There are affiliate links in here.  I get a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you.

Page, Arizona is in the heart of the Grand Circle, the ultimate southwest national park road trip route.

It’s home to some of the most iconic landmarks in the US but you still be wondering, is visiting Page, Arizona really worth it? And I’m here to tell you all the reasons it is!

I lived there for two years while I worked at Lake Powell so I’ve got all the ins and outs of Page, which includes all the reasons it is worth visiting.

While I don’t think the town of Page itself is that great, the surround area has a lot to offer, much more than just Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.

If you want to do any tours in Page, I would highly recommend booking them in advance, especially for a summer trip, as they’re all very likely to sell out!

National Park Goodies

• If you’re planning to visit three or more national parks within a year from your trip, definitely get the America the Beautiful pass. It will save you money in the long run if you’re going to more than three parks in a year. Buy the pass here.
• If you’re planning on doing a lot of hiking on your trip, or even at home, check out AllTrails! This is my favorite app to find, keep track of, and track my hiking activity. And it’s FREE! Sign up here.
• This Ultimate National Park Planning Bundle is a must-have. You get two ebooks and a planner, saving 50% by getting them as a bundle! If you want all the details, this is the bundle for you. Buy the Ultimate bundle here.
• Doing a road trip? Want an adventure? Consider an Escape Campervan Rental! It’s a great way to see the parks and is perfect for couples and small (but close) friend groups. Book a campervan here!
• This National Park Planner (one of the ebooks from the bundle above) is perfect if you just want some guidance in your planning. Buy the planner here.
• Get yourself a National Park journal for all of the NPS sites (400+!) to keep track of your travels!
• Consider reading some of these books set in national parks before your big trip, on your adventure, or once you get home to take you back to the parks until next time.

It’s home to Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend is the first of the two iconic landmarks in Page and it’s come a long way since it gained popularity.

There is a short hike from the newish parking lot down to the overlook, which now has a fence along parts of it. 

The fence doesn’t obstruct the view at all, so no worries about that. It will probably be very busy here so I would go early if you can. It’s popular for sunset so if you go then, be prepared for that.

And Antelope Canyon

Next up is Antelope Canyon, the other iconic landmark in Page. Most people just visit Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon but there is also Canyon X, and Owl and Rattlesnake which can be seen only with Upper.

The entire canyon is pretty long (I can’t find an exact number though) but the parts you walk through are fairly short.

They’re not the most budget friendly tours, so if that’s a concern, Lowe or Canyon X will be better choices. 

These slot canyons are beautiful and I would recommend visiting at least one, preferably from 11-1 because that’s the prime time to see them.

I’ve been to all three of these and my order or preference is Canyon X, Lower, then Upper. 

Upper and Lower will be very busy, probably all the time. All Page slot canyons require a tour as they’re all on Navajo Nation.

Book an Upper Antelope Canyon tour here!
Book a Lower Antelope Canyon tour here! 
Book an Antelope Canyon X tour here!

And a ton of other slot canyons

Want to see a slot canyon but not one of the super busy ones (Canyon X is a good choice, too), Waterhole Canyon, Mystical Canyon, and Secret Canyon are great choices.

I’ve only been to Waterhole out of these three and really enjoyed it. We went in November and there was only one other person so it was basically a private tour. It wasn’t rushed at all either which the main tours can be very much.

These aren’t very budget friendly but they’re perfect if you want an off the beaten path slot canyon experience in Page.

Book a Mystical Canyon tour here!
Book a Secret Canyon tour here!

And Lake Powell

Page is also the home of Wahweap Marina (and Antelope Point Marina) at the south end of Lake Powell.

The best way to see Lake Powell is to either rent a powerboat for a day or a powerboat and houseboat for a few days.

But, if you don’t want to/don’t have time for that, then you can join a boat tour or just do some kayaking or paddle boarding from Wahweap.

There are also some good spots around Page to enjoy views of Lake Powell from land. And there’s always Lone Rock Beach if you want to do some swimming.

Book a Navajo Canyon boat tour here!
Book a Rainbow Bridge boat tour here!
Book an Antelope Canyon kayaking tour here!

Plus there is tons of other hiking

Horseshoe Bend and slot canyons aside, there are plenty of other hiking trails within an hour or so of Page to choose from.

My top picks would be Skylight Arch and Stud Horse Point (they’re right next to each other), and the New Wave Trail.

Here a bunch of other hikes near Page:

• The Nautilus
• Hanging Garden Trail
• Catstair Canyon
• Wire Pass Slot Canyon
• The Toadstool Trail
• Buck Tank Draw and Birthday Arch

It’s easy to get off the beaten path

While Page has some incredibly cool and very popular attractions, it’s very easy to get off the beaten path in the area.

If you want to avoid the crowds, any hike listed in the previous point (except for Wire Pass and Toadstool) are pretty solid bets.

Navajo National Monument and Lee’s Ferry are two other great places nearby to get away from the crowds.

If you want a slot canyon that isn’t busy, Canyon X, Waterhole Canyon, Mystical Canyon, Secret Canyon, Cardiac Canyon, and Cathedral Canyon are all good choices.

It’s close to a lot of national parks

Since Page is pretty much right in the middle of the Grand Circle that means it’s basically surrounded by national parks.

And in addition to the big national parks, there are plenty of national monuments and other cool sties in the whole region.

Here are the nearby national parks:

• Grand Canyon
• Zion
• Arches
• Canyonlands
• Capitol Reef
• Bryce Canyon
• Monument Valley (not a national park but close enough)
• and a little further out, Petrified Forest

You can pick apples at Lee’s Ferry

That’s right! Just like the Capitol Reef orchards, but on a smaller scale, you can pick fruit at Lonely Dell Ranch in Lee’s Ferry in the fall!

I did this in 2021 and really enjoyed it but I really love picking fruit. The apples we got were delicious but the quinces (pictured) were early.

And the best part? Aside from the park entrance, there is no cost for picking the fruit in the orchard! 

If you’re in the area in the fall (especially driving from Page to Flagstaff, consider a little pit stop for this. Plus, it’s a beautiful side trip.

They have a hot air balloon regatta!

If you’re visiting Page at the beginning of November, you may be able to catch the Balloon Regatta!

It’s three days of hot air balloon events right in town and you’ll get to see them flying every morning (weather permitting).

While it’s a once a year thing, it’s a fun reason to visit Page. It’s no Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, but it is still pretty cool to see at least one day.

It’s usually just a morning thing so your afternoons will still be free for hikes and slot canyons!

Alstrom Point is one of the best southwest views

If you follow any national park/nature/southwest type photographer on Instagram, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen Alstrom Point, even if you don’t know it.

It’s a very popular spot for photography thanks to it’s incredible view of Navajo Mountain and Lake Powell and it’s canyons below.

But it does take some effort and a high clearance 4WD vehicle to get to so it won’t be as busy as places like Horseshoe Bend or Antelope Canyon.

We couldn’t drive all the way to the end and I would guest most vehicles can’t unless they’re very high clearance, but it’s a 1-2 mile hike all the way out from where we stopped.

But the view from there was even fantastic. I mean, look at it! We didn’t walk all the way to the end point but a bit further along the edge.

And a cool thing is, pretty much every time you come here the view will be different as the water level fluctuates. 

The canyon pictured above usually has water in it but that was the lowest the lake has ever been that year (we went in February 2022).

But it has plenty of other great views, too

There are plenty of great views in Page that are much easier to get to than Alstrom Point.

In fact, some of them are right in town, like the Grand View Overlook! The view from the rock side trail on the Hanging Garden Trail is really good.

The views along the drive in to Wahweap on the side closest to Page are great as is the Wahweap View overlook between the Glen Canyon entrances.

While most of the views will be great any time of day, they’re also great for sunrise and sunset!

So there you have it, 11 fantastic reasons why Page, Arizona is worth visiting as part of your southwest US road trip.

Other posts you may like

Views in Page

Page, AZ hiking

Things to do in Page

Where to stay in Lake Powell

Lake Powell beaches

Lake Powell tips

Places to stay in Page

Page slot canyons

Have you been to Page? What did you think of it? Do you think it’s worth seeing Page?