Horseshoe Bend, Arizona

Horseshoe Bend, Arizona

Amazing place...but pretty nerve wracking with all those people blithely dangling their legs over certain death.

This is the mighty Colorado River that carved out the Grand Canyon, and there's nothing shabby about the carving it's done here. Sheer cliffs drop a thousand feet to the water below. 

Here you'll see me NOT standing two inches from the edge or letting young kids in my care run around and jump between rocks:

If you go:

For how spectacular this is, it's sure easy to access.  

The trailhead is near milepost 545 on Highway 89 just south of Page (near the Utah border).  There's a largish parking lot, but you may have to park along the highway.  It's very popular.  Pit toilets are available.  

It's a walk of less than 3/4 mile one way.  For those with mobility challenges, be aware that there is a lot of sand and some elevation change, but it looks like they may be putting in a paved path.  

If you go during the summer, go early, carry water, and be prepared for heat with no shade.   

Use extreme caution around the sheer drop-offs. There are no railings and this is fragile sandstone that may look stronger than it is.  A cool photo is not worth your life.