Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend: The Perfect Day Trip from Flagstaff

Some places are worth planning an entire trip around. Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are two of them.

Inside Antelope Canyon on Navajo Nation land in northern Arizona.

We were already in Scottsdale for a work trip and decided to extend our stay through the weekend. Friday night, we drove from Phoenix to Flagstaff and rented an Airbnb for two nights.

The drive itself was kind of crazy. We left warm, sunny Phoenix and a couple of hours later were in Flagstaff with snow on the ground. I genuinely didn’t even know it snowed in Arizona.

The easiest way to see everything seemed to be booking a tour through Viator, so that’s exactly what we did. Saturday morning, we joined a small group at their office in downtown Flagstaff, boarded our bus and were on our way.

Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend, one of the best stops on a day trip from Flagstaff.

Our first big stop was Horseshoe Bend.

This is one of those places you’ve seen in a million pictures, but they really don’t prepare you for how massive it is in person. The Colorado River wraps around the rock more than 1,000 feet below, and you can walk right up to the edge.

Or, in my case, sit questionably close to it.

Overlooking Horseshoe Bend and the Colorado River near Page, Arizona.

Smiling through my fear of heights at Horseshoe Bend.

After Horseshoe Bend, we stopped at the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook for a picnic lunch before continuing on to the part of the day I was most excited about.

Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon was one of those places I had seen so many times in photos that I needed to know if it actually looked like that in real life.

It does.

A heart-shaped view hidden inside Antelope Canyon, Arizona.

Antelope Canyon sits on Navajo Nation land, so you can’t just show up and explore it on your own. You enter with an authorized Navajo guide who takes you through the narrow slot canyon.

Once you’re inside, it’s pretty mind-blowing. The sandstone twists around you and the light coming in from above makes the walls look completely different depending on where you’re standing. Orange, red, pink, purple. Every few feet is another photo.

And I took a lot of them.

Somewhere inside Antelope Canyon.

Our tour also took us through the Navajo Nation, so it was definitely a full day. And a long one. But having someone else handle the driving, entrances, guides and logistics made it incredibly easy.

Humans for scale. Inside Antelope Canyon, Arizona.

We basically just had to get on the bus and look at pretty things. My preferred form of sightseeing.

Back to Flagstaff

By the time we made it back to Flagstaff, sightseeing was officially over and it was time for a beer. We stopped at Mother Road Brewing Co. before heading back to our Airbnb and calling it a night.

Beers at Mother Road Brewing Co.

Before heading back to Phoenix, we squeezed in a stop at Walnut Canyon National Monument, which is about 15 minutes outside of Flagstaff. There are ancient cliff dwellings built right into the canyon walls that you can walk through, which was very cool to see.

You only need an hour or so here, so it’s an easy stop if you have some extra time in Flagstaff.

Walnut Canyon, just outside Flagstaff.

Exploring the cliff dwellings at Walnut Canyon National Monument.

Is It Worth the Trip?

Absolutely. Seeing Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend in person is something I think should be on everyone’s bucket list.

The tour is a long day, but it’s one of those places where the pictures don’t even do it justice. It’s that incredible. I think everyone should see them at least once.

If you want to turn it into a bigger Arizona trip, you easily could. Spend a few days in Scottsdale, add Sedona, or do what we did and make it a quick weekend in Flagstaff.

But if Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are the entire reason you go?

Still worth it.

One last look at Antelope Canyon. Add it to your bucket list.