After a day of travel, we arrived in Page after sunset. Waking up the next morning was like waking up on a different planet. This was our first time visiting a true desert landscape.
The first spot we checked out was near town – a trail called the hanging garden trail.
The trail twists around a desert landscape, and eventually up a semi-steep rock with 360° views.
The actual “garden” at the end of the trail are plants that cling to a wall underneath a rock overhang.
We reserved a tour of Lower Antelope Canyon months in advance, and were very glad we did so. The canyon was definitely a unique experience.
The guided tour winds and twists along the floor of the canyon. The walls are about 120 feet high in some places, with sunlight streaming down from above.
Walking through the canyon evokes a surreal feeling. The temperature is much cooler than above, and everything feels very “chamber-like.”
After leaving Antelope Canyon, we checked out Horseshoe Bend, another world-famous landmark in Page.
It’s hard to get a sense of scale of this canyon.
At the edge of town, the Colorado river is damed to form Lake Powell. The Glen Canyon overlook gave us great views of the river and canyon.
The dam that forms Lake Powell
With just a few minutes of sunlight left, we drove to an overlook of Lake Powell, a couple of miles outside of town.
The view and sunset were a perfect cap for our first day in this part of the country.
The next morning, we drove a little north of Page to check out a trail that came highly recommended from a local. This trail, the Toadstools Hoodoo Trail, was located just over the border in Utah.
This trail is known for its hoodoos that resemble toadstool mushrooms.
Although the trail is known for the hoodoos, the rest of the landscape was equally impressive. It seemed like the topography changed around every bend in the trail.
More toadstool hoodoos.
The trail eventually ends in a magnificent canyon view.
The trail is an out and back, but we were happy to revisit the changing landscape on our way back.
We stopped back by Horseshoe bend before leaving Page for the Grand Canyon.
Our time in Page had come to an end, but we were filled with anticipation to get to the Grand Canyon.
We reached the south rim of the Grand Canyon just in time for sunset.
It was hard to believe that we’d be hiking to the bottom of this and back the next day. The bottom is not even visible from the rim.
It was extremely cold and windy, but the views were worth braving the elements.
A glimpse of the Colorado River from the rim.
We stayed overnight in a cabin located next to the south rim lodge. It wasn’t the most comfortable night of sleep, but it was nice to be able to wake up before dawn and be in the park. Once we figured out the shuttle system, we were able to reach the trailhead much faster than if we had stayed outside the park.
