Horseshoe Bend - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Visited: Nov 2021

Nearby city: Page, AZ

Horseshoe Bend is a particularly large meander in the Colorado River just south of the town of Page. This area is sometimes referred to as the "East Rim" of the Grand Canyon. 

This large bend in the river (an entrenched meander) is part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - which also includes Lake Powell, Rainbow Bridge, and surrounding lands - and has recently become a very popular spot thanks to social media, Instagram, etc. The Overlook is perched 1,000-ft above the River and offers outstanding views.

We first visited in October of 2012. At that time, the overlook was mostly known only to Page locals etc. There was little to no development along the trail to the overlook. Tara and I had just begun dating at the time. 😀

Nowadays, the trailhead is well marked, and you need to pay to park at the entrance. Then you follow a well-developed 1.5-mile trail (round-trip) to the Overlook. There are some interpretetive signs and some guardrails at the cliff's edge, etc.

along the trail

entrance to parking lot

We went first thing in the morning...so the pictures of the bend didn't turn out too great, the river and most of the canyon walls were deep in shadow. The best light for pictures at the overlook are the hours leading into sunset. Despite not going at the optimal time for lighting, the overlook is breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

Horseshoe Bend is a beautiful spot along the Colorado River.

If visiting the Page area, make sure to stop at Horseshoe Bend. It is well worth it.