Lake Powell Hiking: Slot Canyons, Gulches & the Horseshoe Bend Overlook

Lower Antelope Canyon (The Corkscrew)

• Location: Page, AZ — Navajo Nation land (NOT NPS)
• Distance: Approximately 0.8 mi guided loop through the canyon
• Entry: Guided tour mandatory — Navajo-licensed operators only
• Price: Typically $50–$75 per person (includes Navajo Nation recreation fee)
• Duration: 60–90 minutes inside the canyon
• Accessibility: Requires descending metal stairs and ladders — not ADA accessible
• NPS Pass: Not accepted — Navajo Nation fees apply

Lower Antelope Canyon descends via a series of metal staircases into a slot that is narrower and deeper than Upper. The light plays differently here — less dramatic midday beams, but richer color saturation on the canyon walls throughout the day. Groups are smaller and the pace is less rushed. Closed-toe shoes are required; sandals are not permitted. No large backpacks — the narrowest sections are about 3 feet wide. Water is not permitted inside on most tours; drink before entering.

Book online well in advance. During peak summer months (June–August), same-day availability is effectively zero. Operators include Dixie Ellis Lower Antelope Canyon Tours and others licensed by the Navajo Nation. Book through the operator directly or via Lake Powell Tours.

Upper Antelope Canyon (The Crack)

• Location: Page, AZ — Navajo Nation land (NOT NPS)
• Distance: Approximately 0.8 mi walk-in guided loop
• Entry: Guided tour mandatory — Navajo-licensed operators only
• Price: Typically $65–$100+ per person (higher for photography tours)
• Duration: 60–90 minutes inside the canyon
• Accessibility: Flat walking surface — more accessible than Lower Canyon
• Light beams: Best visible March–October, sunny days, 10 AM–1 PM only
• NPS Pass: Not accepted — Navajo Nation fees apply

Upper Antelope Canyon is a walk-in slot — no stairs. The canyon opens to a narrow slit above, and on sunny days from March through October, midday light beams pierce down in dramatic columns. Tour groups are larger (20–30 people) and move through at a set pace. Photography-specific tours that historically allowed tripods have been mostly phased out; check with the operator at booking time. Navajo-licensed operators include Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours and Ken's Tours.

The most common mistake: showing up without a pre-booked tour. No walk-up availability exists in summer. Book weeks ahead at minimum. See Tours for affiliated booking links.

Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch (Paria Canyon WT)

• Location: Kanab BLM District, Utah (House Rock Valley Road off US-89)
• Jurisdiction: Bureau of Land Management — Kanab Field Office (NOT Arizona or NPS)
• Distance: Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch confluence — ~3 mi RT day hike; longer options to White House Trailhead for backpackers
• Elevation change: Minimal — slot canyon terrain, dry wash scrambling
• Day-use permit: Required — purchase at recreation.gov (Kanab BLM)
• Paria Canyon overnight permit: Separate permit — monthly lottery for the full corridor. Fills months in advance.
• Flash flood risk: Extreme — narrow slot canyon with no escape. Check weather for the entire watershed, not just the trailhead.
• Best season: May–June, September–October (avoid monsoon season, July–August)

Wire Pass Trailhead is accessed via a dirt road off US-89 between Page and Kanab — about 45 miles west of Page. The trail enters a narrow slot canyon almost immediately, eventually reaching the junction with Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest and deepest slot canyons in the world. Most day hikers turn around at the confluence after about 1.5 miles; the slot walls tower 100+ feet above you with gaps as narrow as 2 feet in places.

The permit confusion: The Paria Contact Station (near Big Water, AZ) issues permits for the multi-day Paria River Wilderness backpack — a different route and different jurisdiction. Wire Pass day permits are issued by the Kanab BLM office in Utah via recreation.gov. Many travel guides conflate the two. If you are only day-hiking Wire Pass, buy the Wire Pass day-use permit online at recreation.gov and ignore the Paria Contact Station entirely.

Pair this hike with Lake Powell travel planning — the Wire Pass trailhead is a logical stop on the US-89 corridor between Page and Kanab.

Cathedral Wash

• Location: Glen Canyon NRA, between Page and Lee's Ferry on US-89A
• Jurisdiction: National Park Service — America the Beautiful pass not required separately (covered under Glen Canyon NRA vehicle fee)
• Distance: Approximately 3.5 mi round-trip to the Colorado River
• Elevation change: ~500 ft descent to river level; scrambling over dry falls required
• Permit: No permit required for day hiking
• Trailhead: Roadside pullout on US-89A (no formal parking lot); look for the wash drainage
• Flash flood risk: High — narrow wash with limited escape options. Do not enter with rain in the forecast.
• Best season: October–May (avoid summer heat and monsoon flash flood risk)

Cathedral Wash is an unmarked scramble through a Glen Canyon NRA drainage — no trail signs, no maintained path. The wash narrows to slot-canyon dimensions in several places, with 6–8 foot dry falls requiring hand-and-foot downclimbing. The reward is reaching the Colorado River at a quiet beach below Lee's Ferry. The return trip (all uphill, climbing those same dry falls) takes longer than the descent; allow 3–4 hours total.

Flash flood awareness is critical. Cathedral Wash drains a large watershed — a storm many miles away can send a wall of water down the canyon with no warning. Check the entire upstream weather forecast, not just Page conditions. This is a canyon you do not want to be inside during or after a storm. Hike with a partner and leave a trip plan with someone who knows your expected return time.

Horseshoe Bend Trail

• Location: Page, AZ — NPS Glen Canyon NRA
• Distance: 1.5 miles round-trip (trailhead to overlook and back)
• Elevation gain: ~200 ft (gentle rise to the rim)
• Surface: Paved and compacted dirt — largely ADA accessible to the overlook
• Fee: $10 per vehicle day-use fee at Page trailhead parking. America the Beautiful NPS passes accepted.
• Photography best times: Sunrise (golden hour from the east), late afternoon (soft westward light)
• Safety: No guardrail at the rim — stay behind the marked edge
• Shuttle: No shuttle — parking lot fills early on summer mornings

The Colorado River makes a 270-degree meander 1,000 feet below the overlook — the curve that gave Horseshoe Bend its name is visible from a single vantage point directly above. The hike is short (30–45 minutes round trip) but exposed to direct sun the entire way. Carry water even in winter; the paved surface radiates heat. Arrive before 8 AM to beat the tour buses that fill the parking area from mid-morning onward during summer.

Horseshoe Bend is included in the broader Lake Powell Guide and pairs naturally with a morning Lower Antelope Canyon tour — do the canyon first (9 AM tour), then walk Horseshoe Bend in the afternoon light. See travel planning for suggested Page itineraries and the full day-trip schedule from Page as a base.