Page travel guide

Walk through Upper Antelope Canyon

You can only visit with a Navajo guide. I did the Upper Antelope Canyon walking tour on a July morning, and it was great: our guide pointed out the shapes in the rock and the best angles for photos. Tours cost roughly $95 to $140, and midday slots cost more.

Compare it with Lower Antelope Canyon

Twice as long, narrower and brighter, with about 130 steps on steep steel stairs in and out. It’s cheaper, at roughly $80 to $100, and easier to photograph.

Watch the sunset at Horseshoe Bend

The Colorado River loops round a dome of sandstone 1,000 feet below. The walk is really easy, 20 to 30 minutes each way, and sunset is stunning, though the platform was packed when I went. Parking costs $10 per car.

Take a day trip to Monument Valley

It’s a longish drive, about two hours and 15 minutes each way, but absolutely worth it. Drive the 17-mile Valley Drive yourself, or join a Navajo guide for the backcountry, and stop at Forrest Gump Point on the way.

Peer over Glen Canyon Dam

The concrete wall rises 710 feet above the Colorado. The Glen Canyon Dam Bridge gives you a dizzying view straight down, and the Carl Hayden Visitor Center explains how it was built.

Get out on Lake Powell

Lake Powell Resorts runs boat trips from Wahweap Marina, and houseboats can be hired. The lake hit a record low in August 2026, so some tours have paused: check before you plan around them.

Float down Glen Canyon to Horseshoe Bend

The half-day smooth-water raft trip from Lees Ferry travels upriver to the bend, so you look up at the overlook from the river. It runs from March to October.

Escape the crowds in Canyon X

A quieter slot canyon on Navajo land a few miles from Antelope Canyon, with smaller tours.

Page in two days

Two days

Upper Antelope Canyon – Horseshoe Bend at sunset – Monument Valley and Forrest Gump Point

The essentials, with a long but unforgettable second day.

Page in three days

Three days

The two-day route, then Glen Canyon Dam – the Hanging Garden Trail – a Lake Powell boat trip or the Glen Canyon float

Time for the lake and the quieter side of Page.

The Grand Canyon to Page

Ten days

Las Vegas – the Grand Canyon’s South Rim – Desert View Drive – Page – Monument Valley – Zion – Bryce Canyon – Las Vegas

My Southwest road trip spends days 3 to 5 in Page.

Waterhole Canyon

Antelope’s quieter neighbour, about 7 miles south of town, with the same swirling walls and far fewer people. Guided visits only.

The Hanging Garden Trail

An easy mile round trip near Glen Canyon Dam to a sandstone alcove where ferns grow out of the rock.

The Toadstools

Mushroom-shaped hoodoos half an hour west of Page, just over the Utah border, on an easy 1.5-mile round trip.

Lone Rock Beach

A sandy Lake Powell shore just over the Utah border, with a huge sandstone monolith rising out of the water. Watch out for deep sand.

Dishes to try

• A taco combination plate – my order at El Tapatio, where the Mexican food was epic.
• Crispy fried chicken – Birdhouse’s speciality, in original, spicy or honey-butter flavours.
• Navajo tacos – fry bread topped with beans, chilli and cheese, a staple on the Navajo Nation.

Drinks to try

• A margarita at Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery – my drink after a long day in the desert.
• Local craft beer – the same brewery makes its own beers and spirits.

El Tapatio, South Lake Powell Boulevard

Part of a small chain, but the Mexican food was epic, served in a colourful dining room. Go for a taco combination plate, and don’t come in a hurry: the service was a little slow when I was there.

Birdhouse, North Navajo Drive

A casual spot for crispy fried chicken, in boxes or family-style meals, with a long list of national and local beers. Open daily from 11am to 9pm.

Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery, North Navajo Drive

Next door to Birdhouse, with its own craft beers and spirits, pub food, games and an outdoor patio for sunset. I had the margarita.

Page itself is good value, but the canyon tours and permits add up quickly.

• Upper Antelope Canyon tour: roughly $95 to $140
• Lower Antelope Canyon tour: roughly $80 to $100
• Navajo Nation Parks permit: $15 per person per canyon (often included)
• Horseshoe Bend parking: $10 per car
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area: $30 per vehicle for a week
• Monument Valley: $10 per person, plus $15 per vehicle

Safety

At Horseshoe Bend, the railings are on the viewing platform only: much of the rim is unfenced and the sandstone can crumble, so keep well back from the edge. Drones aren’t allowed. Flash floods can close the slot canyons at short notice, so follow your guide’s advice.

Health

The heat is the main risk: carry more water than you think you need, wear sunscreen and a hat, and walk to Horseshoe Bend early or late in the day in summer. Take weather warnings seriously during the monsoon, from mid-July to September.

Tipping

Tips aren’t included in Antelope Canyon tour prices, so bring cash for your Navajo guide. Tip 18% to 22% at sit-down restaurants and US$1 to US$2 a drink at bars.

Tips for travelling

• Book Antelope Canyon well ahead for July and August and for weekends all year; the midday slots sell out first.
• Check which time zone your tour is in: Page stays on Arizona time, but the Navajo Nation uses daylight saving time.
• Federal passes, including America the Beautiful, aren’t valid at Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon or Monument Valley.
• Fill up with fuel when you can: stations are few and far between around Monument Valley.
• UK and other Visa Waiver visitors need an approved ESTA (US$40.27) before flying.

How to see the best for free

Horseshoe Bend costs only the $10 parking fee, and it’s open from sunrise to sunset every day. The Hanging Garden Trail is free, with views over the dam and the town, and you can walk out on the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge for a dizzying look straight down into the canyon.

For a longer walk, the Page Rimview Trail loops 10 miles round the mesa the town sits on, with views over Lake Powell; walk a short section if you don’t fancy the full loop.

Packing

Packing for Page? Don’t forget…

• Plenty of water: there’s none on the Horseshoe Bend trail, and summer highs average 36°C.
• Closed shoes: for the tours and the hot sand; I love the Tropicfeel Canyon shoes.
• Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat: the trails are in direct sun most of the day.
• Photo ID and cash: ID for the Antelope Canyon tours, and cash to tip your guide.
• A small clear bag at most: bags, tripods and selfie sticks aren’t allowed in Antelope Canyon.

Travel insurance

US medical bills are notoriously high, so make sure your policy has generous medical cover for the USA. Check it covers cancellations too, as the slot canyons can close at short notice when there’s a risk of flash floods. Compare policies with AXA Travel Insurance.

Suggested guidebooks

• Lonely Planet Southwest USA
• Moon Arizona & the Grand Canyon

Interesting facts

• Page was built in the 1950s to house the workers on Glen Canyon Dam.
• Lake Powell stretches for around 186 miles into Utah through flooded red-rock canyons.
• Rainbow Bridge, on the shore of Lake Powell, is one of the largest natural bridges in the world, at 290 feet high.
• Peter Lik’s Phantom, a light beam in Upper Antelope Canyon, was reported to have sold for $6.5 million in 2014.
• The Colorado River has been carving Horseshoe Bend for around 5 million years.

Time zone

Page is on Mountain Standard Time (UTC-7) all year: seven hours behind the UK in winter and eight in summer. The Navajo Nation, including Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley, uses daylight saving time, so from March to November it’s an hour ahead of Page, as is Utah, just over the border.

Electricity and adapters

Type A and B plugs, at 120V and 60Hz.