That was plenty for both an evening and morning fire. Learn more about me and the blog. COPYRIGHT CHASING TRAIL 2022 Site Powered by Pix & Hue. The . Its a completely different perspective than the one you get from above, and Im sure not many people opt to do it either! Hi Cyndi, I would recommend the Horseshoe bend kayak trip for kids. It may take you around 6-7 hours of paddling to complete the whole stretch of Horseshoe Bend. The summer months are extremely hot and sunny, with daytime temperatures soaring above 100 degrees. I did it! Enjoy! Below are some of the things I wish I had known before the trip. Watch for the parking lot on the west side of the road at mile marker 544, just before entering the town of Page. Learn how your comment data is processed. Hi! Watch out for powerboats! Have you done this experience or do you have more questions? . flying overhead or diving to fish in the water, and scan the cliffs for bighorns. Elevation highpoint on Trail - 4373 feet. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. About. Even the evenings often dont see temps lower than the 80s! He dropped us off above horseshoe bend (at our request), gave us a brief our kayaks and then said you should check out the petroglyphs right there before you head it., Kayak Horseshoe Bend (Marble Canyon) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Highway, Hotels near Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge (Blanche Russell Rock House), Fishing Charters & Tours in Marble Canyon, Boat Tours & Water Sports in Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Highway: Tickets & Tours, Dunn's River Falls & Blue Hole Combo Tour from Ocho Rios, Intro to Scuba Diving in Lahaina (Swimming Ability Required), Paragliding Tandem Experience From Dajti Mountain, 1-Day Kisoji, Nakasendo Trail Tour: Tsumago & Magome Post Towns, Atlanta Ghosts: Hauntings, Ghouls, and Phantoms of Atlanta, 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise on Willamette River, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Admission Ticket in Chicago. However, you do need either an America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) or a pass for the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area ($30). Horseshoe Bend is a unique natural wonder where the Colorado River makes a bend. Antelope canyon looks like another world. Beat them by being in the park at sunrise or waiting until 4ish pm. To find it: Keep an eye out for a massive boulder on the right side of the river causing a large whirlpool that literally pulls you back upstream. No special pass or permit is required to kayak this stretch of the Colorado River; however, a National Parks Pass is required for all activities in this area known as Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which spans sections of northern Arizona and southern Utah. Will it be safe taking a 11 & 12 years olds? The trail is a 1.5-mile . I finally, and completely, checked Horseshoe Bend off my Arizona Bucket List. It was a glorious night in the intensely quiet canyon. It should go without saying, but please be respectful, and do not touch, carve or vandalize these precious remnants of Native American history in any way. I hear there is slot canyon hike between horseshoe bend and lees ferry. Those trips require a commitment of several days and have waitlists exceeding 1.5 years! Sequoia National Park - mostly Paradise Creek Trail, but the flowers are poppin' EVERYWHERE! within walking distance of downtown that sleeps 10, 12 Best Short & Easy Hikes in Yosemite National Park, The Wave Arizona Lottery: Winning a Permit in 2023, Unforgettable Yellowstone Glamping: Yellowstone Tipis, Telluride Camping Guide + 10 Epic Campsites Near Telluride, 7 Spectacular Waterfalls in Costa Rica You Need to See, Alyeska Hideaway | Charming Log Cabins in Alaska, Essential Guide to the 2023 National Parks Annual Pass, Fun & Unique Places to Stay in Florida: Kokomo Farms, Grewingk Glacier | Unforgettable Alaska Glacier Hike. It can get quite buggy out there along the river, so youd probably be more comfortable with a tent than just a tarp. My back haul captain was friendly and helpful. No need to pay $10 for a view of Horseshoe Bend from the top, when you can see it from the inside. About 15 minutes in the slot canyon begins. Hi there - my wife and I are going to be in the area on our honeymoon and wanted to know how long in advance we needed to book a trip (2 inflatables, transport) for either March 10/11th of 2021? Definitely one of the highlights of our vacation. The weeks immediately before and after major holidays are also a great time. Horseshoe Bend itself is in the park, but the parking lot is on city land. Although permits or reservations are not required to camp, you must camp in designated camping zones, which are marked with a sign. The Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam flows through ancient canyons on emerald green currents. Visit during 'shoulder season.' This company is amazing. Ill definitely use them! Choose the Perfect RV for you with thisFREE E-Book. Location: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, near Page, Arizona. Best-selling author and outdoor guide. early in the morning for a ride up the river to Glen Canyon Dam with your gear. Please build a fire only in the metal rings and be sure to practice safe campfire etiquette (ie. However, a kayak trip to where Lake Powell meets the bottom of Antelope Canyon is a unique way to experience Antelope without a canyon tour. Aside from the rustic, boat-in campsites at the bottom of Horseshoe Bend, there are several campgrounds and campsites in the general area. If you plan to do the trip as an overnight, check out our complete list of backpacking gear essentials to help you pack! Start in Flagstaff, Arizona's third-largest city about two hours north of Phoenix. . We are planning on kayaking and camping Horseshoe Bend in May and I was wondering how long it took you to paddle out from the mile 6 campsite the next morning? And I cant believe you saw a mountain lion! It depends on where we drop you off, but for most people, you can do the whole river in 6-8 hours with a stop or two on your way down. As much as I browsed the web, I couldnt find answers to all of my questions. Any tips I missed? It was an amazing experience. We found an isolated campsite with an amazing view of the moon rising over the canyon. Its little effort for maximum adventure! Once again, because of its distance from Horseshoe Bend, this campsite tends to be less popular. This kayaking trip will put you in the bend. . A normal float with a "stretch your legs" stop or two and maybe a quick swim for the kids is generally five to seven hours. Starting upriver and kayaking down allows you to take your time, soak in the stunning scenery, stop at the viewpoints and hikes along the way, and of course, makes for a significantly easier trip! To cut down on the length of the trip, you could have your backhaul drop you at mile 10, just north of Horseshoe Bend. ), plus a few bathroom breaks, and the route took us almost exactly seven hours. Glen Canyon Dam. #sequoianationalpark #superbloom #nationalparkphotography #wildflowers #waterfallhike #sequoia #getoutside #nationalparkobsessed, Just really, really happy to be here. After the mountain lion took a lengthy drink, it slipped back into the bushes and out of sight. Kayakers at a campsite in Horseshoe Bend | Photo credit: Ivana Cajina on Unsplash. Hope you have a great trip, its such a beautiful spot! Located just 10 minutes from Page, Arizona the Horseshoe Bend viewpoint that looks down over the Colorado River is wildly popular and attracts hundreds of visitors per day. We meet the Kayak the Colorado outfitters at Lees Ferry launch. Keep reading for my top tips on how to experience this epic adventure for yourself. Instead, we checked in at the Lake Powell Paddleboards and Kayaks well-stocked equipment store, picked out our lifejackets, and headed to the Antelope Point public boat launch. You can kayak from Lee's Ferry up the river to the Glen Canyon Dam and back down the river with a backhaul service. Idaho whitewater rafting and kayaking trips departing daily. Video: See highlights from my Horseshoe Bend kayaking adventure . How Long Does it Take to Kayak Horseshoe Bend? . Without a doubt, my favorite feature of this two-day adventure of the Colorado River was the tranquil spring-fed oasis shown in the video clip below. The first downriver campsite at mile 14 is Ropes Trail. When you see the following landmarks, you can make a pretty decent guess about your position and progress along the route. #yosemite #yosemitenationalpark #elcapitan #elcap #tiptuesday #sunsetchaser #nationalparkgeek #nationalparkobsessed #getoutside, There really are places that are so spectacular, it seems impossible they exist. Kayaking Horseshoe Bend at a Glance. This is where KHB comes in. Perhaps we were just tired and sunburnt by this time, but we found Waterholes Canyon to be somewhat underwhelming. If you get hot when its not raining, you can always splash the refreshing water on yourself to cool off. Youll want to make reservations online in advance, especially on the weekends, as the backhaul time slots tend to fill up. We camped at Ferry Swale campground about a mile upstream from Horsehoe Bend and had no complaints. All campsites are first-come, first-served. 1.1 Miles, 1.8 Kilometers (0.8 Miles, 1.4 Kilometers inside the canyon) Elevation Change. He IS a kayaker. The logistics of the trip involve a backhaul boat trip up to below Glen Canyon Dam. There are several good times to kayak Horseshoe Bend. . This was one of the best things Ive ever done or probably will ever do on a trip and I would HIGHLY recommend that you book with them (go see Horseshoe Bend from above first, and then youll appreciate seeing the ants looking down on you as you paddle.). We stopped for the quarter-mile hike to the overlook at Horseshoe Bend on our way back to Page. They would periodically come by on the pontoons as we floated along, and this became particularly important when, just like he said could happen, the monsoon winds hit out of nowhere towards the very end of our route. Lake Powell Paddleboards and Kayaks sounds amazing! Our captain (Captain Luke) was very nice and extremely knowledgeable and helpful, pointing out interesting things along our ride upriver and landmarks so we would know how far we had gone on the paddle back. It was great to see where we had paddled. We were scheduled for a 3 day, 2 night float but had to cancel our departure day due to predicted high winds. The earlier you get on the water, the more you will have the canyon to yourself in the morning. The 6-mile paddle the next morning was more of a drift back to the landing as we didnt want the amazing time to end. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. For years Ive seen those beautiful photos of horseshoe bend and want to visit so badly, but I never dreamed of being able to get that close and actually kayak it. This kayak adventure is about enjoying yourself. Crowds are significantly lighter Mon-Thurs. You can buy a pass at the permit vending station upon arrival. It also gets COLD in this area in the winter, as Horseshoe Bend sits at 4,200 feet elevation. Kayaking at Horseshoe Bend. It will take 4 minimum hours to paddle back to Lee's Ferry and if you decide to stop and eat lunch or hike, groups can add that time on to the 4 hour paddle back to the dock. The canyon eventually reaches a fork which is a good turnaround spot. Thanks. I get claustrophobic in tight spaces but this canyon was fineso beautiful. I love kayaking and especially in unique places like this. I was glad to have a stable boat when the waves from power boats on Lake Powell bounced the kayaks around. He assisted me with deciding the best distance to kayak. The hour-long paddle through the canyon winds past huge cliffs of Navajo sandstone. I had to tell myself it wasnt a dream! Combining two tips, if you must visit on a weekend, hit the popular sites early/late and spend peak hours at less-visited areas. Dont count on finding wood at your intended campsite. Because youll be paddling downriver, the entire 16 miles can be kayaked as a day trip in about 6 to 9 hours depending on the wind and current. Ferry Swale campsite is next at 11 miles from the takeout at Lees Ferry. The charming Lees Ferry Lodge at Vermillion Cliffs was our favorite accommodations of the whole trip. For the record, no scales were used to weigh our stuff when we boarded. For kayaking on Lake Powell to Antelope Canyon, Page makes a good base. Its hard to describe exactly where each spring is located, but I can tell you that there are at least two each on river right and river left (when facing downstream) between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry. However, we think the Colorado River is best enjoyed as an overnight camping . . This post contains affiliate links. At this point in the river, youre heading almost directly west. I did a 4 day trip down the river with camping for 3 nights, was absolutely magnificent, I rented a kayak and had the time of my life. We were very pleased with the service Bobby and Brady provided. Another unique place to stay in the Vermillion Cliffs area is the Shash Dine EcoRetreat. For a longer river trip: Click here for turn-by- turn directions or GPS uses . Do we have to start at 6am Bc we will be traveling from Sedona and plan to drive back same day. What does Kayak Horseshoe Bend provide in terms of gear and equipment? Always helpful to get recommendations on kayak rental companies too. It is really an easy float, can be done as a long day trip but we chose to do an overnight and got to camp just below the Horseshoe Bend overlook. High winds do not make for an enjoyable kayaking trip, even in Horseshoe Bend! A backhaul taxi to Horseshoe Bend is a motorized boat that carries people, watercraft and gear upstream from Lee's Ferry to the base of the Glen Canyon Dam, Horseshoe Bend or anywhere along the Colorado river. It was just enough to supply all my water needs for the two-day excursion. Although you can technically do it year-round (with stipulations; more on that in a minute), the best time to kayak Horseshoe Bend is during fall or spring. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. How long does the Horseshoe Bend hike take? I'm Angelica. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. In October 2021, my dream of kayaking through Horseshoe Bend came true. Be the first to get access to this essential guide that will help you determine your dream set-up: Motorhome, Trailer, Tent, Van. We saw plenty of kayakers pulled off there to make the hike up but my crew skipped it due to time constraints. We opted for the Mile 6 campsite as we were thoroughly enjoying drifting along in the 2-mile an hour current under the 1000 feet sandstone cliffs. Squeee! SUP of a lifetime! The Western Tanagers looked like they had spilled red food coloring over their yellow heads. Since the lake is low, we had to wheel our boats down to the water over the gravel. The smooth undulating rock in reds and purples is like walking through a geological playhouse. How many hours is the total excursion? You cant miss them. its at the top of my bucketlist for USA travel! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. As this is Arizona, please make sure you check on fire restrictions ahead of time to find out if youre allowed to have one! Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The first part involves walking over sand through a wide canyon. What amazing views, this is definitely an adventure Id like to plan one day. Kayak rentals: $25 for a single inflatable or hard-body kayak; $45 for a tandem . Required fields are marked *. Let us know in the comments below! At the 10 mile marker is a day-use area with an impressive wall of petroglyphs down a short trail. But it could seem a bit intimidating to anyone newer to kayaking/paddle boarding. 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But we were definitely taking our time because it was so beautiful. However, the backhaul companies have a separate dock so its easy to load. He created an Arizona bucket list and began checking places off. The 15-mile section of the Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam is mostly calm water with a few gentle rapids and plenty of places to pull over and take breaks. The gem of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is iconic Horseshoe Bend, with its unique shape carved out of the massive rock. . Difficulty - Easy, however there are steep dropoffs, stay away from cliff edges. Terry Gunn the owner, was totally agreeable to letting us use the 1 kayak we rented prior to our rescheduled float and we had a really fun day. Yes. Shorten the downstream trip by about 3 hours by getting dropped off at Petroglyph Beach. The Antelope Canyon kayak trip was sponsored by Lake Powell Paddleboards and Kayaks. Don't miss an adventure! Seeing Horseshoe Bend in person is a magical experience, but imagine kayaking the Colorado River and being inside the iconic bend! It takes about 30 minutes to get from the Lees Ferry boat ramp to the drop-off point. Keep an eye out for ospreys and eagles (look for their huge, impressive telltale nests!) Our boats were ready on arrival. Below, well describe in more detail each section of the kayaking trip, starting at mile 16 and working our way back to Lees Ferry at mile 0. If you plan to tackles Horseshoe Bend as an overnight kayak trip, below are a few important details to know about camping in the Colorado River Canyon. Antelope Canyon has been on my bucket list for so long. We totally recommend seeing Horseshoe Bend from above. This year's super bloom across California is incredible, after a long winter of heavy rain and snow. Give them plenty of space and do not attempt to touch or feed them. The rooms are well-appointed with a desert flair. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. When we went in October, we seriously took our time, stopping for lunch and to take endless photos (including of grazing wild horses! For those looking for a budget option, we stayed in the Rodeway Inn that was centrally located and had a nice pool. Out of curiosity, we attempted to paddle up river a few times, and it was not easy at all! It's fairly affordable to visit Horseshoe Bend. Even though Arizona law doesnt require adults to wear a life vest while paddling, you should still consider wearing one for kayaking Horseshoe Bend. It simply cant compare to the beauty of Horseshoe Bend and the Colorado River canyon. I was practically swept into the spot by a whirlpool when I was hugging the right bank to make way for a powerboat cruising upstream. You can take a backhaul service (i.e. In 2014, Paul Fiarkoski went on a hiking trip to world-famous Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon. It was an awe inspiring trip which could have been scary but we knew we were covered with the help of KHB. We did an overnight . Therefore, your smart phone will adjust as you travel through. Best of all, however, are the resident wild mustangs! It has a panel of petroglyphs behind the outhouse that is worth seeing. It might be your first chance to play piano in the desert. Kayaking Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River is a unique way to experience one of the Southwests most famous viewpoints! Timing: Anywhere from five hours to overnight; best from September . Just around Horseshoe Bend is the mile 8 campsite. You drift pretty fast on the river so its much easier paddling than Antelope Canyon, especially if the wind comes up on Lake Powell. Arrive at Lees Ferry boat ramp in early afternoon. Thanks for the tips! Theyre labeled on this map. . And Antelope Canyon is high on my to-do list. . It looks like a beautiful kayak trip to Antelope Canyon and combined with the hike makes the perfect adventure. The Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Planning to go with my 6-yr old, but realize there wont be room to pack a whole bunch. To make things even worse, Arizona experiences monsoon season in July and August. If you didnt stop much and had a bit more hustle, the trip would take closer to five. You can have them drop you off just upstream from Horseshoe Bend, or up closer to Glen Canyon Dam like my friends and I did. Antelope Canyon and Glen Canyon with Horseshoe Bend are located in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The route finding is easy and the paddling distances are reasonable. Located on the Arizona side, just a few minutes from Lake Powell, many hike to the overlook for Instagram-worthy photos. Since there are no actual milepost signs along the river, the only way to know where you are at any given time is to reference a detailed map or to guesstimate your location in relation to some of the waypoints detailed above. Depending on how long/far you want to paddle, they'll drop you off at an appropriate place upriver. Best Time of Year to Kayak Horseshoe Bend, Half Dome Lottery Guide | Hike the Epic Cables Route.
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