Horseshoe Bend

Following the end of our tour at the Grand Canyon, we drove to Flagstaff, Arizona and rented a room at Hotel Aspen off of the infamous Route 66. After a long day of flying, driving, and exploring, we turned in for the night and got a good night's sleep. At 6am sharp, the local trash service was banging the metal trashcans outside, emptying the trashcans. Gotta love a good wake-up call! We rose for another day of adventure and prepared to drive to our next destination, Horseshoe Bend.

The drive from Flagstaff, AZ to Page, AZ is unbelievably beautiful! Flagstaff was filled with a forest of tall and full-bodied pine and spruce trees with yellow wildflowers blooming everywhere. The city had an incredibly natural and earthy beauty to it. To drive from Flagstaff to Page, AZ was a world of difference.

Page, AZ is dry and everything is stained orange from the dirt terrain. There weren't any flowers or trees, just cactuses and bushes spread out across the rocky desert terrain. The cliffs that lined the roads were bold and scenic, creating a unique drive of their own. The land in Page, AZ is protected and owned by the Navajo Tribe. As you drive in, you'll see housing that sits off the highway that belongs to native Navajo families.

Alongside the highway, are wood booths where you can shop handmade crafts and jewelry made by native Navajo families. I caught a glimpse of items for sale like turquoise jewelry and dream catchers. The drive from Flagstaff to Horseshoe Bend was a little over two hours. We finally arrived at Horseshoe Bend and began our hike up the sandy path. 

I would compare the hike at Horseshoe Bend like walking in beach sand with tennis shoes on. Not the easiest hike, but not terribly hard. It's enough to get your heart rate up and get your legs burning.

The walk to the bend is easier going down because you initially hike the incline and then it declines the rest of the way down. The fun part is always the reverse when you have to walk back up a hill you climbed down. We toured Horseshoe in August and it was in the high 80's, low 90's. By the time we reached the bend, my water bottle was empty. I recommend packing a couple of water bottles per person. It's hot and dry and you get so thirsty after being out in that sun for an hour. The walk back to the car feels forever long when you're dying of thirst.

The overlook was beautiful! You would never look out across the top of the hill and imagine that water runs between the canyons. The orange canyons mixed with the deep blue and green Colorado River made for a beautiful backdrop. Zac was having a panic attack every time I got close to the edge of the canyon to take a picture. He's like, "Please don't risk your life for a picture!" People were bordering the rim of the bend to take pictures. Locals told us stories about tourists venturing to the sides of the canyons and losing their lives. How unfortunate! Having a hiking background, I'm always cautious of where I step and definitely use caution when nearing a ledge.

Our travels in Arizona had been great thus far! My only complaint was the lack of moisture in the air. That was an adjustment! Arizona is a dry state anyway, but to someone that's from Georgia where we with an abundance of moisture, it felt really really dry! The first couple of days there, I was constantly parched, my lips were dried out, and my skin felt tight. By day 3, I felt a little more acclimated to the conditions. I never thought I'd ever say this, but I actually missed humidity...(say whattt?!)!

On top of the world!

^But really, he was on the top of this rock. Lol.

We had a great time exploring Horseshoe Bend and it was definitely worth the drive from Phoenix and Flagstaff. That's been one of my favorite scenic drives to date. If you have an RV or want to camp in a tent, there's a local lake, Lake Powell, that offers campsites for both! The lake also offers guided tours where you can explore historical sites and areas via kayaks. Check it out!

Check out our other adventures in Arizona:

Touring the Grand Canyon National Park