Page, Arizona Travel Guide: A Weekend Getaway

Okay, I get it – you’re probably thinking “A travel guide to Page, Arizona? I’ve never even heard of that place so why would I want to go there?” You may not have heard of the town, but you’ve probably heard of plenty that’s within driving distance. Think Horseshoe Bend, Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons, and even Zion National Park.

Last October, my friend and I took the trip of a lifetime to hike into the Havasupai Indian reservation. Luckily, I had some extra PTO to use and decided to go a few days early.

Enter Page, Arizona

I knew I wanted to do Lower Antelope Canyon and was pleasantly surprised to discover the other hikes and sights to which Page is centrally located. Here is my itinerary …

DAY ONE

Fly into Las Vegas

Drive through Zion National Park and stop for a short hike

Continue to Page, Arizona and get settled into the hotel

 

DAY TWO

Longer hike in Grand Staircase Escalante

Drive to the overlook at Lake Powell

Horseshoe Bend

 

DAY THREE

Lower Antelope Canyon

Head back to Vegas to meet my friend for the rest of our adventure

 

What I Got Right

I took a slight detour through Zion National Park. Even if you don’t have time to stop and hike (I did an easy 2-mile overlook trail), the drive is stunning.

Planning to do Lower Antelope early in the morning is key to avoid the crowds. Both that and Horseshoe Bend are highly populated by tourists and a line builds up at Lower Antelope as the day goes on. My tour was at 9 a.m. and I waited for over an hour to get in.

Note: You can only access Lower Antelope with a tour group – I used Ken’s Tours and liked them. I believe there are only two options and they are the same price.

What I Would Recommend Doing Differently

 

While Page is on the boarder of Grand Staircase Escalante, it really isn’t convenient to any of the good hikes. After a 4-hour trek through a deserted canyon trying to find the Wahweap Hoodoos, I decided to cut my losses and head out early. Actually, an elderly couple from St. Paul driving through the canyon in their Jeep insisted on taking me out because they didn’t think it was safe. And looking back on it, they were right, it wasn’t. Had I known that hike would be underwhelming and slightly terrifying, I would have taken the day to see the North Rim of the Grand Canyon which is a three-hour drive from Page.

Next Time?

I was bummed to miss out on some of the incredible sights in Grand Staircase Escalante. And in the town of Escalante there are some really cool lodging options like glamping or staying in a renovated Airstream. That may just be my next trip …