The First-Timer's Guide to Horseshoe Bend

The Ultimate First-Timer's Guide to Horseshoe Bend

Arizona

The First-Timer’s Guide to Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend has literally been on my bucket list for years and I was so happy that I finally got to experience it. Ideally, I wanted to pair the trip with the famous Antelope Canyon, but we just didn’t have time in our schedule. We barely had time to visit Horseshoe Bend because, in a perfect world, I would have wanted to visit it during sunset. Unfortunately, we had a long drive ahead of us so we had to do this visit first thing in the morning and headed out after that.

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Horseshoe Bend Location

Horseshoe Bend is located in the northern part of the state of Arizona almost bordering the state of Utah. The closest airport is Page Municipal Airport (PGA) but you will most certainly need to have a stopover at a neighboring major airport first. The two major airports that are close by are Phoenix (PHX) and Las Vegas (LAS). Even though I say close, both airports are still at least a 4.5-hour drive to Horseshoe Bend. In regards to our trip, we drove from Los Angeles, which took us about 8.5 to 9 hours and stayed overnight in Page, AZ.

Horseshoe Bend Details

NAME: Horseshoe Bend
PARK ENTRANCE FEE: $10.00 per car/$5 for motorcycles
PARK HOURS: Sunrise to Sunset
DISTANCE: 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) round trip from the parking lot to the edge of Horseshoe Bend. The route is ADA accessible.
ELEVATION: Depends on where you go
TYPE: Out and Back
DIFFICULTY: Easy
TIME: 15-20 minutes to the edge and another 15-20 minutes back

Trail Conditions

The trail is a dirt flat road that is well maintained. Please be aware that there is no shade on this trail, but there are two shade structures if you need to stop and take a rest. Also, it does get dusty so be mindful of your camera gear.

Photographing Horseshoe Bend

You will definitely need a wide-angle lens if you plan to get all of Horseshoe Bend in the picture. I shot with my Sony A6600 using mostly my Sony E 10-18mm f/4 OSS Lens. I use this lens the most when I’m shooting landscape pictures during the day. If I were to shoot during sunset, I would probably stick to my Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Prime Lens since the f/1.4 aperture would be great during low-light settings. For the trail pictures, I just used my iPhone since it was more for documenting for the blog than photography.

A good thing to note is the pictures that you see with me in them were shot using a tripod. My friend that I was with is afraid of heights so I set my tripod up and used the Sony Imaging Edge App to take my pictures. The app lets you use your phone as a remote control for your camera. So, you can use it to take pictures, adjust the exposure, or even set a timer. The one thing that I hate is that it doesn’t allow you to change the focus. You will have to set the focus on your camera first and then get in position for your picture.

Is Horseshoe Bend Okay for Someone Who’s Afraid of Heights?

I want to bring this up because it’s something to consider when visiting Horseshoe Bend. I’m not comfortable with heights, but it hasn’t stopped me from doing what I’ve wanted to do before. On the other hand, my friend that I was with is terrified of heights. Or she felt that she was too clumsy of a person so she didn’t even want to get near the edge. She was literally 20 feet away from the rim at all times. I had to beg her to come to take a picture with me and even then, she had to crawl to the edge versus walking to it.

I bring this up because, for people that are afraid of heights, most of the canyon is NOT safeguarded by a rail. You literally can sit down in some places and hang your feet off the edge (which I don’t recommend). Even me taking my profile picture got me a little shakey. So, if you are afraid of heights, there are sections with railings where you can take your pictures at. Just be aware that the better views are when you walk further out where there are no railings.

Tips on Visiting Horseshoe Bend

What Time Should I Go?

According to the City of Page’s website, the busiest time for Horseshoe Bend is from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. We went around 10:30 a.m. and it was quite busy, but still, plenty of room to find an empty spot and take pictures. If we had the whole day, I would have wanted to go during sunset. The sun sets right behind the bend which makes for amazing pictures, but unfortunately, we had a long day of driving ahead of us so we couldn’t wait all day for it.

What Should I Bring?

Definitely bring water, sunblock, sunglasses, a hat, and a camera. I would say comfortable walking shoes too. They don’t need to be hiking shoes, but something that you feel secure in. Most of the trail is flat until you get to the edge and then it’s uneven so you want to make sure your footwear is secure.

How Long Should I Spend There?

It depends on how many photos you plan on taking. We were probably there for about 1.5 hours. So, a 20-minute walk each way and about an hour walking around and taking pictures.