A Quick Hike to Horseshoe Bend

April 4th, 2017

Page, Arizona is surprisingly lush with natural wonders.  I was there specifically to see Antelope Canyon, but the more I looked into the area, the more I realized there was more to see around this sleepy little town.

One of the places I found in the area was Horseshoe Bend.  Horseshoe Bend, along with Antelope Canyon, is one of those areas just made for Instagram bragging.

Horseshoe Bend is a few miles away from the center of town.  It's the place where the Colorado River meanders into a bit of a cul de sac.

Driving South on 89 from Page, the parking for Horseshoe Bend is on the right hand side of the road.  It had rained the night before, so a good chunk of the parking was underwater.  I arrived around 9a, pretty early in my mind, but not early for the rest of the tourists.  The parking lot was a bit crowded (since half of it was underwater), so that's something to keep in mind.  

The signs around the Bend say to bring water and snacks.  I scoffed as I looked at the path going up.  This is the type of hike where you need snacks??  Sure, climbing uphill is a thing I should be better at.  But whatever.  This "hike" is going to be nothing, really.

Have I told you lately that I am dumb??

While climbing the first hill, I looked to a bit of a "mountain" in front of me, wondering why people were going that far to see Horseshoe Bend.  That's because of course, that's where Horseshoe Bend lives.  It's just shy of a mile to get to Horseshoe Bend from the parking lot.  Whoops.

After the first hill, I continued along on the path.  This was a mostly downhill type of walk, so there was little stopping to catch my breath.  This would not be the case on the way back to my car, but that's a part we don't have to talk about.

The closer I got to Horseshoe Bend, the more I realized what I was going to see.  And the more I realized I was a bit of a wussy.

People were standing everywhere on the boulders to get the perfect shot.  They were getting the selfies and the non-selfies.  They were jumping in time to the click of the camera.  And I was standing very far away.  Well, not very far.  But far enough to be safe.

And like the Grand Canyon yesterday, the scene was majestic.  I felt almost a little jealous of the people who were comfortable jumping to capture the perfect shot.  Because it would be awesome.   But that was not me.

After about 30 minutes of wandering and getting as close to the edge as I felt comfortable, I started back up the hill to go down the hill to my car.  And yes, this time I did stop a few times along the way.  I'd like to think it was because I wanted to take in the view one more time.  But realistically, it was because I needed to catch my breath.  Spinning three times a week did not help me on this trip.

Side note, while I had water, I didn't have snacks.  I ultimately didn't need them.  But it also wasn't the middle of summer. If you're doing this in the middle of summer, you will want more water.  All the water.  Definitely sunscreen and a hat.  And maybe snacks.  I can't tell you what to do.

If you're going to Horseshoe Bend, know it doesn't cost anything.  It doesn't take much to go.  If you're in the area, you kind of have to visit.  It is truly spectacular.