The City of Page and its surrounding areas are located in northern Arizona, close to the Utah border. It’s often visited by travelers who explored the Grand Canyon first, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. During this tour you’ll find geological wonders, hikes, scenic vistas, and so much more. The most well-known feature near Page is Horseshoe Bend. There, the Colorado River eroded its way through beautiful sandstone creating a thousand-foot cliff overlooking a stunning rock formation. But the City of Page is a lot more than gorgeous views, it has a fascinating history! Did you know it was first built as a temporary housing site for construction workers building the Glen Canyon Dam?
 
With Shaka Guide tours, you’ll have the freedom to explore on your terms. You can make every stop we recommend, or pick and choose what you want. It’s your day, so take your time and enjoy the ride.
 
With 14 stops, this tour takes one to four hours to complete. That’s around an hour of driving time, with more time for you to explore all this beautiful place here has to offer. We recommend starting this tour at 8 a.m. That’s because the Horseshoe Bend parking lot often fills up early, and it helps to avoid the midday desert heat.

Important Information

This tour begins at Bitter Springs and follows Highway 89 heading north. If you’re staying in Page the night before the tour, you’ll head back down Highway 89 to Bitter Springs to begin. That’s nearly a 30-minute drive, so we recommend leaving at 7:30 a.m. to start the tour by 8 a.m. If you’re staying somewhere else, like closer to the Grand Canyon, just make sure to map your time to Bitter Springs.

Itinerary

1. Bitter Springs

Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bitter Springs is really just the tour’s starting point located on Highway 89, around a half hour from the City of Page. From Bitter Springs, stay on 89 at the fork in the road to head to the first stop, Antelope Pass Vista.

2. Antelope Pass Vista

CC BY 2.0

5 minutes

The first of many overlooks on the tour is Antelope Pass Vista on the western side of Highway 89. It’s an overlook offering sweeping views of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, a gorgeous geological wonder. Resting just under the Utah state line, it measures almost 300,000 acres.

3. Horseshoe Bend

Sim Br from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

30 minutes

Up next is Horseshoe Bend, part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and one of the most popular sights around Page. There, you’ll stand on a towering cliff above the Colorado River wrapping itself around a beautiful rock formation. There’s a one-and-a-half mile, or 2.4 kilometer easy trail to the overlook. 

4. The John Wesley Powell Museum

Henry Ulke, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

30 minutes

This museum is named after a one-armed explorer and the first European American to cross the Colorado River. It features exhibits on geology, archeology, dam history, paleontology, and culture. The Glen Canyon Conservancy’s flagship office is right next to it, which offers additional local travel information and other resources.

5. Glen Canyon Dam Overlook

Fabio Achilli from Milano, Italy, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

10 minutes

At the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook you will find a front-row view of the 700-foot tall dam. It was built to provide power for millions of people in the surrounding states. From the parking lot, it’s around a three-minute walk to the overlook.

6. Potato Hill Overlook

National Park Service Digital Image Archives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

30 minutes

There’s even more great views! At Potato Hill Overlook visitors can take an easy, one-mile round-trip walk to the overlook for a gorgeous view of Lake Powell and Antelope Island. 
 
The Page Rimview Trail is also accessed from there. As the name suggests, it loops around Page. It’s just over 10-miles or 16 kilometers long, and it’s a great spot for birding and biking.

7. Grandview Overlook

Grand Canyon National Park, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

10 minutes

Not far from Potato Hill is the Grandview Overlook which affords panoramic views of Lake Powell and Navajo Mountain. It’s a peaceful place to spend some time.  

8. Hanging Gardens Trailhead

NPS/Stephanie Metzler

30 minutes

At the Hanging Gardens trailhead, you’ll be treated to a 1.2 mile, or 2 kilometers, out-and-back trail. As the name suggests, it leads to a hanging garden, where plants actually grow on vertical rock surfaces.

9. The Chains

NPS Photo

30 minutes

Another easy hike is The Chains, a half-mile round-trip walk that leads to Lake Powell and a front row view of the dam. In fact, it’s so close that there’s actually a chain hanging over the water to prevent boats from getting too close.

10. Carl Hayden Visitor Center

gillfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

20 minutes

You’ll be right above the dam at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center. You can’t get any closer than that! You’ll find more great views, a bookstore, and exhibits.

11. Wahweap Recreation Area Southern Entrance

NPS Photo

5 minutes

You’ll drive through an entrance station into Wahweap Recreation Area. Entry is $30 and it’s good for a week. There, you’ll see great views across the lake to Utah and trace the shores of Lake Powell.

12. Navajo Mountain and Wahweap Viewpoints

NPS Photo

10 minutes

At Navajo Mountain Viewpoint you’ll see, as the name says, Navajo Mountain. It’s sacred to the Navajo people and is about the height of seven Empire State Buildings. Just past that is Wahweap Viewpoint, which affords wonderful views of Lake Powell.

13. Wahweap Marina

Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

30-60 minutes

This is your opportunity to get out of the car for a while and explore the shoreline of Lake Powell. Lake Powell Resort is located there too and has restaurants and shops open to non-hotel guests.  

14. Wahweap Overlook

NPS

Optional

The final stop on the tour is Wahweap Overlook. It’s a great opportunity to relax and decide where you’ll go from there. Because, we’re guessing it’s not really your last stop. It’s also a chance to gaze back at what you saw today and take it all in.

Conclusion

Exploring Page is a wonderful experience filled with history, culture, hikes, and nature’s beauty. We’re so glad you’ve chosen Shaka Guide to help make memories that will last a lifetime. We hope that during your Page adventure, you take it slow and appreciate all it has to offer. 

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Ready to explore Page with Shaka Guide? Here’s everything you need to know before you go!