Ultimate Page AZ One Day Itinerary
One of my favorite parts of Arizona is all the cool geological wonders it has to offer. Page Arizona is a small town straddling the border between Utah and Arizona, with a variety of unique natural attractions.
Page was originally founded in 1957 when the Glen Canyon Dam was being created, to house the workers building it. The town itself is very small, but it’s home to Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Lake Powell, which was created by the dam.
I recently drove from Phoenix to Page, to explore all of the beautiful natural landmarks it has to offer. This one day itinerary includes all of the must-visit places, along with a few hidden gems you may want to check out!
Whether you’re making a quick stop on your road trip or spending the full day in town, this guide will help point you on what to do and where to eat.
Ready to find out how to spend the day in Page? Let’s dive right in!
For your convenience, I’ve included a Page Itinerary map, pinning all of the places mentioned in the article.
Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon is a stunning slot canyon formed by years of erosion of Navajo sandstone. This is the iconic dark orange canyon you’ve likely seen in professional photos and wallpapers. It’s located on tribal lands, so you’ll need to go on a guided hiking tour to visit it.
You can choose to visit the lower or upper portion of the canyon. Lower Antelope Canyon tours are more popular since the lighting is brighter, and they’re around $20-40 cheaper.
Upper Antelope Canyon is flat, darker, and more expensive, but it provides exceptional photo opportunities.
On a tour, you can expect around 1 hour of walking through the slot canyon, and learning about the history and geology from a guide.
Lower Antelope Canyon has several sets of stairs and ladders, and neither canyon is wheelchair accessible, since the paths are made of sand.
Tip: When booking your Antelope Canyon tour, make sure to check the weather beforehand. During monsoon season (June-September), these tours are frequently canceled because flash floods can make exploring the canyon dangerous. If you have flexibility with your schedule, pick a day when there’s no chance of rain.
Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is another must visit for anyone stopping in Page. This is a spectacular viewpoint of the Colorado River winding around the sandstone rock in a horseshoe like shape.
The green algae in the river and red orange sandstone make this a beautiful place to visit, especially during sunset. You can expect to see lots of crowds here because it’s especially popular amongst tourists.
I visited on a weekday, and was surprised with just how many people were here, since Page feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere. It has a $10/vehicle entrance fee, and it’s just a short 10 minute walk out to the main viewpoint.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook and Visitor Center
The Glen Canyon Dam is a 710 foot dam that created Lake Powell, and the reason Page AZ was founded in the first place!
There’s two ways that you can visit the dam, from the Glen Canyon Overlook, or by walking over the dam from the visitor center. I actually recommend doing both.
The Glen Canyon Overlook is a breathtaking viewpoint of the dam and Colorado River, down a small set of stairs from the parking lot.
To the right of the parking lot, there’s a trail outlined by rocks where you can get a closer view of the dam, and see lots of unique rock formations.
The view of the Colorado River from here was almost as stunning as Horseshoe Bend in my opinion (without all of the crowds).
If you want to walk over the bridge and see the dam up close, you can park at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center.
This visitor center has a museum, restrooms, a small gift shop, and film with a history on the construction of the dam. It’s free to park here, and there’s an amazing view of Lake Powell as you walk along the bridge.
Hanging Gardens and The Chains Trail
If you want to explore the beautiful desert scenery, the Hanging Gardens and Chains trail are two great hikes in Page. For a full list of options, check out our list of the best hikes in Page.
The Hanging Gardens Trail is a short 1 mile trail to a garden of ferns tucked amid the sandstone.
This trail has interesting rock formations, swirling sandstone, and a panoramic view of the mountains surrounding town.
If you only have time for one hike, I highly recommend this one. Just remember to bring water, a sun hat, and sunscreen, because there’s no shade along this trail.
Another hike, located down the same dirt road from the Hanging Gardens trailhead is the Chains Trail. This is an 0.4 mile round trip trail down to the water at Lake Powell.
It’s a good hike for a sunny day to dip your feet in the water, and it has a nice view of the dam throughout.
There’s no parking fees at either trail, and there’s a small pit toilet at The Chains parking lot.
Beehive Trail (The New Wave)
Located across the Glen Canyon Dam bridge, the Beehive trail is another amazing day hike for those who love nature. It’s also called the “New Wave” since the swirling sandstone rock resembles the iconic Wave rock formation on the border of Arizona and Utah.
The Wave requires a permit that’s obtained through a lottery system, and is an hour outside of Page, so this hike is a great alternative.
To see it, you’ll hike the “Beehive Trail”, a 1.9 mile loop trail, with beautiful views of the smooth red-brown sandstone and interesting rock formations.
To get here, you can park at the Beehives campground, or continue further down the dirt road to park on the side of the road.
Keep in mind that this road is made of soft sand, that gets increasingly deeper, so only 4×4 vehicles can drive all the way to the end.
Secret Cave Behind The Shell Gas Station
As you stop to get gas before leaving Page, make sure to check out the secret cave behind Shell! This is an interesting little sandstone cave with smooth red-orange walls that’s like a mild version of Antelope Canyon.
To get here, you’ll park at the small dirt lot to the right of the Shell Gas station parking lot. It’s just a short 5 minute walk out to the cave on a sandy path.
You’ll know you’re at the right place when you see dozens of footprints on the sand.
Where To Stay In Page AZ
- Budget–friendly: Sleep Inn & Suites Page at Lake Powell
- Mid–range: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
Where To Eat In Page AZ
- Breakfast recommendations: Hot n Sweet Coffee and Donut Shop, Miss B’s Bistro
- Lunch/Dinner recommendations: Big John’s BBQ, El Tapatio, Birdhouse
Page Arizona Itinerary Map
Page AZ FAQS
What airport do you fly into for Page?
The best and closest airport to fly into is the Page Municipal airport. If flights are limited, you can fly into the Flagstaff Pulliam airport or Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
The Flagstaff airport is around a 2 hour drive from Page, whereas Phoenix’s airport is a 4-5 hour drive.
How many days do you need in Page?
You only need one to two days to explore Page. The town of Page is very small, and you can see all of the natural attractions within a day (Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam).
Everything within Page is relatively close together, with the Antelope Canyon tours being just 10 minutes east of Page, in the Navajo Nation lands.
How far is Page from Phoenix?
Page is around a 4 to 5 hour drive from Phoenix, depending on traffic. Including stops, it took me around 4.5 hours to drive each way.
How far is Page from the Grand Canyon?
Page is around a 3 hour drive from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim (the most popular area), and a 2.5 hour drive from the North Rim.
The closest area of the Grand Canyon to Page is the East Rim entrance (Desert View Drive), which is around a 1.5 hour drive away.
What can you see on the drive from Page to Phoenix?
On the way from Page to Phoenix, you can stop by Sedona to see the famous red rocks, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.
These are all around a 10–20 minute detour off the highway.
Related articles you may be interested in: