How to Kayak the Colorado River Through Horseshoe Bend
Explore the iconic Horseshoe Bend from the water on scenic kayak trip down the Colorado River. Featuring when to do, what to bring, & all about our experience.
For a southwest adventure like no other, enjoy a scenic kayak trip through Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River during your visit to Northern Arizona. This is one of the most popular family friendly day trips and a great way to experience the southwest.
Breathtaking boat rides, towering canyon walls, and dramatic red rock scenery make this a must do when coming to the Southwest!
This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
ABOUT KAYAKING HORSESHOE BEND
Kayak trips on the Colorado River explore the south side of the Glen Canyon Dam, through Horseshoe Bend and down to Lees Ferry. Kayak trips on the Colorado River are available March to October with trips starting as early as 6 a.m. or as late as 12:45 p.m.
The two main companies offering backhaul taxi are Kayak the Colorado and Kayak Horseshoe Bend. On a kayak trip, you can explore up to 15 miles of the Colorado River, tour various hiking trails, and camp overnight. Between the Dam and Lees Ferry there are 8 bathrooms ( vault toilets ) and 5 campgrounds at miles 14, 11, 9, 8, and 6.
Remember on your trip to pack what you need in and pack it all out.
LOCATION & LENGTH
Kayak trips on this section the Colorado River start at Lees Ferry where a backhaul taxi will pick you up and take you up to either the Glen Canyon Dam or Horseshoe Bend where you will kayak with the current and through the canyon back to Lees Ferry.
After Lees Ferry is considered the start of the Grand Canyon and kayakers will need a permit to venture past this point.
Lees Ferry is about an hour drive from Page making it an easy and accessible day trip.
Best Beginner Day Trips | Start at Petroglyph Panel/ Horseshoe Bend | 10 miles | 5 to 6 hours to complete.
Overnight or Experienced Trips | Start at the Glen Canyon Dam | 15 miles | 6 to 9 hours to complete.
If you are not sure what to do, ask the captain of the backhaul taxi & see what he thinks based on your experience and what you would like to experience for the day.
TIP| The earlier you can start, the better.
AMENITIES AT LEES FERRY
A 54 site campground on a first come first served basis with no hookups. Sites are $20 per night and offer potable water & dump station. National Park Passes are required. Popular hiking trails are Cathedral Wash, Historic District River, Spencer Trail, and Lonely Dell Ranch Historic Site.
WHAT TO BRING
When renting a kayak with an outfitter, life jackets and paddles are included in your rental. If you are bringing your own kayak, you must have a life jacket with you.
Dry Bag
Great for keeping cellphones, car keys, wallets, and other items you don’t want to get wet on your trip.
Plenty of Water
Be sure to pack extra water and stay hydrated while exploring.We love adding LMNT’s electrolyte packets to stay hydrated for the whole day.
Lunch
There are several beach areas to stop and enjoy lunch on a day trip through the canyon.
Sun Protectant
There are sections of the river that will have no shade so having SPF clothes, hats, and sun screen will help from the sun exhausting you.
Life Jacket
Required by all watercraft on the Colorado River.
First Aid Kit
It’s never a bad idea to carry a small first aid kit while exploring the Colorado River. Cell service doesn’t really exist in the canyon so it’s good to be prepared in case of an emergency.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our adventure on the Colorado River started by meeting at Lees Ferry about 30 minutes before our departure time. We parked our car in the day use area, left our national park pass on the dash, blew up our inflatable kayak and headed down to the dock to meet with the captain of the backhaul taxi that would take us up river.
Both backhaul taxi companies pick up kayakers from the same area, so make sure you remember which company you chose when they confirm your name and time.
If you rent a kayak it will already be on the boat and if you are bringing your own the captain will get it situated and strapped to the boat. Once on the boat, you’ll find several blankets available to use because it does get a bit chilly on the 30 to 45 minute boat ride up the canyon.
We discussed with the captain which drop off point would be best for us, which ended up being mile 10 at the start of Horseshoe Bend. Other kayakers on our boat were doing an overnight trip so we were able to ride all the way to the Glen Canyon Dam to drop them off. On the boat ride, the captain pointed out various hiking trails, petroglyphs, and unique rock formations found in the canyon.
Finally, it was our turn to start our kayaking adventure on the river. The captain dropped us off, made sure we had everything we needed, and we got in our kayak and set off through the canyon.
Once we set off, the current was really pushing us. The current maybe stronger depending on the time of year and the amount of rainfall. As we entered the bend of horseshoe bend you can see tiny people at the overlook. If you haven’t gone to the overlook, you should to get a perspective of where you are in the canyon.
As we cruised down the river we passed mile 9 and 8 camp where vault toilets are located. There are also several beach areas to stop, have lunch and take in the scenery. We were mostly alone for our whole trip, passing a couple boat services & other kayakers here and there.
Continuing down the river, the narrow walls provide shade from the sun. If the water is clear, you can see the algae and other plant life flowing underwater. At mile 3, you’ll come up to the west entrance of Waterholes Canyon. This is a cool spot to get out and explore a bit as the east entrance of Waterholes Canyon requires a guided tour to explore.
After waterholes it's about a 3 mile stretch until you reach Lees Ferry. Here, the current was much slower so we had to put in some muscle to finish up. Make sure you wear your lifejacket because Water Patrol does drive around and will fine you if you don’t have it on.
Once we got back to the launch, we packed up and headed back to Lake Powell. If you rented a kayak, your captain will tell you the designated area to leave your kayak.
Overall, kayaking the Colorado River through Horseshoe Bend was an amazing experience and definitely an adventure to consider if you are visiting the area.
Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever kayaked through Horseshoe Bend.
Check out our reel kayaking the Colorado River through Horseshoe Bend on Instagram!
READY TO KAYAK THE COLORADO RIVER?!
SAVE THIS GUIDE TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP!
LOOKING FOR MORE ARIZONA?
HEY THERE!
WE’RE MIKE & DEANDRA.
Two adventure seekers traveling the U.S in our 37 FT. travel trailer with our two companions, Griffin & Lucy. We share our life on the road and travel guides to our favorite destinations.
This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
Plan the perfect trip to Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim with this complete travel guide! Featuring everything you need to know before you go, including when to visit, what to bring, top things to do, & much more.