I’ve lived in Utah for a little over three years now and I was starting to feel a little antsy. Whilst I’ve traveled a fair bit to neighboring states and their various tourist attractions, I still hadn’t been down to Southern Utah/Arizona to see Horseshoe bend, Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell. I felt like that was nuts and I promptly set to work. Our Southern adventure ended up happening over Labor Day weekend, giving us just enough time to drive down and back up to Salt Lake City again without overdoing it with the driving.
Read on to learn more about our fun time down South and how I planned in a major workout at the same time!
Horseshoe Bend
We decided to stay in the town of Page, Arizona due to it’s enviable location to Lake Powell, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. We drove down from Salt Lake City fairly early in the morning and arrived in time for lunch. Seeing as we had a whole afternoon, we thought “why not check out Horseshoe Bend now?” instead of packing it into a full day the next day. Welp, to be honest, we probably should’ve woken up early the next day and visited. It was PACKED and it took around 20-minutes just to get parking. They’re doing a lot to make the short <1-mile trail to Horseshoe Bend accessible which is both good and bad. I appreciate that more can enjoy the view and yet I can’t imagine how much more touristy this beautiful location will become. It’s definitely worth visiting if you’re in the area – look at how incredible it is!
Wearing a Senita top and sports bra
After our trek to Horseshoe bend, we hung out at our hotel for a few hours before attending a dinner and a show at “Into the Grand,” a native American restaurant where you also got to watch traditional Native American dances. I am so glad we decided to go – at first, we were a little nervous that it would be tacky and gimmicky, but they did a really good job of giving you a fun, enjoyable and authentic experience. The food was delicious (try the fry bread, mmm) and the dances were incredible.
Paddle boarding To Antelope Canyon
The next day, we woke up at the crack of dawn (not really but it felt like it) to drive over to Lake Powell paddle boards and rent two paddle boards first thing so that we could beat any others who were attempting to paddle board, or kayak, to Antelope Canyon (via Lake Powell). The friendly folks at Lake Powell paddle boards will provide you with a map and walk you through how to actually paddle board to Antelope Canyon.
I am obsessed with paddle boarding (it’s such a good way to both workout, be outdoors and challenge your balance muscles) and the minute I found out that you could paddle board to Antelope Canyon, I was determined to go and do it. Now, it’s not a walk in the parks folks – it’s a good 2-3 hours paddle board to the mouth of Antelope Canyon itself. So, you’ll want to plan accordingly for being gone for at least 6 to 7 hours (since you’ll want to factor in the time it takes to explore the canyon, and the paddle board back).
It sounds daunting but it’s oh so worth it. And your upper body, and core, will feel strong and taut the next day 😉
Wearing an Inc Swim bikini
The paddle board to Antelope Canyon in the morning was incredibly idyllic and everything I’d imagined the adventure to be. The water was calm, making it easier to paddle board, and the light was soft and beautiful. We did come across a group of kayakers but managed to pass them, making me feel immensely proud (since, you know, kayaks are technically built to go faster haha).
Once we actually arrived at the start of Antelope Canyon, we spent some time walking through it, took photos and had a little picnic lunch of sandwiches.
Unfortunately, you can’t walk right through to the most famous parts of Antelope Canyon but you get the same experience. You’re in the same canyon as all the other thousands of tourists and, for the most part, you’re alone. Being alone was the real experience here – it felt incredible to have such a famous, beautiful part of the world all to yourself.
Now, the paddle board back was not as idyllic unfortunately! By the time we started to make our way back to our starting point, the lake was jam packed with other paddle boarders, kayakers and boats! Yes, you can indeed take a boat to the mouth of Antelope Canyon but you must maintain a wakeless speed – which, unfortunately, was a rule not all the boaters adhered to. As such, the water was a little choppy and it was definitely harder to paddle board back. So, just make sure you’re well prepared for it. Have a good, solid lunch packed with complex carbohydrates and protein, drink lots of water and slather yourself in sunscreen!
By the end of the day, we were EXHAUSTED (I mean, we’d literally paddle boarded for about 5 hours at that point, and had done a hike) and I’m surprised we had enough energy to drive back to our hotel and get dinner that night! Our paddle boarding experience was the highlight of our trip and I 100% recommend it if you’re in the area.
Bye, Lake Powell
The day after our paddle boarding adventure was, unfortunately, the day we had to go home and make the long drive back up to Salt Lake City. I was sad to leave this incredible place (I mean, look at it!) but knew I’d be back again some day.
Wearing an Athleta top and Handful cropped pants
Onto Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park
Funnily enough, on our drive down to Lake Powell, we passed a sign that directed us to the Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park. We didn’t have enough time to stop by on the drive down, but I did some research, and we made a plan to make a quick stop there on our drive up.
And wow, I am so glad we did! I feel as if state parks easily go unnoticed because they aren’t quite as famous and commanding as national parks. And while the Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park didn’t have a number of different hikes to do, it was beautiful for what it was. It’s truly wild to suddenly come across what is effectively a desert. Utah truly surprises me – while it isn’t close to an ocean, I love that you can find so many different landscapes and do so much in Utah. You can swim at the lake, traverse a desert, go hiking and ski/snowboard! It’s quite the amazing place.
Wearing a Victoria’s Secret Sport sports bra
And thus ends our little Southern Utah adventure. I’m still amazed we managed to pack in as much as we did and I loved that it was such an active vacation. As much as I love going to the gym and frequenting workout studios, there’s nothing more liberating and enjoyable than getting a workout outdoors. I hope my vacation inspires you to also take a trip down to Southern Utah – you’ll get a hell of a workout if you follow what I did!
Honestly yours,
Alice
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