Came here on a day tour from Las Vegas. It's worth coming here to see the beauty of nature…read more Lighting (for photos) will vary by time of day and season but worth seeing IRL. Respect the rules while you are on Navajo land. No videos and only take photos when standyon dirt/rock. Never in a metal stair. The Navajo tour guides will also help you take the best pics at the right spots.

Amazing. Total time…read morein canyon is approx 90 min to walk thru the crack in the earth. There are lots of steps and ladders and they are narrow and steep. We saw one pretty big guy coming back up as we were starting our way down the first set of ladders, he decided he'd never be able to come back up if he went down. Know your limits. At the narrowest parts at the bottom I could just fit thru, so it's not for everyone. Make sure you know the rules. No bags allowed. Just your camera and a small water bottle. No videos at all. No pictures on the ladders. Keep it moving. Stay with your tour group. To enter you must be with a Navajo escort from one of the 2 companies and stay with them the entire way. Make res ahead of time to make sure there's spots for your group before you get there. Only porta potties available at the meeting place, and foot pump your water to wash hands. There was no soap. Pictures and words don't describe how amazing it was. I was glad it didn't rain because if it's flash flooding they'll close the slot canyons. Although not a national park, I enjoyed it more than Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion.

Great stop on your drive to get a 360 degree view of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area…read more There's a small gravel parking lot as well as a covered area/shade shelter with benches. It can get quite windy at times. I would try to time your visit at sunset or sunrise, but if you can't it's sill so beautiful any time. No bathrooms so plan accordingly.

Wahweap Overlook offers another spectacular perspective of the lake, colorful sandstone cliffs, and…read morethe endless desert landscape. It's hard to get tired of views like these. Easy drive, located right off the highway.

What a fun short hiking trail. A great alternative to The Wave if you did not get the lottery…read morevisitor access. As soon as you pull in, the Beehive trail is located across the restroom area. Gorgeous view of the this prehistoric landscape. Imagine this area was the bottom of the ocean 119 million years ago, pre human. There's a couple of slight steep incline so be aware but very doable if you take it slow. Bring plenty of water to hydrate on warm days above 80 degrees. Happy Trails!!

I entered the permit lottery for The Wave, and much like the vast majority of people who enter, I…read moredidn't win. As an alternative, I selected this trail. I think this hike was well worth it, being much shorter and much more accessible. Also known as the Beehive Loop Trail, this trail is 1.3 miles with minimal elevation gain. You see and can walk on cool-looking sandstone formations, with undulating striations that play with your eyes. The parking lot is a dirt pullout near the side of the road. There's no bathroom however right across the street is the campground with composting toilets. The trail is marked with cairns and rocks lining the path. It's hard to get lost, but there are some side off shoots that you can follow off the main path.

This little hike is so random -- I saw it by chance looking ahead on the map while driving from…read morePage, AZ back toward Hurricane, UT by way of Zion NP. There is a dust/sand and gravel parking lot with a state sign denoting where this trail is just off the freeway, so it's very easy to find. I took off one star solely because it was very windy the day I came and because there is so much sand it will absolutely kick up into your eyes, nose and mouth unless you wear a mask and sunglasses/eye protection. Come prepared! The trail itself isn't long though, maybe 1-2 miles I think? And the view at the end of the toadstools is nice; it's not like goblin valley, but there are some cool formations and you can get some nice pics. Most of the trail is pretty flat, but there is a bit of a hill toward the end. There are also some rocks but it's not too bad, you could make it fine in tennis shoes rather than full hiking boots. The trail wasn't crowded the day I came, but there were enough other folks I ran into 3-5 groups each way, and a couple folks that were hanging out at the end of the trail. Of note, it is not a loop, it's out and back the way you came so plan accordingly if you're short on time! That said, if you want a nice detour/walk for an hour or so (depending on how fast you go), it's a nice, easy, and free stop.

The Toadstool Hoodoos are cool rock formations formed by differential erosion. They look like…read moremushrooms, as the harder rock caps the softer rock underneath. The trailhead is marked by a sign on the side of the road, with a small parking lot. It was pretty busy when I went, with only a few spots remaining, although there was a good number of people arriving and leaving at the same time. The hike is an easy 1.5 miles that is well marked - although since this is a quite popular trail you can just follow the people ahead of you if you're worried about getting lost. Huge families with little children were walking this trail with ease. The views at the end are worth it, and you can get close to the rock formations as you like (although don't topple the rocks!).

After years of trying to apply for a permit, our group finally got picked! Highly recommend hiking…read moreat least once. I wouldn't do it again though, mainly because of how hard it was to get a permit. We visited in April and the weather was fantastic. It was actually freezing in the morning but as the sun rose, it warmed up to the point where we would sweat a little when hiking. I can't even imagine doing this in the summer but if you win the lottery then, make sure everyone brings plenty of water. To get to the trailhead, I'd recommend having a high-clearance vehicle, especially if it just recently rained. The road off of the freeway becomes unpaved and there are some ditches that can be flooded. Download an offline map of the trail and area for when you lose service. It gets spotty but you'll find reception every now and then. At the beginning, there are a couple of vault toilets. The trail itself is difficult to follow without an offline map. There's only a handful of signs pointing in a general direction. And until the Wave, we were pretty much the only people around. Considering only about 60 people are approved each day, it wasn't surprising, and honestly, kind of nice to be alone in nature. The Wave was everything we hoped for. We had clear, blue skies and that contrast with the red and orange rocks was beautiful. It looked exactly like the Windows background! There was even a pond further up with a ton of tadpoles. Besides the Wave, there's other neat waypoints to stop by but because we were tired, we didn't try for many of them. The only one we went out of our way for was the dinosaur tracks but it was anti-climatic. They just looked like larger chicken feet prints. Despite this hike being only about 6 miles round trip, it took pretty much the entire day. We stopped a lot to take pictures but also the landscape was difficult to hike. Lots of sand to walk through and lots of weird inclines to walk across, which kept our feet, knees, and legs at weird angles. There might have been easier pathways but as I said earlier, there's no clear indications of a trail. There was also a BLM worker at the Wave asking for the permit holders. If you hike without one and get caught, you'll get slapped with some steep fines. Drones are also not allowed!

My friend won the online lottery for the permit 4 months in advance but after talking to the…read moreranger, it seems that there's a good chance you can win the daily lottery since a lot of people cancel every day. It's easier if you have less people (like two people). Anyways, the orientation the day before was useful for weather and road conditions. The hike wasn't too bad, can be a bit steep in some parts but for the most part, not too much incline. It's moderate for the novice hiker but easy for an experienced hiker. For experienced hikers, probably can get to the Wave in 1 to 1.5 hours. For the inexperienced, it might take 2.5 to 3 hours. Either way, if you're planning to spend a lot of time at the Wave (some people take 2-3 hours for their extensive Instagram photoshoots haha), definitely go there early and spend all day there. I would definitely come back if I win the lottery!

Sometimes, just sometimes, you should take an unexpected adventure!…read more My wife and I were on the tail end of a 7 day trip out West. We started in Las Vegas and migrated to Page, Arizona for the final 2 days. While there we decided to visit Marble Canyon. Something to know about me: I am a MAJOR planner, mostly because I never want to get home and discover I missed something I could have seen! However, in my plans I always allow for some good old fashion spontaneous exploration. Marble Canyon was not on my schedule, but I needed to make some last minute adjustments. My wife is not as passionate a hiker as I am and quite honestly I had exhausted ALL of her hiking grace! In my defense, I couldn't help myself. Arizona, Utah and Nevada are irresistible eye candy for Nature Lovers. Some places required very little hiking for euphoric scenery while many others required some endurance. I chose a solid mixture of the two leaning heavily on the easy side. But on this, the last day of our time in Page, Miss Thangs feet had reached their limit. My husbandly compromise was a drive along Vermillion Cliffs Scenic Highway. Most views could easily be seen from the car or roadside overlook, but to my surprise she remained open to a spontaneous hike IF we stumbled upon something worthy of the effort. Well, Cathedral Wash Canyon was such a hike. [ THE EXPERIENCE ] We had no idea how long of a hike it would be or what we would see, but the portion visible from the road made the decision to explore it an easy choice. We did not complete the entire 1.5 miles one way from the trailhead to the Colorado River. We only did about half that, but what we did hike was absolutely fantastic! The beautifully layered coloring and texture enveloped us like a warm hug. The young explorer inside me felt very much like Indiana Jones while the adult man on the outside relished in seeing this gorgeous creation with his wife and amazing friend of 25 years (27 together). When you love someone, it is an indescribable feeling to visually witnessing their eyes lite up as they experience new and wondrous things. Our ENTIRE trip had many moments like that, but especially everything we experienced on the drive from Vegas to Page. I honestly don't know how anyone can question if there is a God when you walk breathtaking creation with the love of your life by your side. Just beyond the midpoint we turned back as the canyon grew deeper and more rugged. Others returning from the end of the trail confirmed as much, but a video I found online made me wish we had continued. As spectacular as the portion we hiked looked, the second half was even more majestic and grand as the canyon grew deeper and its walls taller! I wish I had seen this video prior to our visit because I wouldn't have foolishly assumed the second half of the trail was the same as the beginning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxeiFOafJy8 [ PARKING & OTHER THINGS TO DO ] Parking is ample for about a dozen cars. The trail begins on the opposite side of the road from the actual slot canyon via a large drainage opening below Lees Ferry Road. Cost to enter Lees Ferry Road is $35/car at a self service kiosk. It was a cost that almost turned me away until a couple (OUT OF NOWHERE) pulled up beside our car and paid our entrance fee. Sound unbelievable? We couldn't believe it either! Also along this 5.5 mile road is BALANCED ROCK, PARIA BEACH, SPENCER TRAIL - a 4.4 mile hike to a spectacular overlook at the end of the road, and HISTORIC NAVAJO BRIDGE and Interpretive Center at the beginning. Nearby is BADGER CREEK CANYON, an erosion canyon near the start of the Grand Canyon complex. Be warned: it requires climbing gear and repelling skills. You need some expertise to navigate that trail because it is not for the casual hiker! [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] Whether you do the entire 3 miles round trip from the trailhead to the Colorado River or just the first half where the trail is easiest and flattest, CATHEDRAL WASH SLOT CANYON is sure to please. We encounter a young family with elementary school age children coming from the harder section unharmed, so I think its safe to say the entire trail is family friendly. ENJOY! 2023 / 6

My husband and I found this trail while driving along Lees Ferry Road in the Vermillion Cliffs…read morearea. We saw a few people hiking the canyon and decided to join the party. We didn't complete the entire trail which leads all the way to the Colorado River, but we did hike the majority of it up until it became more rugged and rough. We had done a lot of hiking during our vacation and honestly my feet were ready to fall off my body in protest. Still, the portion of the canyon we completed was an easy hike. Very picturesque with pretty rocks and interesting textures. The whole area reminded me of a layered sponge cake or Neapolitan ice cream. I actually got hungry walking the trail, lol

Stayed a few nights here in August on both ends of a rafting/camping trip through the Grand Canyon…read more I had an excellent stay both times - very comfortable and clean rooms, wonderfully warm staff, decent prices, and an incredible location inside the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument! It's a bit of a remote location (which I loved) but the lodge has everything you could possibly need - a really great on-site restaurant, general store, gas station, and they even do their own guided fishing trips and kayak rentals complete with backhaul drop offs to a launch point of your choice. And even though you're a bit of a captive audience, their prices are surprisingly pretty reasonable - even for the gas! The lodge is currently split into two sections - one has been recently renovated and one hasn't. I stayed in a double queen room in the renovated section and a single king room in the non-renovated section. Both rooms were spotlessly clean and very cozy - but I definitely prefer the renovated rooms - simply because they have a superior bathroom layout/shower - The shower in the non-renovated room was very rudimentary- almost like one you'd find in an RV - and there was very little counterspace. And the TVs include an option to log into your streaming apps to watch your fave shows. But the beds were both very comfortable in both rooms - the mattresses felt very supportive but not overly hard - seemed like temperpedic quality. The decor in the renovated rooms is very desert-cowboy-chic - but the non-renovated room was super retro - more like a 70s spaghetti western style lol. There are refrigerators and Keurig coffee makers in all the rooms - renovated and non-renovated alike. All the rooms have outside patio seating but it's not private. I was next to the restaurant in the non-renovated room and was worried it might be too loud but I didn't hear a thing - it was peaceful and quiet! Speaking of the restaurant- the food is absolutely fantastic! I ate two dinners here and a breakfast and loved it all. They also have a unique dessert - avocado pie! Highly recommend! Everything here is family owned and all the staff were friendly, welcoming, and very helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and fully intend to return bc there's SO much to explore in the area - especially if you love the desert outdoors!

At first glance the lodge looks like the ones around it, but the people and the food give it the…read morewelcoming sense that will continue bringing me back. By far the best aspect of the lodge was the guide we hired to help us fish Lees Ferry. His name was Shane and he was incredibly experienced. It was my first time fly fishing and he taught me to cast, mend, and set the hook. We caught more fish before noon than I did on my last fishing trip. Shane knew every spot to visit to get the trout biting. The food at the lodge was also incredible. I ate one of the best patty melts I've had and the breakfast burritos hit the spot before a fishing trip. I also can't give the sweet potato fries high enough praise. They had the perfect amount of crunch and salt I look for in a fry with that same sweet potato taste. If you stop in; try the avocado pie! The lodge is absolutely worth a visit. Stay a night, try out the restaurant, try to book Shane if you can, and fish until your arm gets tired!

Very cool, bizarre, and eerie. Really interesting to explore the hoodoos' areas. First the hike is…read morein the wash and after a couple of miles in, several sections of hoodoo parks. We only saw 2 other people on whole day. Utah has so much to offer.