Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam, and the Beehive
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After two nights at Wahweap Campground, we traded our proper campsite for open sand and rolled toward $14 beachfront camping at Lone Rock Beach. By Monday morning, the weekend crowd had cleared out and the shoreline was wide open. We eased the camper onto the sand, settled in along the water, then hopped back into the Tahoe for a day of exploring. Our first stop was Horseshoe Bend. The parking lot was absolutely packed. The walk out is short and easy, with a steady stream of people moving toward the overlook. And then the canyon opens up. Nearly 1,000 feet below, the Colorado River bends in a near-perfect curve between towering sandstone walls.
Lone Rock Beach campsite
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The rim was lined shoulder to shoulder with people angling for the same shot. When a small opening appeared, I sat near the edge, scooted forward, and leaned out with my camera to capture the full sweep of the river. Danny was already rehearsing how he’d explain this to my mother if I tumbled over. I reminded him my butt weighs more than my head. I wasn’t going anywhere. Still, sitting that close to a 1,000-foot drop makes your stomach churn a little. Far below, tiny kayaks traced bright lines through the green water. Danny immediately wanted in. Back in the sea of cars, he joked about how we’d ever find ours, until we spotted the giant yellow kayaks strapped to the Tahoe, sticking up above the rows like high-visibility antennas. Problem solved.
We later stopped by Glen Canyon Dam. We ate sandwiches by the dam parking lot under a shade tree. Simple, efficient, and a pretty dam good spot for lunch. Inside the visitor center, we learned how the dam backed up the Colorado River to create Lake Powell and generates hydroelectric power for much of the Southwest. To see Glen Canyon Dam head-on, you have to walk out over the nearby bridge alongside traffic. There is a barrier, but cars zoom past close enough to feel the rush of air, and it is loud. On the water side, tall chain-link fencing lines the walkway, dotted with small openings that serve as photo windows. Not exactly a serene overlook, but it does give you a direct view of the dam rising across the canyon.
We finished the afternoon on the Beehive Trail, also known as the New Wave, just outside Page. The hike is only about a mile and a half, but it feels bigger because you are free to wander across the slickrock. After the crowds earlier, it felt almost empty. The sandstone twists into soft waves and swirled layers, eventually leading to the dome-shaped “beehive” formation rising from the rock. Tucked among the stone and sand, we spotted cactus blooms pushing out bright pink flowers, stubborn and vivid against the desert tones. It was the perfect contrast to the morning’s crowded chaos.
We later stopped by Glen Canyon Dam. We ate sandwiches by the dam parking lot under a shade tree. Simple, efficient, and a pretty dam good spot for lunch. Inside the visitor center, we learned how the dam backed up the Colorado River to create Lake Powell and generates hydroelectric power for much of the Southwest. To see Glen Canyon Dam head-on, you have to walk out over the nearby bridge alongside traffic. There is a barrier, but cars zoom past close enough to feel the rush of air, and it is loud. On the water side, tall chain-link fencing lines the walkway, dotted with small openings that serve as photo windows. Not exactly a serene overlook, but it does give you a direct view of the dam rising across the canyon.
We finished the afternoon on the Beehive Trail, also known as the New Wave, just outside Page. The hike is only about a mile and a half, but it feels bigger because you are free to wander across the slickrock. After the crowds earlier, it felt almost empty. The sandstone twists into soft waves and swirled layers, eventually leading to the dome-shaped “beehive” formation rising from the rock. Tucked among the stone and sand, we spotted cactus blooms pushing out bright pink flowers, stubborn and vivid against the desert tones. It was the perfect contrast to the morning’s crowded chaos.