times offered for tours throughout the day. The price varies depending on the most popular times to visit. If you’re interested in photography, the 11:30am tour is considered the best time to visit. This is because you’re more likely to see and experience the light beams that shine through the canyon. The early morning and late departures can see the canyon become darker.
We were booked on a 1:30pm tour. We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day. There were no light beams during our visit unfortunately. The canyon also became much darker towards the end of the tour. Based on this I wouldn’t recommend a late tour, unless you’re visiting in the peak summer period.
What to expect on a tour of the Upper Antelope Canyon
The tours of the Upper Antelope Canyon depart from the tour office in the centre of Page. Here you check in and board a 4×4 truck to take you towards the Upper Antelope Canyon. It’s located about 15-20 minutes from Page.
What we didn’t know was that the drive out to the canyon is part of the fun on tour! The last half of the drive is within the National Park, on unsealed roads. It can be an extremely bumpy yet exhilarating ride.
On arrival you’re dropped directly out front the canyon entrance. The tour guide gives an introduction and then you start the walk through the most beautiful canyon.
The canyon gets very busy, and to help manage the crowds the guide will ensure you stay in the group at all times. You’re given plenty of time in some sections to soak in the beauty of the canyon, and then advised when you need to move on. We learnt so much about the formation of the canyon and found so many opportunities to take photos uninterrupted.
Whilst we weren’t on an official photography tour, the guide helped us work out the right camera settings, and spots to get the best photo angles. This included many areas that resembled animals and other objects.
The Upper Antelope Canyon is popular due to the opportunity to capture falling sand which is like a sand waterfall. Unfortunately we didn’t get so lucky and missed out on seeing this.
We were in the canyon for just under one hour. We walked all the way to the end, and then doubled back.
Tips for your tour of the Upper Antelope Canyon
The tour company are very strict about what can and cannot be taken into the canyon. This is to protect this natural phenomenon. You don’t want your bag brushing up against the sandstone walls, ruining the beautiful curves! Your confirmation will include all the details. But in summary, you’re advised to just take your phone, camera and a small water bottle.
You’re out exploring nature and in the elements for your tour. We visited in winter and the temperature was a lot cooler in the canyon. Likewise, it can get very warm during the summer. Make sure you plan and dress accordingly.
Finally, the tour runs on local time, which is the same as Phoenix, Arizona. Apparently mobile phones in the area often switch to a different time zone, as you’re close to the Utah border. Make sure you know what the actual time is!
Glen Canyon Dam
The Glen Canyon Dam lies just north of Page. Depending on how you arrive and depart town though, it’s easily missed. Which would be a shame because it’s an easy and interesting stop. The Glen Canyon Dam, which formed Lake Powell, was completed in the 1960’s. Today it’s the water source for nearby cities and provides hydroelectricity too.
There’s a visitor centre at the Glen Canyon Dam, but we didn’t take a tour. Instead, we just went to the lookouts on either side of the bridge. There’s a great, free view from up there.
My favourite part of this stop though is viewing the impressive Glen Canyon Dam Bridge. It’s a steel bridge built into the rockface on either side of the dam. You can walk across it for another perspective of the dam below.
For another lovely scenic view, head to the spot marked “Glen Canyon Dam Overlook” in Google Maps. It’s located nearer to town where the Denny’s is. Whilst Horseshoe Bend gets all the credit in Page, this lookout is also beautiful. Perhaps not as quite as impressive, but the continuation of the Colorado River here provides a beautiful view. There’s a free carpark here. Then it’s just a short 5-10 minute walk down to the lookout. In the middle of the day we enjoyed this view with no one else. So, if you’re looking for some solitude after Horseshoe Bend, head here.
We hope this Page itinerary helps you have an amazing visit. We’d love to hear how your one day in Page went. Or if you have any questions, please let us know in the comments below.
Where to from here? Don’t forget that Monument Valley is a 2 hour drive away. Check out our guide to Monument Valley before you go. If you’re looking for some USA road trip inspiration, we’ve also got a guide to a 4 day Pacific Coast Highway itinerary.
