COLORADO RIVER • HORSESHOE BEND • PADDLEBOARD

Paddling Through Giants

A 15-mile float from Glen Canyon Dam to Grand Canyon Mile 0.

Paddling Through Giants: A 15-Mile Paddleboard Journey Under Horseshoe Bend

⚡ The Quick Scoop

The Adventure: A 15.5-mile downstream paddle from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry.

Must See: Horseshoe Bend from the water (look up at the tiny tourists!).

Wildlife: Wild horses, mountain goats, and ancient petroglyphs.

The Strategy: Use a backhaul boat service to drop you upriver.

Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (An Epic Bucket List Day)

Sometimes the best adventures are the ones you never planned. I went down to Page, Arizona, excited to try paddling Antelope Canyon, but the weather had other ideas. It was incredibly windy—not safe or fun conditions for a slot canyon.

After a failed attempt at finding another way into the Native American slot canyons, I decided to pivot and head down to the Lees Ferry dock, simply because I think it's a lovely place to watch the water.

To my absolute surprise, I discovered an adventure I didn't even know existed: a 15-mile backhaul paddle from the base of Glen Canyon Dam all the way down to Grand Canyon Mile 0. Within minutes, I was signed up and ready to conquer the Colorado River!

Part I: The Launch

The Grand Tease & The Sunrise Boat

While sorting out my plans at Lees Ferry, something crazy happened. I almost got talked into taking the spot of someone who had just dropped out of a multi-day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon! It is a massive bucket list dream of mine, but I just wasn't prepared enough to be that spontaneous. (Next time!)

Instead, I booked the backhaul service. The outfitter loads you and your gear onto a motorized boat, drives you 15.5 miles upriver to the dam, and drops you off to float back down. Because I brought my own paddleboard, I got a nice little discount, which was a great bonus!

📖 Traveler's Tale: The Sunrise Regret (And the Chilly Wind)

Early the next morning, we set off. Since it was late June, it was already warm at the dock, but the wind whipping through the canyon on the fast boat ride up was definitely chilly! It didn't last long, though. As the morning light hit the towering canyon walls, they lit up beautifully in a brilliant, glowing red.

The morning water was glassy and not choppy at all. I was initially terrified of navigating a paddleboard on a big river, fully preparing myself to get dunked multiple times. I spent extra time making sure my backpack was strapped down tight and my electronics were intensely waterproofed. But the river is surprisingly slow-moving! The ride up was so smooth and beautiful that I deeply regretted not filming the entire thing.

Part II: The Colorado River

Floating With Giants

As the motorboat pulled away, the silence of the canyon settled in. You are completely dwarfed by the massive sandstone walls.

The best part of this river? You can "choose your own adventure" when it comes to speed. If you want a faster ride, you paddle out to the deep, fast-moving center current. If you want to slow down and relax, you hug the shallower sides.

🐺 Faces in the Stone

The canyon walls alternate between massive, smooth vertical sheets and incredibly neat, textured shapes. As we floated, our guide pointed out "creatures" that looked perfectly embossed into the rock, poking out in 3D.

The Howling Wolf: Just after you pass Horseshoe Bend, look up at the turn (if you don't look up, you will miss it!). There is a rock formation that looks exactly like a wolf with its head thrown back, mouth open in a howl. If you listen closely to my VR video at this spot, you can actually hear a group of paddlers howling at it as they float by!

The Golden Nugget: The Top-Down Rule 🌟

See it from the top first! Make sure you visit the Horseshoe Bend clifftop overlook (in Page) before you do this paddle trip.

Having that top-down perspective makes a huge difference. When you are floating underneath it later, looking up at the sheer 1,000-foot walls, you'll have a profound appreciation for exactly where you are in the universe—and you can wave at the tiny, ant-sized tourists looking down on you!

The river is alive with history and wildlife. We had spots to pull off, stretch our legs, and use the restroom. We saw ancient Native American Petroglyphs along the way. I scanned the cliffs intensely for Bighorn Sheep, though I swore I saw white Mountain Goats higher up instead (maybe the desert dust played tricks on my eyes!). We were also incredibly lucky to see wild mustangs coming right down to the water's edge for a drink.

A Physical Heads-Up: The hardest part of this trip wasn't the paddling—it was my feet! Sitting cross-legged (Indian style) on a paddleboard for 5+ hours made my feet completely numb. Definitely take advantage of those pull-offs to walk around and give your bum and legs a much-needed break!

Part III: The Side Quest

The Waterhole Blunder

The day before, I had tried to hike into Waterhole Canyon from the top, but couldn't figure out the logistics (and realized it required an expensive guided tour). To discover that I could access the bottom of it for free from the river as part of this paddle was thrilling!

But I got a little overzealous.

⚠️ The Steep Shore Struggle

I was watching my Google Maps like a hawk, and I pulled off the river exactly where the pin dropped. The problem? The shoreline there was a steep, muddy cliff!

Hauling my heavy paddleboard up that steep bank was absolutely brutal. I was slipping, sliding, and exhausted. The hilarious irony? I hiked just around the corner and found a beautiful, gentle little sandy cove that would have been the easiest place in the world to dock my board! Lesson learned: don't blindly trust the GPS pin if your eyes see a better beach! Getting out and back in at this silly, overly-ambitious spot was truly the scariest part of the whole day.

🏃‍♀️ The Shade-to-Shade Sprint

Waterhole is a narrow canyon with towering walls, but by the time I hiked into it, the dry Utah heat was pushing 90+ degrees. I was hiking in sandals, and the scorching desert sand kept seeping over the soles. It felt like playing "hot potato" with my bare feet!

My survival strategy? The Shade Sprint. I would rest in the cool shadow of a canyon wall, scope out the next patch of shade up ahead, and literally run across the sizzling sand to get there!

The shots in here are amazing, but honestly, after staring at magnificent red cliffs from a paddleboard for 5 hours, I think I was a little "cliffed-out" to fully appreciate it in the moment. Still, I planned to only do a short mile so I wouldn't overheat, but I was having so much fun I ended up doing two!

Part IV: Virtual Reality

Ride the River in 360°

Grab your VR headset and get ready for a mood boost! This immersive 360° video will transport you to the cool, green waters of the Colorado River. Glide past towering red cliffs, search for wild horses, and feel the peace of this incredible journey.

🔎 VR Treasure Hunt

The Dam Wall: At the very beginning, can you get a sense of the immense scale of the Glen Canyon Dam wall from water level?
Petroglyph Beach: Find the moment where I stop to check out the ancient petroglyphs carved into the rock walls.
Under the Bend: Can you spot the tiny dots of people standing on the overlook high above as I paddle through Horseshoe Bend?
The Back Current: Look for a moment where the water swirls near the shore, creating a tricky back-current you have to paddle out of!

Part V: Interactive Guide

✨ Ask the AI River Ranger

Got a question about planning a trip to Lees Ferry or paddling the Colorado River? Need advice on backhaul boats or water temperatures? Ask our AI Ranger!

Part VI: Know Before You Go

Shauna's Survival Guide

🚤 The Backhaul: You book a "backhaul" service out of Lees Ferry (I used Kayak Horseshoe Bend). They drop you off at the dam. It costs around $75-$100 depending on the season.
🛶 BYO Board: If you bring your own paddleboard or kayak, you often get a discount and you have no time limits on your return! (Note: You must get it inspected/cleaned if moving to Lake Powell).
☀️ Sunscreen Warning: I definitely didn't have enough sunscreen on and got a bit burned. The cool water tricks your body into feeling comfortable, but that desert sun reflecting off the river is intense. Reapply constantly!
❄️ The Water: The water coming out of the bottom of Glen Canyon Dam is a constant, freezing 47°F (8°C) year-round. DO NOT fall in without a life jacket; the cold shock is dangerous.
🥾 Not a paddler? Hike it! If floating isn't your thing, there is a hiking trail starting at Lees Ferry that follows the river for a few miles. It stays high up on the cliffs, offering great views and passing some interesting historic stone homes!

Going with the Flow

When the wind ruined my plans for Antelope Canyon, I could have been upset. Instead, letting go of the original plan and "going with the flow" literally led me down one of the most magnificent stretches of river on Earth.

This 15.5-mile journey is more than just a paddle; it's a meditation. It's a day of being humbled by the immense red rock walls, of feeling the cool water flow beneath you, and of connecting with a landscape in its purest form. Sometimes the wind blows you exactly where you need to be.

Sending Love and Positive Vibes Your Way,
Shauna from VRGetaway