Visiting Horseshoe Bend in the Winter

My husband and I decided to visit Horseshoe Bend in the winter on a road trip that took us through Page, Arizona. We were spending the December holidays in Scottsdale with my family and decided to hit the road for an adventure between Christmas and New Years.

Our first stop was Sedona, which is a must-stop on any Arizona itinerary, and then we drove to Page to explore Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon X. Although the U.S. was in the middle of a government shutdown, Horseshoe Bend remained open to the public.

If you’re thinking of traveling to Page, read on for my detailed guide to visiting Horseshoe Bend in the winter, or at any other time!

What is Horseshoe Bend?

Horseshoe Bend is a bend in the Colorado river that is shaped like a horseshoe. Horseshoe Bend is located about 4 miles south of the town of Page, Arizona, which is also famously known for its slot canyons.

What Time of Year to Visit

Although Page, Arizona, is a year-round destination, it does experience big swings in temperature. We drove through Page Arizona in July 2017 and it was so hot that all of the slot canyons had been closed to tours that day, including ours! Due to the intense heat, we decided to drive through Page and come back another time to enjoy its attractions.

Spring and fall are the best times to visit Horseshoe Bend because the weather is mildest.

This time, we visited Horseshoe Bend in the winter. It had snowed the night before in Page. Most of the snow around Horseshoe Bend melted in the morning once the sun rose but it was still coat and sweater weather.

I was wearing a winter coat but took it off for photos – and then immediately put it back on! I was also wearing a beanie and mittens but took them off to take photos.

The roads in and out of Page were also icy and we heard there had been a number of fender benders in the area that morning.

Although it was chilly, Horseshoe Bend in the winter was a lot busier than we had expected. It turns out that northern Arizona is a popular tourist destination between Christmas and New Year’s, especially for international travelers. If you are planning to visit Horseshoe Bend in the winter, I recommend going outside the school holidays or expect crowds.

Time of Day to Visit

The best time of day to visit Horseshoe Bend is late morning or midday. At that time, the bend won’t be in shadow. At sunrise, the bend will be in shadow. Even worse, at sunset, the bend will be in shadow and the sun will be streaming into your eyes.

We visited Horseshoe Bend at about 2:30 pm after touring Antelope Canyon X. We booked our Antelope Canyon X tour for mid-afternoon when the sun was high, to ensure there would be light streaming into the slot canyons. This meant that we visited Horseshoe Bend in less than ideal conditions. As you can see, part of Horseshoe Bend was in shadow during our visit.

I’m honestly still happy with how my photos turned out. We just decided it wasn’t worth it to spend an extra day in Page – which is a pretty sleepy place outside the few main attractions – to visit Horseshoe Bend in idea lighting conditions.

Getting To Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend is located 4 miles south of Page, Arizona off Highway 89. It’s about a 5 hour drive from Scottsdale, Arizona, where we started our road trip.

We drove to Page via Sedona, which is usually about a 3 hour drive. Unfortunately, it took us over 4 hours this time because we got caught in a snowstorm. Yes, it does snow in parts of Arizona!

Parking at Horseshoe Bend

When we arrived at Horseshoe Bend, the parking lot was full. We had to park at a nearby overflow lot owned by a tour company. Although visiting Horseshoe Bend itself is free, we had to pay the tour company $20 to shuttle us a few minutes from their parking lot to the Horseshoe Bend trailhead.

Do not, I repeat, do not illegally park your car on the side of the highway. We thought about it until we saw police officers patrolling the area and reprimanding cars that tried to park on the side of the road.

It turns out that, given Horseshoe Bend’s growing popularity, the local police department has allocated several officers to monitor the area during peak visitation hours. I’m guessing a parking ticket will cost more than the $20/car fee charged by the overflow parking lots!

Should You Take a Tour?

If you have a car, a tour of Horseshoe Bend isn’t necessary. The main viewpoint is easy to find and doesn’t require a tour guide to take you there.

There are tours with Horseshoe Bend Tours that bring you to a viewpoint away from the crowded public overlook. However, those tours bring you off to the side of Horseshoe Bend.

This means, you won’t get the famous symmetrical view, which can only be seen from the public overlook. Since my goal was to take photos for Instagram and my blog, I was looking for a symmetrical view and so didn’t bother with a tour.

The Trail to Horseshoe Bend

We walked about 10-15 minutes from the trailhead to the Horseshoe Bend overlook. I had read online that it was a bit of a steep hike, but we found it to be an easy walk and mostly flat. It turns out that, in 2018, the National Park Service made improvements to Horseshoe Bend that included making the trail more flat and easier to walk.

The Overlook at Horseshoe Bend

After you walk the trail, you reach the expansive viewpoint of Horseshoe Bend. It’s undeniable that Horseshoe Bend, with its nearly perfect symmetry, is a sight worth seeing at least once in your life.

There is a viewing platform at the center of the ridge where you can experience the most famous view. In 2018, a guard rail was erected at the center viewpoint for safety reasons.

There’s a 1000 foot drop down into the Colorado River and there have been a number of fatalities at Horseshoe Bend. Sadly, there was a fatality a couple of days before our visit. So, safety was top of mind for us during our visit.

You can take a perfectly symmetrical photo of Horseshoe Bend over the guard rail (aka without people in it). However, many Instagram photos you’ve seen with people in them completely centered over Horseshoe Bend were taken before the guard rail was erected.

The guard rail only protects a small part of the rim, meaning you can still walk the cliffside edge on either side of the guardrail. We saw many people taking photos right on the edge and even dangling their feet over. I’m personally a cautious person and decided to stay a bit back from the edge, even if that meant my photos wouldn’t look as daring.

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Heading Out

After spending about half an hour enjoying the view and taking photos, we walked back to the parking lot and took a shuttle back to our car. We then started driving south back to Scottsdale, to ring in the New Year with my family.

If you’re been to Horseshoe Bend – especially before they put up the guard rail – let me know in the comments!

xx

Vicki

Where to Stay in Page, Arizona

There aren’t really luxury or trendy properties in Page, Arizona. But some solid hotel and motel options in the area are:

• Wingate by Windham (we stayed here)

• Hyatt Place Lake Powell

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