Page with Karen

One thousand feet below the surface seen here, the Colorado River meanders around a bulk of landmass. The bend is in the shape of a horseshoe, hence the name. It's easy climbing around the soft and crumbling red Navajo sandstone for various views of the river and the famous "bend," but it's not so easy to get a good photo of the complete bend, especially if one is afraid of heights. And that is certainly justified here, since there are no means of protection other than one's own common sense. The only way my travel partner and I were able to - barely - get "the shot" was to lay flat on our stomachs and hold our cameras out over the edge. The walk to the overlook is a sandy, gradual uphill climb, approximately 1 mile roundtrip. Horseshoe Bend is located on Highway 89, five miles south of Page.

The Lower Antelope Slot Canyon is on Navajo land and is run solely by the Navajo people. Entering the slot is by tour only. The best time to tour a slot canyon is when the sun is directly above the slot, that is, around the noon-time hour. It's at this time that the light from the sun best plays on the winding and curving walls of the canyon, creating shapes unimaginable to the greatest of imaginations and colors unseen by the naked eye. This photo and the one to the left are above-ground views of the canyon. Below, on the floor of the canyon, the path is narrow and winding. The canyon was formed by thousands of years of gushing water entering the canyon, eroding the walls and creating new shapes.

Here's the angle photographers want to get. The good ones, the ones seen on posters in every shop, restaurant and hotel in Page, were surely taken from a helicopter, or a drone.

One last above-ground shot of the Lower Antelope Slot Canyon. One can see how little light might find its way into the canyon.

The Colorado River also makes its way south. Here it flows under the Navajo Interpretive Bridge near Marble Canyon on Highway 89A.

Before getting to the Vermillion Cliffs from Page, one travels the Highway 89 south where a couple of views would make anyone pull over and take in the beauty. This and the shot to the right were taken along Highway 89 heading south.

One of my favorite all-time views of all my travels is this huge piece of rock which makes up a part of the Vermillion Cliffs. What a dream it would be to camp out under it and watch how the light changes it over the course of a day. It can easily be viewed from several locations, but my favorite is from the Navajo Interpretive Bridge.

The Lower Cathedral Wash Trail is a moderate trail that leads to the Colorado River. Some scrambling is involved, more so in the last part of the walk. I was only able to go to within 45 minutes of the end of the trail, when my confidence level came to a screeching halt and value for my safety brought me to my senses. The scenery is incredible, and the various types of rock that makeup the towering walls are incredibly impressive.

I suspect someone with a grand sense of humor placed these rocks here. Whoever you are: thank you!

Balanced Rock, on land that is a part of the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, is a car stopper as one travels north towards Lees Ferry on the Honeymoon Trail. .

The Vermillion Cliffs are a part of the Vermillion Cliffs Naional Monument located in Arizona on the Utah border. The monument comprises a vast amount of land, nearly 300,000 acres, which includes mesas, buttes, tablelands and canyons. Remote, and rising 3000 feet into an often blue sky, the cliffs are incredibly scenic and memorable.

The Colorado River near Lees Ferry...obviously a good fishing hole.

Lees Ferry is a launch site for rafters taking in a Colorado River adventure.

The Upper Antelope Slot Canyon is also by tour only, on Navajo land and run by the Navajo. Tours run roughly an hour and, just as in the Lower canyon, noon-time is an excellenct time to visit.

Lees Ferry was once, in the 1870s, the location for a ferry crossing over the Colorado River. The service was used to transport Mormon settlers across. The ferry continued to run until 1928 when it capsized due to the swiftness of the current. . As the backdrop shows, mining was also prevalent, though not very successful, in the area.

Above (outside) the Upper Antelope Slot Canyon

Part of the trail leading to the Water Hole slot entrance

An excellent scenic overlook can be had just outside Page on Highway 89. It's called the Glen Canyon Dam Overlook and is located behind the Denny's off Scenic View Road. It's an interesting walk from the parking lot over sandstone that has been nicely weathered and smoothed. A railing leads you all the way down to views of the dam and the Colorado River.

Water Hole Slot Canyon is different from the Antelope slots in several ways.

Firstly, visitors don't need a guide. One can enter on his own, spending as much time as wanted.

Secondly, though the canyon walls are close, making the pathway narrow, the "ceiling" is more open, allowing in more light.

Thirdly, getting to the canyon entrance involves a much longer walk above the canyon. Cairns lead the way.

And lastly, though there is no charge for entering the canyon, there is a parking fee collected by the Navajo at the small parking lot. The slot is located off Highway 89 south of Page.

Never ever enter any slot canyon if rain is in the forecast - even if it's many miles away.

The soft sandstone, Navajo sandstone, is prominent throughout this whole region of northern Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, a region known as the Colorado Plateau. The sandstone offers wonderful hiking because it's often in wide open slabs that are layers and layers thick. Mountains are made of it in some areas, and in other areas it has been worn down to sea level. The ground in the area is often red sand that has been worn away from the rock by wind and water.

Rainbow Bridge is a national monument. It is considered sacred by several of the native Indian tribes in the region. Its measurements are staggering. Let's say you wanted to walk across the top of it. You wouldn't have to worry about falling off because it's equivalent to a three-lane highway! It measures 290 feet high, which is slightly shorter than the Statue of Liberty. It is also 42 feet thick at the top, and its span is 234 feet.

One of several tours offered in the Lake Powell area is a boat tour to Rainbow Bridge. It's a several hour excursion that takes off from the Wahweap Lodge and marina and travels 50 miles east to the famous natural arch, considered one of the largest in the world. The arch is truly a sight to see, but the boat ride through the often narrow passages of sandstone ciffs is equally impressive.

Once the boat reaches the dock, tourists begin an easy walk, about 1 and 1/4 miles to the bridge. The walk is on a graded gravel path, very slightly uphill in spots, with excellent views of the massive canyon walls along the way.

Our first view of Rainbow Bridge was just a partial shot. Still, we had to gasp, then raise the cameras.

The next several shots were taken while driving the 17-mile Valley Loop. This shot is of West Mitten Butte.

Ah! Monument Valley!! Here are West Mitten, East Mitten and Merrick Butte.

Since my last visit to Rainbow Bridge, a trail leading past the bridge has been added, allowing viewers to see the bridge from its backside.

Impressive views of many massive sandstone rock formations can be had along the 100-mile roundtrip journey - that's a lot of beautiful Lake Powell shoreline!

The next several shots are "here and there" images of Page's outstanding scenic beauty and Lake Powell's shoreline. This picture is looking across the Wahweap campground to Navajo Monument.

Even before reaching Page, the entrance on Highway 89 is a good indication of what awaits us. A highway pullout where the Navajo have set up their jewelry stands is a great location for viewing a portion of the vast Colorado Plateau.

One of the most impressive stops on the loop drive that encompasses several monuments is this one: Artist's Point. Shots below were also taken from there.

It wasn't too much longer after our arrival that the rains came. By afternoon, however, we were able to do the Valley Loop Drive.

The Window

Spearhead Mesa, taken from Artist's Point

Silhouette of The Three Sisters

This shot was also taken at Artist's Point, but looking back toward the south.

The sun sets behind a mesa far off on the western horizon.