Things to do in Page, Arizona: canyons, hikes and hidden gems

Looking for the best things to do in Page, Arizona? From the swirling slot canyons of Antelope Canyon to the overlook at Horseshoe Bend and a long drive out to Monument Valley, these are the experiences that make this small town one of the highlights of the Southwest.

Page wasn’t a place I expected much from. It’s a small town built in the 1950s to house the workers on Glen Canyon Dam, and at first glance it’s a strip of motels and restaurants on a mesa above Lake Powell. But it sits on the doorstep of some of the most extraordinary landscapes in the American Southwest, and it ended up being one of the highlights of my road trip.

I spent a few days in Page in early summer, staying at the Best Western View of Lake Powell, walking through Upper Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide, catching sunset at Horseshoe Bend and driving out to Monument Valley. This guide combines those experiences with the other things worth doing here, and notes what’s changed as Lake Powell’s water levels have dropped.

The best things to do in Page, Arizona

Walk through the glowing slot canyon of Upper Antelope

Rippling orange sandstone walls inside Upper Antelope Canyon near Page, Arizona — The rippling sandstone walls of Upper Antelope Canyon

You’ve probably seen these golden-hued swirls all over social media, but nothing beats seeing them up close. Antelope Canyon is a series of slot canyons on Navajo land just east of Page, where flash floods have carved the sandstone into narrow, curving corridors that glow orange and purple as the light filters down from above.

There are two main sections. Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon each have their own operators, and you can only visit on a tour with a Navajo guide. I did this Upper Antelope Canyon walking tour, which was great: our guide pointed out the shapes in the rock and the best angles for photos as we walked through.

Light filtering down between the curved walls of Antelope Canyon, Arizona — Light filtering down into Antelope Canyon

Tours last about one to two hours, and there’s a Navajo permit fee on top of the tour price (usually included when you book online). The famous light beams appear in Upper Antelope Canyon from roughly late March to early October, around the middle of the day, and midday slots cost more.

Top tip: Page is on Arizona time all year, but the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time. Double-check which time zone your tour time is in.

Book the Upper Antelope Canyon tour or a Lower Antelope Canyon tour well ahead in summer.

Watch the sun set over Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend at sunset with the Colorado River looping round the sandstone, near Page — Horseshoe Bend at sunset

Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped loop in the Colorado River about 1,000 feet below the rim, with a great dome of sandstone in the middle. It’s about 5 miles south of town and 10 to 15 minutes from Antelope Canyon, so it’s easy to fit both into one day.

The walk from the car park to the overlook is about 1.5 miles round trip on a clear, wide path. I found it really easy, taking 20 to 30 minutes each way. I went for sunset, when the canyon walls glow and the heat has eased off, but be prepared to share the view: the platform was busy. Parking costs $10 per car, and national park passes aren’t accepted.

Road trip to Monument Valley for the day

Julianna Barnaby exploring the red buttes of Monument Valley — Me exploring Monument Valley

Monument Valley is a longish drive from Page, about two hours and 15 minutes each way, but it’s absolutely worth it. The red buttes and mesas rising out of the desert on the Arizona-Utah border are some of the most famous views in the American West, and the park is run by the Navajo Nation.

You can drive the 17-mile Valley Drive yourself (it’s unpaved and sandy in places, and closed to RVs and motorbikes) or join a tour with a Navajo guide to reach the backcountry areas that are off-limits to independent visitors. On the way, stop at Forrest Gump Point for the classic road shot.

Take a 2.5-hour Monument Valley backcountry jeep tour or a 3-hour sunset tour with a Navajo guide.

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Tuck into crispy fried chicken at Birdhouse

Birdhouse fried chicken restaurant in Page, Arizona — Birdhouse in Page

Page doesn’t have a huge number of restaurants, but it punches above its weight, and Birdhouse is one of the reasons why. This casual spot on North Navajo Drive is all about crispy fried chicken, served as individual boxes or family-style meals in original, spicy or honey-butter flavours, with a long list of national and local beers. It’s open daily from 11am to 9pm.

Feast on tacos at El Tapatio

Mexican food at El Tapatio restaurant in Page, Arizona — Dinner at El Tapatio

El Tapatio, on South Lake Powell Boulevard, is part of a small chain, but the Mexican food was epic, served in a colourful dining room. Go for a taco combination plate. The service was a little slow when I was there, so don’t come in a hurry.

Sip a margarita at Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery

A margarita at Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery in Page, Arizona — My margarita at Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery

Few things hit the spot after a long day exploring the desert like a cold drink. Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery, next to Birdhouse on North Navajo Drive, has a long list of its own craft beers and spirits (I had the margarita, pictured), plus pub food, games and an outdoor patio for watching the sunset.

Peer over the edge at Glen Canyon Dam

Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River near Page, Arizona — Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River

You won’t quite grasp the size of Glen Canyon Dam until you’re up close. The concrete wall rises 710 feet (216 metres) above the Colorado River, holding back Lake Powell, and the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge next to it gives you a dizzying view straight down into the canyon.

The Carl Hayden Visitor Center, perched on the rim beside the dam, is open daily and has exhibits on how the dam was built and how it works. Tours inside the dam have been suspended in recent years, so check with the visitor centre before you go.

Get out on Lake Powell by boat

Boats moored at Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell near Page — Boats moored at Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell

Lake Powell, the reservoir behind Glen Canyon Dam, stretches for around 186 miles into Utah through a maze of flooded red-rock canyons. The water level hit a record low in August 2026, and some marinas, ramps and tours have moved or paused as a result, but the lake is still open.

From Wahweap Marina, Lake Powell Resorts runs boat trips including the Navajo Canyon tour and a scenic dam cruise. If you want to stay on the water, houseboats can be rented from Wahweap and from Antelope Point Marina. Boat tours to Antelope Canyon and Rainbow Bridge were unavailable at the time of writing, so check before you plan around them.

See Rainbow Bridge, one of the world’s largest natural arches

The natural sandstone arch of Rainbow Bridge on Lake Powell — Rainbow Bridge, one of the largest natural bridges in the world

Rainbow Bridge is one of the largest natural bridges in the world, a sandstone arch standing 290 feet high on the shores of Lake Powell. It’s sacred to the Navajo and other Indigenous peoples of the area, so visitors are asked to view it rather than walk up to or under the arch.

Reaching it isn’t easy right now. The low lake level means the courtesy dock no longer reaches land, so people arriving by private boat face a walk of 1 to 1.5 miles each way, and the concession boat tour was suspended at the time of writing. The alternative is a long overland hike of 16 to 17.5 miles each way, which needs a permit from the Navajo Nation.

Float down Glen Canyon to Horseshoe Bend

For a completely different view of Horseshoe Bend, take the half-day smooth-water float trip with Wilderness River Adventures. A bus takes you from Page to Lees Ferry, where you board a raft and travel upriver through the sheer red walls of Glen Canyon to Horseshoe Bend, looking up at the overlook from the river. It runs from March to October and is suitable for all ages; book through Lake Powell Resorts.

Find ferns in the desert on the Hanging Garden Trail

Ferns growing from the sandstone on the Hanging Garden Trail near Page — Ferns growing out of the rock on the Hanging Garden Trail

The Hanging Garden Trail is an easy walk of about a mile round trip from a car park just off US-89, near Glen Canyon Dam. It crosses slickrock to a sandstone alcove where ferns and other plants grow out of the rock, fed by water seeping through the sandstone. It’s free, and there are good views over the dam and the town along the way.

Escape the crowds in Canyon X

Canyon X is a quieter slot canyon on Navajo land a few miles from Antelope Canyon, named for the X shape where two canyons cross. Tours are smaller and less hectic than in Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, which makes it a good choice if you’d rather avoid the crowds.

Book a Canyon X tour with a Navajo guide.

Spot giant stone mushrooms on the Toadstools Trail

Mushroom-shaped hoodoos on the Toadstools Trail near Page — The mushroom-shaped hoodoos of the Toadstools

About half an hour’s drive west of Page, just over the border in Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the Toadstools Trail is an easy walk of about 1.5 miles round trip to a group of hoodoos with hard caps of rock balanced on softer pedestals, like giant mushrooms. They’re quite unlike the spires of Bryce Canyon. The trailhead is on US-89, on the way to Kanab.

Explore Waterhole Canyon, Antelope’s quieter neighbour

Curved sandstone walls inside Waterhole Canyon near Page, Arizona — Inside Waterhole Canyon

Antelope Canyon is the most famous slot canyon around Page, but it isn’t the only one. Waterhole Canyon, on Navajo land about 7 miles south of town, has the same swirling walls with far fewer people. Since 2018, you can only visit with a guide, so book a tour with a local Navajo operator.

Chase The Wave at the Vermilion Cliffs

Layered striped rock at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona — The layered rock of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, south-west of Page, is famous for its striped sandstone, and especially for The Wave, a swirl of red and gold rock that’s one of the most photographed hikes in the US. Only 64 people a day are allowed in, chosen by advance and daily lotteries, so apply well ahead. White Pocket, another extraordinary area of swirling rock, needs no permit, but the deep sand means you’ll need a high-clearance 4WD or a guided tour.

Swim beneath the monolith at Lone Rock Beach

Lone Rock Beach, about 12 miles north of Page just over the Utah border, is a sandy shore on Lake Powell with a huge sandstone monolith rising out of the water. It’s a popular spot for swimming, paddling and camping on the beach (there’s a nightly fee per car on top of the Glen Canyon entry fee), but watch out for deep sand if you drive down to the water.

Tips for visiting Page, Arizona

How long to spend: two or three days is enough to see Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, take a day trip to Monument Valley and spend some time on Lake Powell.
When to go: spring and autumn are best. Summer highs average around 96°F (36°C), and the monsoon season (mid-July to September) can bring flash floods that close the slot canyons. Winters are cold but quiet.
Fees: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area costs $30 per vehicle for a week (America the Beautiful passes are accepted). Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley all charge their own fees, and federal passes aren’t valid at any of them.
Getting around: you’ll need a car. Page is about 2.5 hours from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim and about 2 hours 15 minutes from Zion.

Where to stay in Page

I stayed at the Best Western View of Lake Powell, a good-value hotel on the rim of the mesa with views over Glen Canyon, a pool and a free breakfast. For something more upmarket, Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell is modern and close to the restaurants on North Navajo Drive, or stay on the water at Lake Powell Resort by Wahweap Marina.