What's there to see, do and eat in Page, Arizona?
What’s there to do in Page, Arizona? That’s a question we had when the folks at Roam Horseshoe Bend campground reached out to us. Here are some of the things we found in Page that we really enjoyed doing. But know that we intend to come back as we feel we barely scratched the surface.
Page, Arizona is a burgeoning destination for people who appreciate some of nature’s beauty. While some of Arizona’s destinations have long histories with tourists Page is a relative newcomer.
What brings people here is natural beauty. There are a lot of incredible natural phenomenon that have occurred here over time and they’re rather spectacular.
In some ways Page is like Sedona in that the surrounding red rock formations show the march of time as water and wind wear down the surface creating stunning scenery. Just outside our campground are towering rock walls with free-standing boulders on them. There’s a natural amphitheater just across the street that was carved into the red rock by time.
But Page is newer and feels much less crowded than visiting Sedona. Humans are here and are making their mark, but they haven’t fully built-out the entire area as with Sedona. Not that I dislike Sedona, it’s incredible too.
Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is one of the more famous things to see in Page. Like much of the area Horseshoe Bend was created thanks to the flow of water over time. In this case that water is the Colorado River.
For $10 you get into the area that includes Horseshoe Bend where there’s a really large parking lot. After that it’s just over a mile in to get to where you can look down 1000 foot cliffs to peer at this natural phenomenon.
There is a railing to protect you from the drop ahead of you which doesn’t stop everyone from going beyond it and, I’m sure, more than a few making an impression on the ground below. I looked down, briefly, not being a fan of heights but this is an incredible piece of geology.
I will say no matter how beautiful the photos, they won’t do justice to Horseshoe Bend just as photos don’t do justice to the Grand Canyon. You just have to see it. We made a point of arriving before sunset and then experiencing sunset at Horseshoe Bend.
The site is open from dusk to dawn and we visited just before sunset as we were told that was one of the optimal times to see the Bend.
Shun’Diin Canyon Tours
One of the highlights of our adventure in Page was organizing a trip with Shun’Diin Canyon Tours. The owners of the company are among the Navajo people who have been incredible caretakers of this land for a very long time.
We had a chance to speak with Amelia who is the co-owner of Shun’Diin Tours along with her husband, Erwin. They both were born and grew up in this area. We learned quite a bit about Navajo culture and tradition from them which was an incredible part of our journey.
For example, in the Navajo family the women are the caretakers of things. Amelia has the deed to some of the land which was passed down from her mother and grandmother. That deed includes some of the incredible landmarks which we tourists have now “discovered.”
But her family roamed the land before we even knew it was here so the history that was shared with us come from the people who lived it.
Climbing aboard the company’s black Mercedes Sprinter you immediately feel welcome and our tour guide, Erwin, showed us not only some of the beautiful natural scenery that is part of this place but also shared how the Navajo people saw the land and its features.
The Navajo learned from the land and their culture reflects this place but so does much of their knowledge and wisdom. I’m going to warn you that my take on what was shared with us is going to pale in comparison with what Erwin shared with us so I encourage you to book a tour and hear first-hand from the expert.
Erwin was able to share the significance of various plants and rock formations. The Navajo learned medicinal value in some of the plants or how to survive utilizing some of the cacti in the area.
The rock formations also bear significance and going into the Lower Antelope Canyon is an eye-opening experience but one with educational value as well.
Erwin showed us a few Navajo Hogans which are eight-sided buildings that some members of the Navajo nation still live in to this day. It’s a brilliant structure because it remains warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s built with sand on the sides but utilizes native plants for the roof. The sand allows for a strong and very weather-resistant building.
The name of the company, too, has significance. Shun’Diin means sunbeam and that’s something that the Antelope Canyons are known for.
Lower Antelope Canyon
While words and photos might be the way we all describe things like the Grand Canyon, the only way to truly experience these natural phenomenon is to see it in person. I could show you the best video or photos of these things and it’s still not anywhere close to seeing it for yourself.
That’s the Lower Antelope Canyon.
The Lower Antelope Canyon was formed over centuries by water coming through the area and washing away the soft sandstone that forms the walls. Over time the canyon got deeper and deeper but never all that wide, unlike the Grand Canyon.
The rushing waters that come through the area sculpt the sand into formations that are quite beautiful.
Two tour companies seem to operate the tours in the canyon and it makes sense to have this level of control. More on that in a moment.
Descending into the canyon is done via steel steps. Even though I displace a lot of water in the pool I still found the steps to be strong and sturdy and not at all challenging, other than the fact that you’re at about 4,000 feet in elevation and you’re descending about 60 feet into the earth.
Our tour consisted of Peggy and I along with five people visiting from Singapore. Unfortunately, when they saw the steps, two of their members backed out so it was just the five of us. That was fine.
The tours are conducted by specific guides who do these tours all day long. They are able to point out the various formations created by time and water. There is one that looks like the head of a Navajo Chief. There is an opening that looks like a sea horse and another that looks like a heart.
Nothing I can share here can do this place justice. At every turn it’s another incredible view and you’re down in a canyon 60 feet below the surface where the top is open to let sunlight in but the walls and outcroppings are just a magical combination of color and shape.
Just when you think you’ve seen the most incredible part of the canyon, you turn a corner and it just gets better. It is stunning.
A lot of people visit this place so we were following one tour and another followed us. I can see why it’s so popular.
The tour guide ahead of us brought a two-headed Navajo flute and, at a particularly large opening in the canyon, he produced the flute and brought magic to the space with his playing. The shape and size of the canyon was a perfect place for this impromptu performance.
Winding your way through this space it can go from rather narrow to rather wide. I don’t particularly like small spaces but I never felt claustrophobic and was at ease the whole time. Yes, there are places where you’ll want to watch your head as you snake through, but even someone of my Santa Claus physique had no issues navigating the canyon.
Amelia from Shun’Diin said that, during summer, the canyon experience is even more magical as the sun is directly overhead and produces light patterns that are just as incredible as the natural beauty we enjoyed as we went through the space in December.
In theory it would be great to just be able to navigate the space on one’s own schedule - the guided tour is about an hour long. But we travelers are not to be trusted with something this incredible as some of us feel compelled to etch names or other things into the canyon walls. Some people take more than pictures, and leave more than footprints.
Interestingly the caretakers of this space have also copyrighted the space so no video is allowed. You can take and share photographs, which are obviously on this post, but no video. My GoPro was camera non grata.
Where to eat in Page, Arizona
Big John’s Texas Barbecue
A few places we enjoyed while in Page included Big John’s Texas Barbecue. This place is the real deal with a giant smoker out in front and the smell alone drew us in. As you would expect all the traditional items are on the menu (and on my shirt, doggone it). We split a sampler plate that included chopped brisket, two pork ribs, pulled pork and a spicy link sausage.
Everything on the plate was legitimate and delicious. I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed peach cobbler for dessert which would normally come with vanilla ice cream on top but our server obliged us and substituted salted caramel ice cream. That was a magical combination.
There were also corn bread muffins which were quite large and very crumbly and good. The team at Big John’s was smart enough to have their butter at room temperature so you could actually spread it on the corn muffin and, yep, there was honey too!
Grand Canyon Brewery
Our first night in Page we visited the Grand Canyon Brewery because, well, brewery. The menu was about what you’d expect with burgers, sides and a big pretzel. I wasn’t on my A game this night and had an IPA and some Buffalo chicken wings. Peggy had a pulled pork sandwich. It was an okay experience but nothing I’d have to rush back for, but maybe it was my mood.
Birdhouse Restaurant
There were a couple of restaurants that everybody said we should visit and one of those was the Birdhouse Restaurant. What the Birdhouse has is chicken. That sounds unremarkable but it’s fantastic.
We ate what they have - fried chicken. We also had a salad with their chicken on it and they goofed and gave us some chicken tenders as well. What was memorable about this is just how very juicy and tasty the chicken was.
I had to ask what their secret was to how very juicy and flavorful the chicken was and all they would share with me was that they marinate the chicken for over a day. Whatever the secret, it was works.
Another thing I appreciated was their beer selection. There was a nice selection of beer available and I really enjoyed a Mother Road Brewing Company Tower Station IPA. This was an exceptional IPA at 88 IBUs with a really juicy style. This might be an IPA for people who don’t necessarily like IPAs. But it’s really good.
Conclusions
While we did truly enjoy our stay in Page we didn’t come at the optimal time of year, nor did we stay long enough. You can bet we’re coming back to this beautiful place.
We hope to hook-up with Erwin and Amelia from Shun’Diin Tours again for other adventures and also plan to visit Lake Powell and the Upper Antelope Canyon.
We barely scratched the surface (but not inside the canyon!) of the activities available here. With so much natural beauty there are all sorts of off-road vehicle tours, kayak tours, fly-over plane and helicopter tours. There is hiking all over the place from mild to expert with rewards of fantastic scenery once you’ve gotten to where you’re getting.
Right now Page seems like a lesser-known place to visit with rewards for people who enjoy the great outdoors. We loved our stay at Roam Horseshoe Bend Canyon campground and that’s where we’ll absolutely return to when we do come back.
The thing to do is to create a gathering of friends here and then enjoy more of the tours and activities the area has to offer.
And don’t forget to enjoy a couple of choice meals and brews at the local establishments.
