Spending 3 Days in Page, Arizona, in the Spring

Those who visit Page and don’t have access to a boat or aren’t visiting Lake Powell for water sports can still keep themselves busy with plenty to see and do on land. In the summer months kayak and SUP rentals would definitely be something I would add to my list.

Horseshoe Bend: This very busy tourist attraction is what Page is best known for. Entry fee is low (only $10 per vehicle) and the park is open from sunrise to sunset. Once you park you will walk about 10 minutes on an easy pathway. The busiest time to enter, where parking and photos ops are limited, is sunset. I went early in the morning around 830 and it was great, but by 930 buses and tours started to show up. If you are looking for the best photos, be aware that the morning light does cast a big shadow into the canyon. There are plenty of place to take photos, but the railing spots are the most popular and you will need to make time to wait in line.

Glen Canyon Dam (Overlook and Bridge): This 710-foot concrete dam is how Lake Powell came to be. You can view the dam from the overlook on 89 (very short hike to point) and also on the way to the visitor’s center. There is plenty of parking at the visitor’s center and many people use the foot path to walk along the bridge to take photos. In the center of the bridge the is a nice opening on each side to grab a quick photo. They do offer guided tours of the dam itself as well. The dam is enormous and it is unfathomable how it was created because of its size .

Wahweap Overlook: If you are heading to the Glen Canyon Dam visitor’s center I would recommend making a stop at this overlook too. Take Lakeshore Drive for about 10 minutes and you can stop at both this overlook and the Navajo Mountain Viewpoint as well. A day pass is required to enter (America the Beautiful works here) and the viewpoint is recommended at sunrise.

Vermillion Cliffs: About a 45-minute drive from Page this whole area has a lot to see. We headed here after our morning Antelope Canyon tour, knowing that there were plenty of activities. We drove all the way to the national monument, which in my option was not worth it. The best views of the Vermillion Cliffs are taken between the Navajo Bridge and Cliff Dwellers. I would make a stop at Cliff Dwellers to explore the small historic area and visit the Stone House. There was no historical information here, but the rock formations were so cool.

Navajo Bridge: If you are heading toward the Vermillion Cliffs I recommend stopping here to take some photos and head into the interruptive center. There is plenty of park on both sides of the bridge and a pedestrian bridge to walk along and take photos.

Lees Ferry Road: After a stop at the Navajo Bridge head down Lees Ferry Road to for a hike, photo ops and perhaps a picnic at Paria Beach. For hiking there are a few intermediate options. The Cathedral Wash is a great option and will bring you to the Stone Wave, but there is a drop off getting up and down into the wash, so I would rate this intermediate. At the end of the road is the Spencer Trail Outlook (high elevation gain (1600 ft) so also rated intermediate) and the River Walk (full of history, flat and easy). Be sure to stop at the Balanced Rock along the way. Thousands of year ago these boulders fell from the cliff and over time 6 feet of erosion has allowed them to stand above the surface. If you want to hang in the area, bring some chairs, towels and a picnic lunch and head to Paria Beach, also a great stop along the road. If river rafting is something you are going to experience, Lees Ferry Road is the start point for many fishing and rafting tours. If history interests you, Lees Ferry Fort is where some of the first settlers crossed the Colorado River. The Lonely Dell Ranch is also another historical marker and bodes an orchard where you can pick fruits to take with you.

Antelope Canyon: is a slot canyon located near Page, known for its narrow passageways and swirling rock formations. The canyon can only be visited on guided tours, which allow visitors to explore the unique beauty of the canyon and capture stunning photographs of the light filtering through the narrow openings. There are 5 tour companies in Page that have access to these canyons. Five tour companies operate in the upper canyon and two companies operate out of lower.

For the Upper Antelope Canyon, we booked with Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, which came highly recommended. If you are spending the money to go here, I would BE SURE to book a photo tour. They move slower and there are less people on the tour. You will have plenty of time to get the footage you need. The best time slots for the upper canyon are 10 and 1 when the light shines though. This canyon is wider and much darker, but flat and easy walking. The photo tours for these times can sell out more than six months in advance, however the combo tours are generally available, but more expensive. We opted for the combo tour, which took us to Horseshoe Bend in the morning and then to the upper canyon at 10 a.m. Tomai was our guide and fabulous. He even stopped at a little secret zone for more photos on the way to the canyon.

There are two companies that operate out of the lower canyon and when you book a tour with them you will be driving yourself to the start point, rather than being shuttled from town like with the upper canyon. We booked with Ken’s Tours. This tour was very different from the day before. Yes, we still could take photos, however be aware that there are about 15 people in your group and five groups passing through the narrow canyon at a time. The guides do stop at a few points along the way to take photos and talk about the canyon, but I did feel rushed. There are canyon monitors that hustle you through as well. Each tour company gets certain time slots, so the guides need to make sure their group is finished within the hour. This tour was not as expensive as the Upper Antelope Canyon ($250 vs $75) but there were a lot more restrictions. Please note that you are climbing down a very narrow ladder to get into the canyon. There are small ladders and steps throughout but this canyon is much narrower and requires a bit more mobility. The ceiling openings are much larger, so photos come out great, with peeks of blue sky shining through the rocks.

Helicopter Tour: On my bucket list for next time. The helicopter tours land on the famous Tower Butte. When you are looking for tours make sure that it includes this 15-minute stop. Papillion came highly rated.

When to Visit:

Best time to visit in my opinion is the spring. Page is at higher elevation so they will get snow from time to time. The summer months can be very hot and monsoons will pop up and can halt plans quickly. If you can I would highly recommend traveling outside of the school calendar and avoiding holidays. I went the week after spring break and was very happy that town wasn’t busy and neither were my tours.

How to Get There:

Page is a very small town but center in the middle of many major National Parks within a few hours drive. And yes, I recommend a car. The drive from Durango was only four hours and we could pass through Monument Valley. Many people stop here on their roadtrip heading north to Utah after the Grand Canyon (or vise versa). Kanab is only an hours drive north as people make their way toward Bryce and Zion. Major airports you could fly into and rent a car are Las Vegas (four-and-a-half hours away), Flagstaff, Arizona (two hours) or Phoenix (four-and-a-half hours).

Where to Eat:

If five star, high end restaurants is what you are looking for, Page may not impress you, but if you are traveling with a family or like low-key bar and grill style places, Page has a ton of those. I didn’t find a ton of healthier selections, but I did enjoy all the food we had.

Sunset 89 - Head here for lunch or sunset. They have gorgeous views of the canyon and amazing Polynesian fusion food. It was windy the day we went, so the patio outside was closed but we still had a great window seat. There are so many options on the menu, but they are known for their bowls. The most popular is the BBQ Kalbi Short Ribs with rice and it was fabulous!

Dam Bar and Grille - After a horrible experience at the brewery we headed across the street to the Dam and had a great time. Tons of local beers on tap, great bar food (I went with a few types of chicken wings) and excellent service. The menu is extensive, so it will offer something for everyone. It was packed, with a wait, so that it always a good sign.

State 48 Tavern - The Tavern opens for dinner only but is another place I would add to your dining list. They offer bar food, lots of burger and taco options, as well as local craft beer. The Cowboy Burger is definitely a must have.

Big John’s Texas BBQ - If you love barbecue (I don’t) this is the place to go. I was recommended it by a few people. The have a lot of slow cooked meat options and brisket. Probably one of the most popular restaurants in town, so expect a wait in high season.

Fiesta Mexicana - I am biased with Mexican food and as a frequent traveler to Mexico and a San Diego local, there are times when I just skip the local Mexican joint. This restaurant has great reviews so it’s going in my guide and if I were in Page for a few more day, I probably would have stopped here. They have a ton of food and drink options and a few low-key atmosphere.

Latitude 37 - I wish we could have stopped here, but they are closed Monday - Wednesday and only really open during the summer season. It is located in the Wahweap Marina on Lakeside Drive and it a floating restaurant accessible by both land and water. They feature a rooftop balcony with gorgeous views of the bay and Navajo Mountain.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Arizona. In need of further inspiration? Check out Tarika Richter’s guide, An Energy Filled Getaway to Sedona, Arizona.