Horseshoe Bend is a wildly popular destination in northern Arizona—and if you’ve ever visited (or seen the photos dotting your IG feed), it’s easy to understand why. It's where the Colorado River curves 270 degrees to make a dramatic horseshoe-shaped canyon, for an effect that's like looking through a fisheye lens.
But trying to visit this busy scenic overlook can be intimidating, particularly in the era of COVID-19 and social distancing. Hundreds—sometimes thousands—of people visit each day, crowding the parking lot and the half-mile walking path to the overlook as they try to get the perfect selfie for Instagram.
Horseshoe Bend has become so popular that the city of Page, Arizona, which manages the site, began charging visitors in the spring of 2019. (The fee is just $10 per passenger vehicle, and you’ll need to drive a car or book a tour to visit, no drop-offs allowed.) There are no COVID-19 limitations or closures right now at Horseshoe Bend, however, so it's possible to visit. You’ll want to wear your mask, stay at least six feet away from other parties, and follow all the other local guidelines.
Here's how to check out this iconic destination without battling huge swarms of people—during the pandemic and otherwise.
Visit early
With Page, Arizona, serving as your home base, visiting the Horseshoe Bend overlook requires just a ten-minute drive. When you arrive, you’ll walk a 0.6-mile one-way trail from the parking lot to reach the scenic overlook, where most visitors spend about an hour. The beginner-friendly trail is open from sunrise to sunset and is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
The overlook sees the biggest crowds from 9 to 11 a.m. and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., so if you plan your visit outside of these times, you’ll be dealing with fewer people. Spring and fall also tend to be much less busy than summers.
Even better? Plan your visit around sunrise. Yes, waking up before dawn is a pain, but it’s worth it when you consider that you’ll have this spot almost entirely to yourself, minus a few dedicated photographers. Sunrise is one of the best times of day to photograph the bend anyway, since the rising sun will slowly begin illuminating the canyon walls. (RV and van drivers, keep in mind that you can’t camp or park overnight in the lot.)
Pick up a paddle
For a different perspective, you can actually paddle your way around Horseshoe Bend along the Colorado River, some 1,000 feet below the popular overlook. Sure, you miss that bird’s-eye view, but you're able to experience being inside the bend itself. Depending on what you're most comfortable with, you can stand-up paddleboard, kayak, or canoe your way around the bend.
It's a beginner-friendly day trip that starts at Lee’s Ferry, about five miles downriver from Horseshoe Bend. If you have your own gear, you’ll hire a boat driver there, like Kelly Outfitters, to give you (and your stuff) a speedboat ride to the mouth of Glen Canyon Dam, which created Lake Powell, around 7 a.m. (Other outfitters like Kayak Horseshoe Bend offer rides and rentals if you're showing up empty-handed.) You'll then paddle with the current along the roughly 15 miles back to your car. You’ll reach Horseshoe Bend around mile 10, where you can look up at the tiny people at the overlook above. If you don’t want to spend all day paddling, your boat driver can drop you off farther downstream to make the excursion as short as you like.
Along the river, pay attention to marked pull-off spots with hiking trails, petroglyphs (complete with interpretive signs), beaches, and tons of wildlife. If you’re looking for a longer, more advanced adventure, you can bring camping gear on your canoe, kayak, or paddleboard and spend the night at any of the five first-come, first-served camp sites along this stretch of the river.
Take to the skies
You can also get that classic view while avoiding the crowds entirely by viewing Horseshoe Bend from above, aboard a helicopter. There are a handful of helicopter tour companies in the region, and many offer tours that not only include Horseshoe Bend, but also Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell.
Expect to spend around $170 for a quick 20-minute helicopter tour, like the one offered by Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters. It’s pricey, but well worth it when all you have to do is sit back and snap photos from your seat while your pilot explains the region’s rich geological and cultural history.
Tap a local guide
There’s no better way to learn about the history, geography, and ecology of this region than by tapping into the knowledge of an experienced guide. Though these tours are on hold right now because of COVID-19, you can learn about Horseshoe Bend and take in the views from a private overlook site—without crowds—with Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon Tours, an outfitter that also offers visits to nearby landmarks like Antelope Canyon and Alstrom Point.
If you’re planning a longer or more adventurous trip, you can also book an array of specialized guided tours that will give you deeper context for the breathtaking views at Horseshoe Bend. Kelly Outfitters, for instance, leads guided fly-fishing excursions along the river—and if you’ve never been fly-fishing before, they’ll supply all the gear and teach you. You can also book a guided rafting boat tour of Horseshoe Bend with Wilderness River Adventures, though these trips are temporarily on hold because of the pandemic.
Getting there
Northern Arizona and southern Utah offer gorgeous scenery for road tripping (RV rental, anyone?), but you can also fly to Page directly (there are daily connections via Las Vegas and Phoenix) or fly to Flagstaff, Arizona, then rent a car and head north for 130 miles. Flying into Las Vegas is also an option, since it’s about five hours away by car.
Lots of people choose to camp in tents and RVs at campgrounds throughout the region, but if roughing it isn’t your ideal vacation, consider checking into Amangiri, a secluded, 600-acre, five-star resort about 20 miles away in southern Utah. For more adventurous accommodations, consider renting a houseboat and sleeping on the water at nearby Lake Powell.
