Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in One Day

You can easily see Lower Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in the same day. They are about 15 minutes apart on either side of Page, Arizona. Horseshoe Bend takes about an hour, and a Lower Antelope Canyon tour takes 60 to 90 minutes after a 45 minute check-in. Half a day covers both comfortably, which leaves the rest of the day for Lake Powell, a long lunch, or the drive to your next stop.

The one part that takes planning is the canyon. Horseshoe Bend needs no reservation, but Lower Antelope Canyon can only be visited on a guided tour, and tour times fill up. Book the canyon first, then fit Horseshoe Bend around it.

How far is Horseshoe Bend from Antelope Canyon?

About 15 minutes by car. Horseshoe Bend is just south of Page, with its parking area off US Highway 89 between mileposts 544 and 545, about 5 miles south of the Glen Canyon Dam visitor center. Lower Antelope Canyon is just east of town on Highway 98, less than 10 minutes from Page.

Horseshoe Bend is not part of Antelope Canyon. They are separate places with different rules:

• Horseshoe Bend is a cliff-top overlook of the Colorado River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. You walk out on your own, with no guide or ticket.
• Lower Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon on the Navajo Nation. Every visitor enters with an authorized Navajo guide, so a booked tour is the only way in.

Horseshoe Bend and Lower Antelope Canyon at a glance

Which should you visit first?

Let your canyon tour time decide. Choose the tour time that suits your day, then put Horseshoe Bend before or after it with these in mind:

• Horseshoe Bend is hot at midday. The trail has very little shade, and from late spring to early fall the middle of the day is the hardest time to be on it. Early morning and late afternoon are far more comfortable.
• Sunset is the busiest hour at the overlook. It is beautiful, and everyone knows it. If you want room along the rim, go in the morning.
• Sunrise is the quietest. The river stays in shadow until the sun climbs, but you get cool air, soft color on the cliffs, and space to take it in.
• Leave a buffer before your tour. Check-in at our booth starts 45 minutes before your tour time, so plan to leave Horseshoe Bend with at least an hour to spare.

Driving up from Flagstaff, Sedona, Phoenix, or the Grand Canyon? You pass Horseshoe Bend on US-89 on your way into Page, so it makes an easy first stop.

Sample itineraries

The early start

1. Horseshoe Bend around sunrise, about an hour on the trail and at the rim.
2. Breakfast in Page.
3. A morning Lower Antelope Canyon tour, arriving 45 minutes early for check-in.
4. The afternoon free for Lake Powell or the Glen Canyon Dam overlook.

The relaxed morning

1. A late morning or early afternoon canyon tour.
2. Lunch in Page.
3. Lake Powell or the Glen Canyon Dam overlook in the afternoon.
4. Horseshoe Bend in the late afternoon, staying for sunset if you do not mind a crowd.

Passing through on a road trip

1. Stop at Horseshoe Bend on your way into Page.
2. Check in for an afternoon canyon tour.
3. Get back on the road, or stay the night and see Lake Powell in the morning.

For drive times from where you are starting, see our guides from Las Vegas, Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona.

A note on time zones

Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, but the Navajo Nation and neighboring Utah do. From March to early November, your phone may jump an hour ahead as you drive near the reservation. Our tour times follow Arizona time, the same clock as Page and Horseshoe Bend, so go by the time in Page when you plan your day. Our Page time zone guide has a full comparison.

Horseshoe Bend: what to know before you go

• Parking: The City of Page charges $10 per car at the trailhead. National park passes do not cover it, because the lot sits on city land.
• The trail: 1.5 miles round trip on a hardened, accessible path. Allow 15 to 20 minutes each way at an easy pace.
• Water and restrooms: There is no water on the trail, and the only restrooms are at the parking lot.
• The edge: The overlook platform has railings, but most of the rim does not, and the drop to the river is about 1,000 feet.
• Drones: Flying a drone is prohibited in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area without written permission.
• Busy days: On holidays and busy weekends, the city may require visitors to use a shuttle once the lot fills.
• Pets: Leashed pets are allowed on the Horseshoe Bend trail, but pets cannot join a Lower Antelope Canyon tour, and they should never wait in a hot car. Plan for that before you combine the two.

Lower Antelope Canyon: what to know before you go

• Book ahead. Tours run year round, and the most popular times sell out, especially in spring and fall.
• Arrive 45 minutes early to check in at our building off Highway 98.
• Leave bags in the car. No bags of any kind are allowed in the canyon, including clear ones. Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed either.
• Wear closed-toe shoes with grip. You descend five flights of steel stairs, and parts of the canyon narrow to shoulder width.
• Watch the weather in monsoon season. From roughly July through September, tours can pause when storms threaten upstream. If we cancel for weather you get a full refund, and rescheduling is always free.

Our Lower Antelope Canyon tour information page covers the walk, check-in, and what to bring in more detail, and the month-by-month weather guide will help you pick a season.

Do you need a combination tour?

Plenty of companies sell Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend packages, usually as day trips from Las Vegas, Phoenix, or Sedona. They make sense if you would rather not drive. If you have a car, you do not need one. Horseshoe Bend requires no guide or ticket, so the only booking you need is your canyon tour, and booking it directly gives you your pick of tour times.

Still deciding which canyon to see? Our Upper vs Lower Antelope Canyon comparison walks through the differences.

Make a day of it in Page

With both sights done by early afternoon, Page has plenty to fill the rest of the day: boat tours and kayaking on Lake Powell, the Glen Canyon Dam overlook, and Navajo dining and culture in town. Our guide to things to do in Page has drive times and how long to budget for each, and where to stay near Antelope Canyon helps if you are spending the night.

Ready to plan your canyon day? Book a Navajo-guided Lower Antelope Canyon tour with us, then save Horseshoe Bend for the cool of the morning or the warm light of late afternoon.