Navajo Nation in Seven Days
Hiking around Horseshoe Bend near Page, AZ
Our week exploring the area of Navajo Nation and Antelope Canyon was unforgettable. Antelope Canyon is absolutely breathtaking—its swirling sandstone walls and shifting light are like nothing else—but getting there takes some planning. The area is full of incredible sights if you map out your time well, from hidden hiking trails to sweeping desert vistas and unending slot canyons. It’s the kind of trip where you can be out from sunrise to sunset. So buckle up with us as we go explore this beautiful part of the US.
Great for kids 7+ years
Great for mid-winter break (mid-February) and Spring break (mid-March)
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We arrived in Vegas the night before and set out the next morning for Page, AZ.
We broke up our 4 hours long drive with a first stop at Valley of Fire State Park. The fiery red rock formations, ancient petroglyphs, and wide-open desert landscapes are a beautiful backdrop for hiking. You can easily spend 3-4 hours hiking and wandering around the Park.After a couple of hours, we continued our drive to Kanab, stopping there for an early dinner. The town has several good restaurants. We ate at Wild Thyme Cafe, which was excellent (the pistachio chicken was particularly good!) During high season, make reservations as the restaurants get busy. Also, keep the time zone change in mind when driving from Vegas to UT or AZ, as both are on MST.
After dinner, we continued our drive, getting to our our hotel—Country Inn and Suites—which is where we based ourselves for the duration of our trip.
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The idea for this trip came about because we wanted to visit Antelope Canyon, and it did not disappoint. A lot has been written about the three options for visiting Antelope Canyon—Lower, Upper and X. There are three canyons you can visit—Lower, Upper, and X. We went with Lower to avoid the crowds and knowing that February’s lower sun angle makes the famous light beam in Upper Canyon harder to see. It’s worth researching all three to decide which works best for you. Just be sure to book your tour in advance, as visiting the Canyon requires a guided tour since it’s located on Navajo land and not open for self-guided hikes.
After the tour, we stopped for lunch at BirdHouse for some excellent chicken sandwiches before heading to Horseshoe Bend in the afternoon.
Horseshoe Bend is a stunning natural viewpoint where the Colorado River curves in a perfect horseshoe shape. The short hike to the overlook is well worth it for the breathtaking views. To avoid the crowds (there will be many), walk away from main viewpoint to enjoy some stunning views and rock formations, all without the crowds.
Since we had some time before sunset, we decided to head to Wahweap Overlook, a nice spot from where to take in sweeping views of Lake Powell.
Our dinner stop was Sunset 89, a casual spot for Pacific Rim-inspired bowls. The kids loved it!
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About 30 minutes from Page, on the way to Cathedral Wash, you’ll find the Toadstool Hoodoos—an easily accessible spot with unique and fascinating rock formations shaped like toadstools. The short hike to the hoodoos is straightforward, making it a great option for families with young kids. The landscape makes for some photos!
About an hour in the opposite direction is the Cathedral Wash Trail, located near Lees Ferry in Glen Canyon. Lower Cathedral Wash Trail is a short but exciting hike through a stunning canyon. The trail weaves through layered rock formations and leads to views of the Colorado River. While not overly strenuous, it does require some scrambling.
Nearby is the historic Najavo Bridge from where you can view Marble Canyona, a picturesque section of the Colorado River surrounded by striking red rock cliffs.
The drive along Route 89 offers some of the most scenic stretches in the American Southwest. Stretching from the Arizona-Utah border to the southern parts of the region, the highway takes you through a mix of desert landscapes, rugged cliffs, and jaw dropping wide-open vistas.
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We loved Buckskin Gulch (see photos above)! It’s one of the longest and most impressive slot canyons in the world—it runs for 13 miles, but of course you don’t have to hike it all.
Getting there involves a bumpy, scenic drive down a dirt road. The hike to the start of the canyon is a bit of a walk—about 1.5 miles on a flat, sandy trail—but once you reach the entrance, the narrow, never-ending winding canyon walls and towering rock formations in rich hues of reds, oranges and purples, make it all worthwhile.
Monument Valley, AZ
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The drive from Page, AZ to Monument Valley takes about 2 hours, with scenic desert landscapes along the way. We stopped for lunch at Amigo Cafe, a fantastic family-owned spot about 30 minutes before you get to the entrance of Monument Valley.
Once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by the iconic red sandstone buttes and mesas that have been featured in numerous films and TV shows.
You can explore the iconic viewpoints on your own by driving along the 17-mile Valley Drive loop. The road is mostly unpaved and takes you through some of the most famous landmarks in the valley, such as the Mittens and Totem Pole formations.
The only hike you can do on your own in Monument Valley is the Wildcat Trail. This 3.2-mile loop takes you around the West Mitten Butte. The trail is relatively easy and is the only way to experience the landscape up close without the need for a guide. All other trails require a Navajo guide.
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The drive from Page, AZ to Las Vegas, NV is approximately 4.5 to 5 hours, depending on traffic.
We didn’t have a lot planned so we slept in. Our plan was to stop for lunch in Kanab at the Peekaboo Canyon Wood Fired Kitchen for some pizza.
We continued on with a brief stop at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes (it was raining so we didn’t stay long) and closer to Vegas, a hike at the Red Reef trail. We got there a little later than planned (we had trouble finding the entrance to the park), so we only did a short hike, but the trail was beautiful.
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The kids were hiked out so we spent the day hanging out in Vegas. If you have the energy, a trip out to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is well worth it.
We had dinner at Shang Artisan Noodle, a popular spot in Vegas serving hand-pulled noodles. It’s excellent and gets very busy so make reservations.
We also got tickets to the much hyped Sphere for a nature documentary (sadly, U2 wasn’t playing anymore). Honestly, it was a waste of time and money. The one-hour experience before the movie was particularly terrible—it’s pitched as a cutting-edge, futuristic experience, but it was just a bunch of gimmicky robots and holograms. Maybe U2's show was better, but overall, we thought the Sphere was a total waste of time. Go to a proper show instead! -