Your Must-See Guide to the Grand Canyon Pt 4
Here we are, part 4 of our Must-See Guide! Hopefully you've read our guides to the Grand Canyon National Park, the Grand Canyon West, and the Grand Canyon North. If not, make sure you read up on those gorgeous locations, as well. The desert Southwest of the United States contains some of the most striking and unusual scenery and landforms in the world - and Page, Arizona is no exception. The fourth and final installation of our Must-See Guide will introduce you to this quaint town as well as the incredible and world-famous sights found here.
Page, Arizona
Let's be technical here: the city of Page, Arizona does not actually encompass the Grand Canyon itself. The canyon ends at Colorado river mile 227 at Lee's Ferry, a historic site that was once the only efficient way to cross the rushing Colorado. Page, Arizona lies just beyond Lee's Ferry. Not far beyond the canyon's end is Page: a cozy town nestled into the rugged Southwestern landscape. While this town began as simply a temporary housing area for workers hired to construct the Glen Canyon Dam, it's since grown into a tight-knit community bordering the Navajo Nation. You can find some of the most impressive feats of nature in the Page Desert, and this section of our Must-See Guide will explain how to experience each one of them.
Tower Butte
Standing over 5,000 above sea level, Tower Butte commands attention from its isolated spot in the desert. The butte is just a short distance from the Page Municipal Airport, which offers daily helicopter flights landing on its flat surface. Helicopter landing is the only way to reach the top of Tower Butte, and is an endeavor worth looking into. The 360-degree view from here includes sights of Lake Powell's remarkable shoreline and panoramic desert scenery.
Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge is a familiar sight to many nature and photography enthusiasts as well as the casual internet browser. It seems impossible that this massive stone arch was naturally formed, but it's true. Millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River and desert winds have turned this chunk of rock into a delicate half-ring of striped orange stone. Eventually the continued erosion will cause this gorgeous rock formation to collapse, but fortunately it can be still be visited either via hiking (with a permit) or on an airplane tour over the Glen Canyon area.
Upper Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon may likely be one of the most famous natural locations in the world. However, many adventure-seekers may not realize that Antelope Canyon actually encompasses two different locations. Upper Antelope Canyon begins as a thin crevice within a massive stone wall. Upon entering this inconspicuous corridor, the interior of Upper Antelope opens up into several vast natural stone "rooms". Within these spacious chambers visitors can capture amazing group photos surrounded by the rippling sandstone walls or even catch a glimpse of the brilliant light shafts if they're lucky.
Lower Antelope Canyon
The second region of Antelope is the aptly-named Lower Canyon. From the surface, Lower Antelope Canyon appears to be just a thin crack within the hardened desert earth. After descending a small staircase, you'll enter a winding stone passageway between undulating sandstone walls. Incredible formations and shapes, as well as sand waterfalls, await within this hidden canyon. In fact, the most expensive photograph ever sold was taken right here in Lower Antelope Canyon. Your guide can help you recreate this shot and point out many more photo opportunities. A Navajo guide from the nearby reservation will lead you through the incredible depths of this famous canyon and provide a wealth of detail about Antelope's history and importance to the Navajo people.
