Last Updated: July 31, 2026
We had been to Page before — in April 2018 we explored Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, and Horseshoe Bend on a spring trip through the Southwest. This January 2021 visit was different in almost every way: it was winter, the Navajo Nation had closed all tourist activities because of COVID — no Antelope Canyon, no Horseshoe Bend tours, no guided slot canyon access — and we arrived coming south from Goulding’s Lodge and Monument Valley. What we found was Page in its quietest form: nearly empty roads, a half-occupied RV park with unobstructed views of Lake Powell, and the freedom to explore Marble Canyon, Lee’s Ferry, and the Toadstool Hoodoos in Grand Staircase-Escalante with almost no one else around. Jake loved every minute of it.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is located at 691 Scenic View Drive, Page, Arizona 86040, in the northwest corner of the state near the Utah border. Hours: The Carl Hayden Visitor Center is open daily 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., with seasonal variations; the recreation area is open year-round. Admission: $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass; free with the America the Beautiful annual pass. Wahweap RV Park overnight fees are charged separately — book at lakepowell.com. Phone: (928) 608-6200. Website: nps.gov/glca. Antelope Canyon tours require a licensed Navajo guide — check navajonationparks.org for availability. Lee’s Ferry and the Toadstool Hoodoos trailhead are both within easy driving distance of Page and free to access.
Page, Arizona & Lake Powell
Page was built in 1957 as a construction camp for workers building Glen Canyon Dam, which was completed in 1966 and created Lake Powell behind it. The reservoir fills 186 miles of the canyon that once carried the Colorado River through some of the most remote country in the Southwest — a landscape now submerged, beautiful in its own right, and deeply controversial. In high-water years, Lake Powell stretches into dozens of side canyons, creating a labyrinth of turquoise water and orange sandstone. In January 2021, with COVID keeping visitors away, the town felt almost entirely to ourselves.
Wahweap RV Park
Wahweap RV Park sits on a point above Wahweap Bay at the southern end of Lake Powell, with open water and canyon walls visible from most sites. Full hookup sites, a marina with boat rentals, a restaurant, and a small store are all on-site. In normal seasons it fills quickly, particularly in summer when the lake is busy with boaters; in January 2021 the park was running at maybe ten to twenty percent capacity. We had full service, workable internet, and an almost unobstructed view of the lake. Jake had the walking paths essentially to himself.
On our 2018 visit we rented a boat and spent a day exploring the side canyons — one of the better days of that whole trip. This time the water was calm and empty, and we were content to walk the shore and watch the light change on the canyon walls.
The New Wave
Just outside Wahweap Marina, on BLM land accessible without a permit or fee, a sandstone formation known as The New Wave sits a short walk from a roadside pullout. The swirling, layered rock was sculpted by wind and water over millions of years into a series of undulating ridges that curve and fold in on themselves — vivid orange, cream, and pink banding through the stone. It is one of Page’s less-visited highlights, easy to reach and entirely free.
Lone Rock
About four miles north of Wahweap on US 89 into Utah, Lone Rock rises from the edge of Lake Powell — a single sandstone monolith standing at the water’s edge at Lone Rock Beach. The beach is one of the rare spots at Lake Powell where dispersed camping is permitted right at the waterline, and in summer it becomes a crowded collection of boats, ATVs, and tents. In January it was deserted and perfectly quiet.
Marble Canyon & Lee’s Ferry
About 25 miles south of Page on US 89A, the highway crosses Navajo Bridge and enters Marble Canyon — the uppermost stretch of the Grand Canyon, carved by the Colorado River through cream-colored Kaibab Limestone. Despite the name, there is no marble; the limestone simply polishes smooth and pale. The walls rise hundreds of feet on both sides of the river and the scale is staggering. This section of canyon is not as well known as the Grand Canyon proper, but the drive along the rim above it is one of the better drives in northern Arizona.
California Condors
Marble Canyon is one of the premier locations in North America to see California Condors in the wild. The area supports around 100 birds — a significant portion of the total wild population, which was brought back from the brink of extinction through a captive breeding program that began in the late 1980s. Condors are the largest flying land birds in North America, with a wingspan up to nine and a half feet and a weight of up to 23 pounds. They feed exclusively on carrion and can soar hundreds of miles a day on thermals with barely a wingbeat. Watching one drop off the canyon rim and open those enormous wings is something you don’t forget quickly. We saw several circling the canyon walls and managed to get reasonably close.
Lee’s Ferry
A few miles south of Marble Canyon, the road drops to the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry — the only point along a 750-mile stretch of the river accessible by road, and the historic crossing that gave the area its name. John D. Lee established the ferry in 1872 after fleeing south following the Mountain Meadows Massacre. He was eventually captured, tried, and executed at the massacre site in 1877. The ferry continued operating until 1928, when Navajo Bridge was completed upstream. Today Lee’s Ferry is the put-in point for every Grand Canyon river rafting trip — nearly all multi-day rafting expeditions through the Grand Canyon begin here. The historic Lonely Dell Ranch is also on site, a preserved homestead that gives a clear picture of what isolated, self-sufficient life looked like for the families who ran the crossing. Some day we will book that Grand Canyon rafting trip.
Toadstool Hoodoos, Utah
About 20 miles north of Page on US 89, just across the Utah border, a short dirt road leads to the Toadstool Hoodoos trailhead in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The trail is an easy 1.5-mile round trip across open desert to a collection of hoodoos — balanced rock formations where a harder caprock of Dakota Sandstone sits atop softer Entrada Sandstone pedestals. Wind and water erode the softer base far faster than the cap, creating the characteristic mushroom or toadstool shape. No fee, no permit required, and in January 2021 we had the entire trail to ourselves. Jake was off leash for the first part before another group arrived.
Practical Tips
Wahweap RV Park reservations: Essential in summer — the park fills months in advance during peak boating season. Winter is much more relaxed with lower rates. Full hookup sites with lake views are available; the Glen Canyon NRA entrance is covered by the America the Beautiful annual pass but the RV park charges a separate overnight fee. Check lakepowell.com for current rates. Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend: Both were closed during our COVID-era January 2021 visit but are typically open year-round. Antelope Canyon requires a licensed Navajo guide — you cannot enter independently. Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon are run by separate operators; book well in advance in spring and fall. Horseshoe Bend has a short walk from a paid parking area on US 89 south of Page. California Condors at Marble Canyon: The Navajo Bridge area is one of the most reliable condor-watching locations in the country — arrive in the morning when birds are most active and scan the canyon rim. Lee’s Ferry: No day-use fee; world-class trout fishing below Glen Canyon Dam requires a fishing license. The Lonely Dell Ranch historic site is a short walk from the parking area. Toadstool Hoodoos: No fee or permit. The trailhead is off US 89 approximately 20 miles north of Page in Utah. The 1.5-mile round trip is flat and easy, suitable for all fitness levels and leashed dogs. The dirt access road is usually passable for standard passenger vehicles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the America the Beautiful pass accepted at Lake Powell? Yes. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area — which includes the Wahweap area, Lake Powell day use, Lee’s Ferry, and surrounding lands — accepts the America the Beautiful annual pass. The Wahweap RV campground charges a separate fee for overnight stays.
Can you visit Antelope Canyon without a tour guide? No. Both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon are on Navajo Nation land and require a licensed Navajo guide — independent access is not permitted. Tours book up quickly in spring and summer. The Navajo Nation occasionally closes these areas, as happened during our January 2021 COVID-era visit.
What is the best time of year to visit Page, Arizona? Spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures and the best light for photography. Summer is extremely hot — temperatures regularly exceed 100°F — but the lake is at its most active with boaters. Winter is quiet and uncrowded; most attractions remain open at reduced capacity, and the canyon light in January is exceptional for photography.
Is the Toadstool Hoodoos hike suitable for dogs? Yes. It is an easy, flat trail on open BLM and National Monument land with no technical sections. Dogs must be on leash. We took Jake and he made excellent use of the extra space to roam among the formations.
Where do Grand Canyon river rafting trips launch from? All commercial and permit-based multi-day whitewater rafting trips through the Grand Canyon begin at Lee’s Ferry, about 25 miles south of Page on US 89A. The launch beach is open to visitors whether or not you are joining a trip — and if you have ever wanted to raft the Grand Canyon, this is where it starts.
