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  • The Horseshoe Bend

    The Horseshoe Bend

     

    Horseshoe Bend is at the beginning of the Grand Canyon, where the Colorado River flows out from the Glen Canyon dam.  This is just south of the Arizona-Utah border. Many travelers like to visit Horseshoe Bend at sunrise and sunset to capture the best photos and video.

    A healthy person will need about 10-15 minutes to walk from the parking area to the end of the 700 foot cliff.  You’ll have to go uphill and then downhill, so make sure to bring some water with you and good shoes, although some people do hike in sturdy sandals.

    The azure and purple skies around the rocks are so unique, you won’t be disappointed.  The majestic feeling you’ll get from standing at the edge is unsurpassed.  Some “daredevil rocks” jut out over the canyon, and some brave souls are now hash-tagging #DaredevilRock on social media while standing or doing yoga on them (reference photos on this blog).

    Horseshoe Bend has been a free site to visit, but may begin charging a fee to travelers going in 2019.  On some days, the parking lot is completely full, so you may have to be patient, and come back later.  In the meantime, you might try going to the Hanging Gardens hike, or swimming by the northside of the Glen Canyon dam.

    – WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO HERE – 

    WARNING: be careful when you’re taking pictures or have children with you. On average, one person falls into this part of the canyon every year.  There has only been one, single survivor from the accidental, long plummet to the bottom.

    (more…)

  • Swimming by the Glen Canyon Dam

    Swimming by the Glen Canyon Dam

    A free and fun jaunt down to the lake’s “secret” swimming area is fun for any water baby. Turn toward the Hanging Gardens hiking trail, right by the bridge over the dam. This will be the second left after crossing the bridge, if you’re going south, and a quick right turn, before you reach the bridge, if going north. Of course, if you miss it, just turn around at the visitor center. The road will meander down for about a mile, to an unpaved parking lot with a public restroom. Some swimmers also follow a “tops optional” policy in this swimming area.

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    After you park, simply walk carefully down the slanted, sandstone canyon walls, until you reach the water. This is a great place to swim from late spring to late fall. If you’re a polar bear, the good news is that the water never freezes over, even in winter. This is because the heat of the sun insulates the canyon walls, transferring heat into the surface of the lake. Many swimmers will find the top three feet of the water much warmer than below.

    WARNINGS: This area of Lake Powell is beautiful, but adds a small amount of danger, as the water is over 400 feet deep, and no lifeguards are on duty. Be on the lookout for occasional debris or broken bottles, and if you have a heart, please pick up any trash that was left behind by less savvy visitors. A new threat is now in the lake as well: quagga mussels. These invasive clam-like growths, can be sharp and growing on the rocks. Just keep an eye out for them when entering and exiting the water. Braver souls may want to swim across the canyon and cliff dive. Watch out for rocks under the surface of the water when jumping in, and beware of jet skis and boats, if you are swimming far away from the beach area.

    CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

  • Hoodoos are a Natural Balancing Act

    Hoodoos are a Natural Balancing Act

    They have formed over thousands of years, and transform boring deserts into fantastical alien landscapes. “Hoodoos” are also called fairy chimneys, earth pyramids and tent rocks, and they exist as tall spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins and broken lands. They range from five-feet tall to the height of a 10-story building, and typically form from two weathering processes that continuously work together in eroding the edges of a rock formation. Hoodoos come in all shapes and sizes.

    A large hoodoo, balancing by itself, for god-knows how long….

    Just 10 miles south of our establishment, is an area full of hoodoos, known as the Toadstools. It’s a very easy, 1 mile hike, and good during any season of the year (avoid going on rainy days). The soft, crimson clay earth under your feet feels like walking on Mars. Who knows how long these rock formations will remain standing? Remember to respect nature and keep the area magically unspoiled: never try to push over or knock down a hoodoo, do not carve names into the rocks, and of course, take any trash with you.

    JeniMae walking on the Toadstool Hoodoos trail, outside of Big Water, Utah.

    If you’re more adventurous, you can hike a full four miles to see even more hoodoos. The trail is well defined, as dozens of people make this hike on any given day. Park your car in the lot near the trailhead sign. You can find it on Google Maps by searching for “Toadstool Hoodoos”. This hiking trail currently has no water fountain or public restroom.

    If you need a great place to get rest after your journey, come and stay at Liberty Vacation Rentals! We’re just 10 miles east of the Toadstool Hoodoos.

    CLICK HERE for YOUTUBE VIDEO

    CLICK HERE for MORE IMAGES on INSTAGRAM

  • Sundance Helicopter Tours

    Sundance Helicopter Tours

    If you think helicopter tours are expensive, think again. We took a ride with Sundance Helicopter Tours, from the Page Arizona airport, and got an amazing view of Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, and the Glen Canyon Dam. Our pilot, Nathan, was very professional. The seats were comfortable, and the quality of the experience was unsurpassed. The pilot gave us commentary on some of the landmarks, and thanks to the design of the windows, we could see above, below, and practically all around us. We got some cool footage as well, on our new hand-held gimbal.

    Link to YouTube: – CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO –

    Tags: Heli, Helicopter, Tour, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, Dam, Pilot, Fun, Fly, Tourism, Amazing, Nature, Desert, Wild West

  • So Many Hiking Trails – Zion Canyon

    So Many Hiking Trails – Zion Canyon

    One of our absolutely favorite canyons to visit is the magnificent Zion. Its massive and naturally air-conditioned environment with unique terrain is unlike any other. Various forms of wildlife exist inside, including turkeys, deer, moose, chipmunks, mountain goats, and many birds. Occasionally, you may look on the canyon walls, and see professional mountain climbers scaling up and down.

    This canyon is unlike many others in the area, as it features a lodge with hotel rooms, usually upwards of $200 per night, for two people. Because we’re just over a one-hour drive away, JennMarie and I like to go for day trips at Zion on a regular basis, and many of our guests do, as well.

    The Narrows hiking trail is actually a wet and wild experience. You’ll be trekking through the Virgin River, as it flows through Zion. Highly recommended, for healthy and agile explorers.

    When visiting, you may park at nearly any shoulder off the main road, which zig-zags through the canyon, or you might also park at the visitor’s center. Hop aboard the free shuttle to travel to many of the hiking trails. Popular trails include: Angel’s Landing, Emerald Pools, the Narrows, Observation Point, and Weeping Rock. Check out these great photos, here on our blog, as well as the video link of Weeping Rock, below. The sun light coming through the clouds, as drip water seeped in front of us like a veener, led to some beautiful video.

    In early September 2018, Utah experienced a couple days of massive, monsoon rain, which caused flash flooding and rock falls in Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. Such rainfall is rare, but will render some trails unsafe. The park received nearly 3 inches of rain in three hours on a Wednesday night. Now, many of the hiking trails have re-opened.

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    REMEMBER: Hike on days when flash flood warnings are not in effect, to keep your risk to a minimum. Keep your balance when going up in elevation. Pack snacks and water. Get food, drinks, and beer at the cafeteria in the lodge. Take your trash with you as you hike in the trails, and don’t feed wildlife.

  • Kayak Into Antelope Canyon

    Kayak Into Antelope Canyon

    On busier days, multitudes of people come to visit Antelope Canyon, and whomever has promoted the walking tours has done an excellent job, as sometimes there are tourists turned away for lack of space. Perhaps, waiting for an hour or two for an opening, and then being squeezed in with a crowd of 25 people isn’t your idea of a great time? And perhaps you have the energy and endurance needed to get a good 2 to 3 hour paddle on a kayak? If so, do we have an idea for you…

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    Use your national parks pass to enter into Antelope Marina, just north of the walking tours on road #222, east of Page, Arizona. After you park in the lot, go down the ramp to the docks (and be early). You should be able to find single, double, and perhaps triple kayak rentals. You are able to rent them for a half- or full-day and then go west and south (left on the map, as a bird’s eye view) and then you’re entering the water-filled part of Antelope Canyon.

    After paddling for about an hour, you should be able to park your kayak to the dried area of the canyon (perhaps some mud, at first) and then walk into it for much longer than a walking tour would allow. This area of the canyon is more remote and doesn’t have restroom or drinking water, so pack snacks and stay hydrated. If renting a kayak, be sure to give yourself up to 2 hours to return to the docks.

    Rates are subject to change, but ask us for a brochure when you check in at Liberty Vacation Rentals. We still recommend this travel tip to all our guests, and they all tell us that it’s even better than just doing the walking tour.