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Looking for the best hikes in Page, AZ?
If you’re visiting Page, Arizona, hiking is one of the best things to do while you’re there, in addition to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon, of course.
Travel Services I Recommend:
AllTrails – This is my favorite hike tracking app.
America the Beautiful – The national park pass is essential.
Booking.com – This is great for finding and booking hotels.
Get Your Guide – I recommend Get Your Guide for booking tours.
National Park Obsessed – This is the best national park planner.
Skyscanner – Skyscanner is great for finding and booking flights.
Enterprise – This is my rental car recommendation.
See all my resources here.
I am talking about Horseshoe Bend in this guide but I won’t be detailing any of the slot canyons in Page because they require tours.
Yes, they’re still hiking but they’re not something you can just go do if you think “hmm, I think I’d like to go for a hike.”
I have this broken down into three sections: Hiking in Page (hikes IN Page), hiking near Page (hikes in Page but not IN Page), and hikes at Lee’s Ferry (in Page but really just near Page).
I will likely refer to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon as HB and AC a lot because I don’t need to write out both a million times in here if I say something is popular or well-known, aside from those two.
Hiking in Page, AZ – The Short List
Don’t have time for the full list right now but still want to know the best Page hikes? Look no further! Or maybe just come back later for the rest. These aren’t necessarily the most popular trails in Page, but my personal picks.
Hiking in Page, AZ – The Full List
First up we have hikes in Page, like IN Page. These are right in town or just barely outside of it that it’s still considered in town.
These are great if you have to stay in Page to kill some time before a tour but still want to get moving.
Hanging garden
Distance: 1.4 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 72 feet
The Hanging Garden Trail is the most well-known hike in Page (aside from HB and AC). It’s short and sweet and near the Glen Canyon Dam.
You’ll get a view of Navajo Mountain and brief view of Lake Powell, and a nice cool break at the Hanging Garden itself.
Most of the trail is open in direct sun but the garden (a mossy fern-filled area where water seeps out of the sandstone) is shaded and surprisingly cool, temperature-wise.
Follow the Hanging Garden Trail here!
Horseshoe Bend
Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 137 feet
Would it be a list of hikes in Page, Arizona if it didn’t include Horseshoe Bend (or as I like to call it, Horse Bend)?
Yes, it would, but it’s on here anyways since it’s one of the most iconic views in the country.
This is an easy short, but very hot in the summer, hike to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook with the Colorado River below.
It gets extremely busy but it’s busy for a reason. There is a fence by part of the edge now but be careful near the edge in other spots. People (at least six since 2010) have died falling from here.
I did this on my 2015 road trip and surprisingly didn’t go back at all while I lived in Page for two years! This is a must-do in Page for everyone visiting.
Follow the Horseshoe Bend Trail here!
Rim Trail
Distance: 10.3 miles
Difficulty and elevation: moderate, 475 feet (AllTrails says easy but I say moderate for the distance)
The Rim Trail is popular for mountain biking but can be used for hiking as well.
It takes you around the edge of Page with views from the Canyon Rim. Surprising, right?
This is one of the very few hikes in Page I haven’t done yet but this picture above is from the Grand View Overlook along the trail. It’s one of the best views in Page!
New Wave Trail
Distance: 1.9 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 209 feet
Also called the Rock Line Trail and Beehives Trail, the New Wave Trail in Page is named after the infamous Wave Trail in Coyote Buttes.
I really enjoyed this trail but would highly recommend not going in expecting anything like the Actual Wave. Because it’s not that, and that’s ok.
It’s a great trail in it’s own right and conveniently located right by the Glen Canyon Dam, on the opposite side from the Hanging Garden Trail.
This is a loop trail with a little side trek that you definitely shouldn’t skip. It’s not very busy so you probably won’t see many other people.
It has almost no shade, though, so bring plenty of water. While it’s not one of the major grand hikes of the southwest, it is still enjoyable and easy to do in a couple of hours.
Follow the New Wave Trail here!
Hiking near Page, AZ
Now for the hikes that are near Page but not quite in Page. These will require 30-90 minutes of driving and some may require a 4WD/high clearance vehicle.
I’ll let you know which ones do. While these hikes aren’t in Page directly, they’re all hikes that are easily done if you’re using Page as a base.
They may require some driving since the roads are dirt and spread out, but are all close to Page if you’re looking at a map.
Skylight Arch
Distance: 2 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 203 feet
First up is Skylight Arch and this is a great easy hike that is hard to believe has 203 feet of elevation gain.
A high-clearance vehicle is recommended for getting to this trailhead, since we did encounter a pretty uneven rocky area but you could always park before that and walk the rest of the way for an extended hike.
Follow the trail along the top of the mesa to Skylight Arch on the very edge. You’ll see the Amangiri resort below on your left near the beginning.
At the end you get to see Skylight Arch which is actually almost more like a hole in the ground, so watch your step when you get close to the end!
From here you can see Amangiri behind you, the arch on the ground, and Lake Powell, Greenehaven, Navajo Mountain, and Lone Rock ahead of you.
Follow the Skylight Arch Trail here!
Stud Horse Point
Distance: As much as you want
Difficulty and elevation: Easy-moderate depending on where you go
Stud Horse Point is on the same road just before Skylight Arch. This isn’t an official hiking trail but is a great area for hiking. You just go where you please as there is no trail to follow.
This is a really cool area but one thing to know, while you may be able to see Lake Powell from here a little bit, Lake Powell DOES NOT EVER go into this area, no matter the water level.
There’s a photoshopped picture out there that shows this wide open area full of water and that’s not real. There’s a highway down there and it’s literally impossible for this to fill with water.
With that out of the way, this is a great hiking area if you want an adventurous little off trail hike with great views.
You shouldn’t need a high clearance vehicle to get here, I think that part was after this.
Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch
Distance: 4.2 miles
Difficulty and elevation: moderate, 465 feet
The Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch trail is a real hidden gem hiking trail near Page. It’s not an all-time favorite hike for me but it’s great for getting away from crowds in the area.
The majority of the trail is following a wash right off of Highway 89 but for the last bit to get closer to the arch you’ll head up the sandstone on your right.
No special vehicle is needed to get here but parking is pretty limited right on the side of the highway.
Follow the Buck Tank Draw Trail here!
Toadstool Trail
Distance: 1.8 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 141 feet
The Toadstool Trail is very popular and I don’t like it. I don’t not like that it’s popular, I just don’t like the hike itself. At all. You can find out why I don’t like the Toadstool Trail here.
I was extremely underwhelmed by this but I know it’s a crowd favorite so don’t let me dissuade you from doing it. You may love it!
It’s an easy trail through a wash until you get to the toadstool formations. The one pictured is the main one you see all over Kanab.
This is a great hike in Page for families or anyone with kids. The parking lot was almost always full when we drove past though, so don’t expect to have it to yourself.
Follow the Toadstool Trail here!
The Nautilus
Distance: 0.9 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 36 feet
The Nautilus Trail is a short hike through a sandy wash to a rock formation that looks like the inside of a seashell!
The hike is short but cool. It’s on a dirt road off of Highway 89 (near the Paria Contact Station) but doesn’t require a special vehicle.
Parking is very limited though, probably enough room for 2-3 cars, so be sure not to block the road at all.
The formation can be a little hard to spot as it’s in the rock, not like, sticking out and obvious, but it’s easy to see the bottom of it if you’re walking past.
Some people have already carved into the extremely soft stone in the Nautilus and I very much ask you to not add to that. Please don’t scratch into the rock here (or anywhere)!
You can easily get to the top of the formation for the view above by walking up and around the side. The inside isn’t blocked off but like I said, it’s very soft rock so be very gentle walking in it at all.
Follow the Nautilus Trail here!
Catstair Canyon
Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 13 feet
This is a very unique hike near Page and Lake Powell. It’s a short hike to a bunch of crushed stacked cars right on the side of the highway!
The crushed stacked cars in Catstair Canyon were originally put there to hold up the highway (lol what) but that wasn’t working and rather than remove them, they just built over it.
Now you can take a short walk off of Highway 89 to see the cars for yourself! Minor rock scrambling is required at the very end to get down to the cars but it’s pretty easy.
You can find the exact parking location in my full Catstair Canyon trail post as it’s different than some other ones.
This parking area is small but makes the hike shorter and doesn’t require rappelling which a different route may.
Follow the Catstair Canyon Trail here!
Alstrom Point
Distance: 1-2 miles
Difficulty and elevation: Easy, not much
The road to Alstrom Point definitely requires 4WD/high-clearance, especially if you want to drive all the way to the end.
There is a very rocky part near the end that we had to stop at because it was really high and we weren’t comfortable trying to get over it in the 4Runner.
We just stayed and walked around this area but you can walk the rest of the road to the best Alstrom Point view if you want.
It’s a couple of miles round-trip but even if you don’t do that, the view is absolutely incredible. Possibly the best view in Page!
It does take 1-1.5 hours to drive up here from Page since it’s on dirt back roads but it’s worth it. Google Maps can get you there just fine and it’s particularly great for sunrise and sunset.
Wire Pass Slot Canyon
Distance: 3.4 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy-moderate, 180 feet
If you want to hike a slot canyon in Page but don’t want to take a guided tour, the Wire Pass Slot Canyon in the Vermilion Cliffs is the one for you.
It’s a fairly easy hike through a wash to the Wire Pass Slot Canyon, which connects to the Buckskin Gulch slot canyon.
The moderate part comes in when you get to the start of Wire Pass itself. There is an 8-10 foot drop that requires some skill to get up and down.
I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own but there were four of us that could help guide each other. I would say going down is harder since you can’t really see over the rock so it’s hard to know where to put your feet.
If you don’t want to/can’t deal with this section (I don’t blame you) there is a path to go up and around to the other end of Wire Pass then you can walk into it from there.
At some points there was a ladder to get down this section, but there currently is no ladder in Wire Pass slot canyon.
If you want a slightly longer hike, you can go either direction in Buckskin Gulch for a bit before turning back.
This is a great hike but it’s extremely popular therefore busy almost all the time. If you want a slot canyon to yourself, I’d go for a tour in Antelope X or Waterhole Canyon.
Follow the Wire Pass Trail here!
Wire Grass Canyon
Distance: 6.4 miles
Difficulty and elevation: moderate, 561 feet
Somewhere in the depths of Glen Canyon, in the vague direction of Big Water and Alstrom Point, but not quite that far out, is Wire Grass Canyon.
This can also be reached by boat but I’m assuming you’ll be driving. This is a moderate hike through a wash in the towering gray and white rocks found in this area of Glen Canyon.
There may be some rock scrambling about 3.4 of a mile in but should also be a way around it on the left marked with cairns.
You likely won’t be able to hike to water anytime soon since the water level is low unless you hike 6+ miles one way.
This is one of the other few I haven’t done on this list but would like to next time I’m in the area. You should be able to get to the trailhead in a regular car.
There is a review on AllTrails on the Wiregrass Canyon page for Wire Pass. THESE ARE DIFFERENT HIKES.
Follow the Wire Grass Canyon Trail here!
Hiking in Page, AZ – Lee’s Ferry
Finally, we have the hiking trails in Lee’s Ferry which are less than an hour drive from Page and accessible with any vehicle.
I haven’t done any of these yet (we tried one but it was SO cold and windy we turned around) but would like to do all of them next time I’m out there.
Spencer Trail
Distance: 3.9 miles
Difficulty and elevation: difficult, 1650 feet
First up is the Spencer Trail, a fairly difficult hike as it’s a solid climb up in a somewhat short distance.
It starts off along the Colorado River near the Lees Ferry boat ramp before climbing up the cliffside for a stunning view of the river below.
I would be cautious of this one if you have a fear of heights as there are a lot of switchbacks and a lot of the trail has steep drop offs with no rail.
The views from the top look beautiful and it’s almost like a mini Horseshoe Bend! (More like Horseshoe Bend, just less dramatic cliff, than the New Wave is like the Actual Wave).
Follow the Spencer Trail here!
Cathedral Wash Trail
Distance: 3.3 miles
Difficulty and elevation: difficult, 387 feet
Next up is the Cathedral Wash Trail, a somewhat difficult (depending on your skill level) slot canyon hike to the Colorado River.
This is the hike we tried to do but turned back due to freezing cold wind. We didn’t want to get too invested with the wind that bad.
Parking is right along the main road in to Lees Ferry and the wash goes out from both sides of the road. You want to head toward the river.
Some rock scrambling is required and there is a somewhat large dropoff but you should be able to go around it on the right.
There should be cairns marking the trail and x’s scratched into the wall where you can go up and down. It sounds like a fun, adventurous hike that I wish we were able to do before leaving!
So maybe if you want a slot canyon hike and don’t mind the rock scrambling and route finding, this would be better than Wire Pass.
They’re very different styles of slot canyons though, so definitely look at pictures of both before going if you want something particular.
Follow the Cathedral Wash Trail here!
River Trail
Distance: 2.5 miles
Difficulty and elevation: easy, 101 feet
Finally, we have the River Trail, an easy hike along the Colorado River in Lees Ferry. This is perfect if you just want a relaxing hike without the skill level required for the other Lees Ferry hikes.
The trail is sandy and a bit rocky in some places but there isn’t anywhere to get into the river from here. There is a separate beach area for that before the boat ramp.
This starts at the same place as the Spencer Trail but instead of going off to the left to go up, you just continue low along the river.
What to bring hiking in Page, AZ
Hiking poles – These will be helpful on longer hikes that are on the steeper side. They’ll be good if you have bad knees for when you’re going downhill and will give you something to lean on going up the hills.
Water bottle – It’ll be hot and you’ll need to stay hydrated. Even if it’s not hot you need to stay hydrated. A Hydro Flask will keep your water ice cold all day long.
Sunscreen – If you plan on being outside, you’ll want sunscreen. I like the Hawaiian Tropic Sheer Touch a lot AND it’s reef safe! If you’re sensitive to fragrance though, it’s not a good choice. I also like the same one but specifically for your face.
Hat – You’ll want some kind of hat to keep the sun out of your eyes, or a visor. A baseball hat should be fine but I like my giant sun hat, too.
Sunglasses – This is a must no matter where you are.
Light Jacket – Because you just never know. Weather can change quickly depending on where you are, time of day, and season. I usually use my rain jacket for this.
Headlamp – I tend to carry my headlamp around all the time when we’re hiking, just in case.
If you want a fun camping experience, consider renting an Escape Campervan! They’re perfect for outdoorsy road trips for couples and (close) friends, and make for a unique camping experience.
Book an Escape Campervan here!
Where to stay near Page, AZ
Lake Powell Resort – This is the only hotel right on Lake Powell. It’s a little pricey but if you want great lake views, it’s worth it.
Book the Lake Powell Resort here
Rodeway Inn, Big Water – This is a great no-frills slightly cheesy western themed hotel in Big Water. We stayed here more than once and I would stay again.
Rodeway Inn, Page – This is a great no-frills budget-friendly option in Page. We also stayed here and while it’s not five stars, it’s nice enough and I would stay again. It has had some things done to update it (like new floors) which definitely helps.
Wingate – This is a great, new mid-range option right in Page. Some rooms have balconies and while it’s not right downtown, it’s a very easy drive away.
Other posts you may like
Books about Lake Powell and the Colorado River
Have you done any hiking in Page? What was your favorite trail? Any I missed and should check out next time?
Thank you so much for this excellent info. I was travelling through Page earlier this year on the way to the Grand Canyon. I stayed in Cameron, AZ. This is just what I was looking for. Page looks intriguing. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you found it helpful and hope you had a wonderful trip! 😀