We would not have made it to Horseshoe Bend from Lees Ferry if we did not use the backhaul service. I brought my own kayak but a couple of my friends rented from the same company we hired for the backhaul shuttle Kayak The Colorado. Let us know in the comments below! He dropped us off above horseshoe bend (at our request), gave us a brief our kayaks and then said you should check out the petroglyphs right there before you head it., Kayak Horseshoe Bend (Marble Canyon) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Highway, Hotels near Old Cliff Dwellers Lodge (Blanche Russell Rock House), Fishing Charters & Tours in Marble Canyon, Boat Tours & Water Sports in Marble Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Highway: Tickets & Tours, Dunn's River Falls & Blue Hole Combo Tour from Ocho Rios, Intro to Scuba Diving in Lahaina (Swimming Ability Required), Paragliding Tandem Experience From Dajti Mountain, 1-Day Kisoji, Nakasendo Trail Tour: Tsumago & Magome Post Towns, Atlanta Ghosts: Hauntings, Ghouls, and Phantoms of Atlanta, 2.5-hour Dinner Cruise on Willamette River, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Admission Ticket in Chicago. How Difficult is Kayaking Horseshoe Bend? Kayaking Three Sisters Swamp on the Black River, Sea Kayaking to the Benagil Cave in the Algarve, Amazing Places in the Berkshires for Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Best Cross Country Skiing Centers near Burlington, Best Kayaking Trip to See the Flamingos of Celestun, 6 Amazing Canyon Adventures in the Southwest USA. The hike to Horseshoe Bend overlook begins at the parking lot south of the Carl Hayden Visitor Center off US Highway 89 and takes about 40 minutes or less to trek. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Horseshoe Bend is located 9 miles up the Colorado River from Lees Ferry in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in northern Arizona. As this is Arizona, please make sure you check on fire restrictions ahead of time to find out if youre allowed to have one! And woooowza for your hike along Antelope Canyon without the crowds. You definitely want to pack lightly, but you should be able to bring a tent as long as you stick to the necessities. If you choose to camp here, you are close enough to Horseshoe Bend that you could set up camp and kayak back up river a bit to explore the bend further. To the left it continues to a dead-end in about 10 minutes; to the right, it opens up to a wider canyon. The earlier you get on the water, the more you will have the canyon to yourself in the morning. If you encounter them, remember that they are wild animals and therefore, unpredictable. Can you kayak around Horseshoe Bend? Thanks! The smooth undulating rock in reds and purples is like walking through a geological playhouse. To park in the parking lot, there is a fee of $10 per vehicle (car or RV). There are organized kayak or paddleboard tours that go to Antelope Canyon but we opted to rent boats and do it ourselves. But we were definitely taking our time because it was so beautiful. Required fields are marked *. The fee is $5 for motorcycles. The gem of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is iconic Horseshoe Bend, with its unique shape carved out of the massive rock. In 2014, Paul Fiarkoski went on a hiking trip to world-famous Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon. Distance - 1.25 miles roundtrip. Heres what I take: For information on kayak camping gear check out my post on the best sea kayaking camping gear. Do you offer kayak rentals and transportation.. Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry? The vast majority of people start their day between 8am - noon. You must bring your own firewood and pack out everything. But the Colorado River below the dam and its Lake Powell, became a Mecca for 'yakking individuals, families and groups. Here at Horseshoe Bend, the Colorado River created a roughly 1,000 ft (305 m) deep, 270 horseshoe-shaped bend in Glen Canyon. . Other companies will help you strap them to your car, but I really didnt want to tie boats on top of my rental car. Brady, is a Captain, and all captains provide special knowledge for an adventure that fits your individual needs. I loved my kayaking experience! Wow! The summer months are extremely hot and sunny, with daytime temperatures soaring above 100 degrees. With the river flowing, if the kids are tired of paddling with you they can just hang out. What amazing views, this is definitely an adventure Id like to plan one day. The . Great info! Avoid holidays altogether if you can. Large riverside decks, catering facilities available, gift shop, cafe, free parking. It has a panel of petroglyphs behind the outhouse that is worth seeing. First of all, this kayaking trip was EPIC because of the location alone- its seriously an Arizona must do. It's a quick moving river ride and you won't even have to paddle. Whats great about when you kayak Horseshoe Bend is that its an easy route even if you have exactly zero prior paddling experience. At mile 4, you can dock your kayak at the beach to the left hand side of the river and embark on a short 1.5 mile round trip hike up Waterholes Canyon. If you plan to do the trip as an overnight, check out our complete list of backpacking gear essentials to help you pack! ; a shuttle) to go upstream and get dropped off wherever you wish. Would it be possible to be dropped off not as far down the river for kayaking? The Colorado River below the Glen Canyon Dam flows through ancient canyons on emerald green currents. Important: ALL of the outfitters offering backhaul service and Horseshoe Bend kayaking tours take an off-season break from mid- to late October through early March. But did you know that you can escape the crowds and experience Horseshoe Bend by kayaking on the Colorado River?! The best time to kayak on the Colorado River is from spring through fall, around late March to late October. The canyon is sooooo beautiful!!! Youll want to make reservations online in advance, especially on the weekends, as the backhaul time slots tend to fill up. Enjoy! We slept out in the open under clear night skies. For years Ive seen those beautiful photos of horseshoe bend and want to visit so badly, but I never dreamed of being able to get that close and actually kayak it. And Antelope Canyon is high on my to-do list. The question of "how long does it take to kayak Horseshoe Bend?" is almost like "how high is up?". Thanks! CamelBak Women's Sequoia 24 Hydration Pack. The 54 campsites at Lees Ferry cost $20 per night and available first-come-first serve only, so arrive early to snag a spot. You can have them drop you off just upstream from Horseshoe Bend, or up closer to Glen Canyon Dam like my friends and I did. If youre an experienced kayaker and up for a challenge, you could kayak 6 miles up river on day one, spend the night at 6-mile campground, and continue 3 miles upriver to Horseshoe Bend in the morning before heading back down river to Lees Ferry. Slowly floating around the bend, with nothing but the sound of birds chirping and water rippling as you soak in the stunning view of Horseshoe Bend from the Colorado River is a purely magical experience! . We found an isolated campsite with an amazing view of the moon rising over the canyon. Have questions? But 1,000 feet directly below the viewpoint, others know that the best way to enjoy this spectacular area is to kayak Horseshoe Bend (yes, those tiny specks you can see from above are kayakers!). However, we think the Colorado River is best enjoyed as an overnight camping . Here your captain will pull over on a sandy beach, help you get your kayaks into the water, and then youre off! The quality of their equipment and the knowledge and friendliness of the staff is unparalleled. Even the evenings often dont see temps lower than the 80s! It is really an easy float, can be done as a long day trip but we chose to do an overnight and got to camp just below the Horseshoe Bend overlook. Using the backhaul service, its possible to kayak the entire 16 miles from Glen Canyon through Horseshoe Bend and back to Lees Ferry in one day. At mile 13, there is a trail located on the righthand side of the river that leads up and out of the canyon. Rental kayaks come with paddles and Personal Floatation Devices or PFDs. They told us what to look for and discussed safety concerns. Our captain (Captain Luke) was very nice and extremely knowledgeable and helpful, pointing out interesting things along our ride upriver and landmarks so we would know how far we had gone on the paddle back. Kayaking the Colorado from below is an experience of a life time. . The campsite at Horseshoe Bend is right on the beachy shore of the river, and tends to be the most crowded of the campsites along the Colorado. How long does it take to kayak horseshoe bend? These cookies do not store any personal information. Don't make a mistake! Best-selling author and outdoor guide. In fact, we decided well go back next year and camp! Some of the most awesome kayaking in Arizona are trips to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend near Page, AZ. The kayak experience was incredible - stellar views the whole way. It isnt at all necessary to camp overnight to enjoy kayaking Horseshoe Bend, but thats definitely a more leisurely way to take in the beauty of it all. About 15 minutes in the slot canyon begins. Thanks for sharing this adventure! I had a lot of questions before our crew of six embarked on this adventure. Hi there! Thousands of people kayak the stretch of river between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry every year with no issues. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Terry Gunn the owner, was totally agreeable to letting us use the 1 kayak we rented prior to our rescheduled float and we had a really fun day. Im actually going to Utah next week and will probably visit Arizona next year. For instance, the 4-mile Recreation Area confirms youre four miles upstream from the Lees Ferry launch site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. . While the current typically isnt very strong, it definitely helps take some of the effort off your shoulders. Watch out for powerboats! We did our Horseshoe Bend kayaking trip at the very end of October and I cant imagine more perfect weather conditions! We rented a boat on Lake Powell about a month ago but the water was too low to get there via boat. This kayaking experience is everything! You can kayak from Lee's Ferry up the river to the Glen Canyon Dam and back down the river with a backhaul service. Sequoia National Park - mostly Paradise Creek Trail, but the flowers are poppin' EVERYWHERE! Timing: Anywhere from five hours to overnight; best from September . In that time Ive helped thousands of people kindle a love of nature and outdoor adventure. In October 2021, my dream of kayaking through Horseshoe Bend came true. I definitely want to kayak here, it seems like the most self sufficient way to go, and the most cost effective. Do we have to start at 6am Bc we will be traveling from Sedona and plan to drive back same day. Kayaking at Horseshoe Bend. Arrive at Lees Ferry boat ramp in early afternoon. During this time, unpredictable thunderstorms and flash floods are frequent, and theres a ton of humidity to deal with (yep Arizona isnt always dry!). Now that I have answers, I can share some tips with you. The ancient etchings are of the bighorn sheep that frequent the cliffs across the river. If you choose not to use the backhaul service, the trip becomes significantly more challenging. They would periodically come by on the pontoons as we floated along, and this became particularly important when, just like he said could happen, the monsoon winds hit out of nowhere towards the very end of our route. We were completely blown away by the beauty of the canyon and the glass-like water of the Colorado River. The 8 Mile campsite is a beautiful riverside site with good shade and hiking. How many hours is the total excursion? If you need a little adventure in your life, you can go kayaking between the two sites. Terry Gunn the owner, was totally agreeable to letting us use the 1 kayak we rented prior to our rescheduled float and we had a really fun day. Every turn was a new panorama of red walls and emerald water. . I've been living on the road for the better part of five years. This was experiencing nature at its best!During our drive up the river, Terry pointed out wild horses and big horn sheep. Start your days EARLY or LATE. The kayaks are stable sit-on-top boats. Want to Kayak the Colorado River and see the awesome Horseshoe Bend from the bottom? Any tips I missed? We opted for the Mile 6 campsite as we were thoroughly enjoying drifting along in the 2-mile an hour current under the 1000 feet sandstone cliffs. We were debating whether we could make it back when Troys colleague (Im told his name was LR) showed up and we opted to just jump back on the pontoon to be safe. The best part of the rental experience is that the company transports your boats to the put-in. Thanks for sharing! Hoping for views like these, featuringno people or cars whatsoever? Up top on the viewing point, hundreds of people try to get that perfect social media-worthy photo, but 1,000 feet below the rim, youll be peacefully enveloped by the sandstone walls with clear water all around you. This unique geological wonder is located on the stretch of the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry. email info@kayakthecolorado.com or give a holler 928-856-0012. When I called the office for a straight answer, they told me that well be okay as long as each person brings no more than 100 pounds of total weight onboard kayak, life preserver and paddle included. The first one we discovered is located on river right about 1/4-mile downstream from where the backhaul service dropped us off. Yes, campfires are permitted in fire rings only. Paddle downstream from Glen Canyon Dam for 2-3 hours. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. #sequoianationalpark #superbloom #nationalparkphotography #wildflowers #waterfallhike #sequoia #getoutside #nationalparkobsessed, Just really, really happy to be here. Each site is large and well-marked. . Kayaking is one of my favorite things to do! We totally recommend seeing Horseshoe Bend from above. Mostly we were floating. They also have tours if you want to explore with a certified guide.