Everyone asked me before we left, “Why are you going to Arizona? It's so hot this time of year!” Well they were very right and we knew it would be, but since we can only travel on weekends and we can only get so far, it was a great place to stop that we had never been before.
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| (At the local convenience store) |
It was probably the same temperature in Texas (A.K.A HOT), but that temp is tough to get outside and hike in. Also, our RV's single A/C couldn't keep up because we were sitting in the direct sun all the while the power was cycling due to low voltage. But we survived and were able to visit some of the best known sites.
Our first outing was to just go check out Lake Powell. The kids (who are still reluctant to go anywhere) had a fabulous time. They liked that they could crawl all over the rocks and there was so much to explore. We even had to go back the next evening so that they could do it again.
The next evening, was a short hike to the Hanging Gardens.
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| (the view along our hike) |
Then we visited Horseshoe Bend (twice actually). The first time, we went in the evening after Greg was done working but when we got to the lookout, we realized that we couldn't see anything. The sun was shining directly in our faces! So the next day, we rushed out during Greg's lunch break to see it once again.
Most people hike Antelope Canyon when they come and everyone told us to hike the lower canyon but since we failed to plan ahead during a holiday week (and it was actually July 4th), all of the guided hikes were sold out. So instead, we hiked Antelope Canyon X, a less known canyon. I really don't know how it compares to the others but it was very pretty. Our group was fairly small and I'm so glad because that gave us plenty of time to look around and get the pictures we wanted.
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| (the "X" in Antelope Canyon X) |
The guide did an awesome demonstration of how the canyons were formed using just some sand from the Navajo Sandstone and a bottle of water. It was so cool!
He also played a couple of songs for us which sounded great in the canyon.
So weird to think all this beauty lies below a crack that looks like this from the surface:
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| (This is Antelope Canyon actually but you get the idea) |
That evening we watched the sunset from Wahweap Point and later climbed up the rocks on the land adjacent to our campground to watch the fireworks.
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| (the view from above on the rocks adjacent to the campground) |
The next day, we stopped at the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center. We did not get there early enough for a tour, so we just looked around at some of the displays.
Then, we took off on another hike to the Toadstool Hoodoos. I love seeing these and find them so interesting. Canyons are an obvious display of water erosion but the effects of wind and water to create hoodoos just really help it sink in for me.
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| (The kids and Greg tried to climb up here. No one made it) |
Our last day began with a swim in Lake Powell. We found a great little spot while out exploring one day, so we gathered our gear and headed back. The kids enjoyed it so much. They jumped from the rocks and snorkeled around to see what they could find.
And last but certainly not least, was a hike through the Cathedral Wash in Marble Canyon. It was so fun, well except for the fact that we started out a little late and that had us climbing up out of the canyon as it turned slap dark! That made Greg and Jordan really nervous.
But it was so pretty to see the way the water had shaped it and to see all the different layers and compositions of the walls.
There were also some fun little “holes” that Jordan and I imagined that she could use for a dollhouse.
The hike had some mud pits that we had to navigate around and required changing levels and that made it even more fun. We reached the river in 1 hour and 2 minutes and because dark was quickly approaching we booked it back, around all of the obstacles, under the flight of many bats, in 38 minutes! Such a fun way to end our time in Page!
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| (the river is just below the center. We had to view it from afar race back) |
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