Hello, everybody! I finally made a Vacay Monday! A week late, but who’s keeping track? The problem I ran into this time was trying to narrow down what to say in this post. We continued our trip from Salt Lake City to Page, Arizona. When I was planning this trip, we knew our destination was the Mesa area, but we wanted to see and experience things we’d never done before along the way. We talked about visiting the Grand Canyon for a few days, but when I looked into it, it was out of our trip budget! I had no idea that trying to visit the Grand Canyon would be so hard! I then looked to other areas we could stop and see something cool. And I landed on the slot canyons of Page, AZ.
This tiny gem just across the Utah-Arizona border turned out to be a big highlight of our trip. We spent two nights there, and most of the time outdoors. The city was founded in 1957 as a housing community for the workers and their families of the Glen Canyon Dam. The city sits stop a mesa overlooking the Colorado River and on the southern edge of Lake Powell. It’s only 17 square miles, but they sure pack a big punch into a small space! Just check out this page for all the skinny on this quaint town.
To begin, I had booked online a trip to the slot canyons. These are natural canyons that sit under ground, and are created as flood waters rush down and carve away at the sandstone. Ever see that picture of the oranges, reds, and purples with sun beams streaming down? That’s this type of canyon. And they are spectacular! I have hundreds of pictures of that hour, and have no idea where to start. We toured the Lower Slot Canyon with Ken’s Tours. There are two sets of canyons that are available for tour, the Upper and the Lower. There are only a few companies that provide tours, and you cannot see the canyons without one. They are terribly expensive, and are worth every penny. The canyons sit on Navajo land, so there is a fee you pay to the tribe to be on their land, which is minimal, but again, worth the cost. I cannot begin to describe the feeling you get while walking the canyon, and the beauty that surrounds you.
There are other vantage points within Page that are worth a stop. The first is a lookout over the river, with lots of places to walk. You can see the dam from here, as well as the beautiful canyon the river has created. We stopped here twice to let the kids clamber, and they had a blast. There are many trails around the area, check out this page for more information. We also walked up to Horseshoe Bend. This a 270 degree curve in the river, offering breathtaking views of the river and it’s path. It’s a destination for many a photographer. We went at sunset, because the reviews I read say that is the best time for pictures, as the sun sets in front of you, but after seeing the area, I would say anytime is a good time. There is a wide expanse for walking and climbing, and this is where we learned our kids really like hiking and exploring. They had never shown any interest until we were here, and it was so fun to see!
We did a quick walk down to the dam, and around the visitor center. We didn’t have time to do a tour of the dam, but our next trip down we will! The dam itself is mighty impressive, as is the engineering that went into it (and all dams!). You can learn more here, but nothing beats seeing it up close and personal.
Two of the things we didn’t get a chance to do in our short time was explore the southern area of Lake Powell. It’s a beautiful lake, and I would have loved to do a boat tour. If you check out the visitors page for Page (haha!), you can find and book one for yourself! We also didn’t get a chance to see the Rainbow Bridge National Monument. This is a naturally occuring rock bridge that sits on tribal land. It was considered sacred to many of the tribes in the area, and needs to be treated that way. It does require a permit to visit, but at $12 a day per person, I have a feeling the hike and views are worth it.
Page also offers a variety of things to do within the city itself. The host a farmers’ market on Saturdays’,and the Wild and Scenic Film Festival in June. I’m told that one of the biggest events they hold is the Balloon Regada, held in November. When looking this up, I discovered it’s a hot air balloon event! Looks like so much fun!
We had no idea what to expect within this tiny town, but whatever ones I did have were blown away by the beauty and charm of the area. They community is friendly and inviting, and the scenery is truly spectacular. If you are ever in the area, make sure to plan at least a couple of days to afford yourself time to explore! Until next time!
Kendall
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