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Spectacular at sunset!
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The entire canyon is flooded with light at midday. Without shadows this is the easiest time to shoot, though the light can be rather harsh.
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Try to take some photos apart from the classic sweep of the bend!
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A sandy walking track leads from the carpark to the viewpoint. It’s uphill on the way back and the soft sand makes the going a little difficult.
Overview & Quick Tips
One of the most stunning riverbeds on Earth! The view point is accessed via a short walk from a parking area, just outside Page, Arizona--five to six hours drive from Las Vegas.Detailed information
Wide Angle lens! On a full frame camera an 18mm lens (12mm with a APS-C sensor) will fit the entire river bend into a single frame, going even wider will allow you to play around the composition by capturing more foreground rock ledge.If you don’t have a wide lens, stitching several photos into a panorama might be an option. Remember to use a bigger the f-stop / smaller aperture to keep both the near rock and far river sharp.
Use a polariser to cut back on water refections. Consider using a graduated ND filter to darken the sky, it will appear too bright when you expose for the river below. Otherwise bracket your shots and combine the exposures with software.
Horseshoe attracts numerous photographers every day, but there’s plenty of room on the high rim for everyone. Spend some time walking along the cliff edge to find a spot you like, but be careful! You’ll need to be right on the edge of the cliff to get good photos of the bend, standing there with a 1000ft vertical drop down to the river can be rather intimidating! To make matters worse, it can be windy at Horseshoe. With strong gusts on my back, I was rather wary of being blown over! For the best results a tripod is necessary. Hopefully you have a very sturdy model if you’re there on windy day. If it is blowing, dust can also be a problem. Be sure to keep clean your lens as necessary. A good air blower is a must!
Nice photos can be taken at Horseshoe throughout most of the day, the colours and shadows vary as the sun rises and falls. Predawn is nice to shoot at Horseshoe, but when the first morning rays light-up the ridge on the inside of the bend, the river will still be in shadow—this is perhaps the least satisfactory time to shoot here.
From late morning the high sun floods the bend with light, revealing a wonderful green in the river. At this time shadows are not a great problem, hence this is the easiest time to take a good photo.
Sunset was however the best! Exposing correctly when shooting directly into the setting sun is tricky, but the results can be spectacular. Bracket your photos for varying exposures and blend them later with software.
There is plenty of time to walk back to the car park between sundown and darkness, but bring along a flashlight if you plan on lingering.
Don’t forget to look for some different angles and details around the bend to produce a few photos that are a little different to the iconic images of the sweeping bend.
Be sure to also visit Antelope Canyon while you’re in the Page area!
Contact Details
- Address: US-89, Williams, AZ 86046, USA
Best Times of day to visit
- Best time of day: Sunset
- Alternative time: Any
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GPS coordinates:
Get Directions
There is a large parking lot for Horseshoe bend, on right side of US HWY 89, as you drive 4 miles out from Page, Arizona.
Its a 1.5 mile (2.4km) round hike from the parking lot to the cliff edge. Allow 45 minutes to walk there and back. The path cossets of loose, soft sand so the going is slow. There is no shade along the route and in summer it’s scorching hot. Take your hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and water. 2 hours is just enough time to visit Horseshoe bend from Page, but you’ll probably be tempted to stay longer! Accommodation in Page is expensive, pitch a tent in the campground if you’re on a budget.