Paddleboarding - Horseshoe Bend, Page AZ 8/14-16/25

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1:

6:00 pm Carpool

9:00 pm Sleep in Cedar City

Day 2:

7:00am (UT time) Breakfast/pick up lunch at Maverick in Enoch & Drive

9:00 am (AZ time) Horseshoe Bend Overlook (for Thursday drivers).

10:00 am (AZ time) drive to Lee’s Ferry Dock

11:00 am (AZ time) Arrive  Horseshoe Bend Boat Dock & Prep Paddleboard & Gear.

12:00 pm (AZ time) Load onto the Boats

2:00 pm Paddle from Dam

5:00pm Campsite at Horseshoe Bend

6:00 pm Dinner & hang out

Day 3:

8:00 am Breakfast

9:00 am Paddle from Horseshoe Bend to Dock.

Optional Hike at Waterhole Canyon

1:00 -2:00pm Return to Dock

Drive Home.

Optional stop at Horseshoe Bend Lookout

Dinner on own

Home late Saturday night depending on carpool stops.

Directions: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Cost: 

$30 National Park Pass for the Colorado River (per car)

$10 Horseshoe Bend (per car) - if you choose to check out the view from above on the way there or back

$ 87.20 Boat Backhaul (tip for boat captain not included)

Activity: Paddleboard Colorado River - Paddle 7-8 miles down the Colorado River from Glen Canyon Dam (towering cliffs/petroglyphs). Camp below Horseshoe Bend. Next morning, continue paddling the remaining 9 miles down to Lee's Ferry. Stop mid way to hike Waterhole Canyon (wider, less cliffs, more exposed to sun). Route

BATHROOMS:

There are pit bathrooms every mile or two along the route so no need to pack it out!  

CELL SERVICE:

Spotty or not at all.

CAMPSITE:

We plan to camp at actual Horseshoe Bend. These are not reserved sites, just first come first serve on the beach. There is a pit toilet here. 

DISTANCE:

15 miles from the dam. We will plan on doing roughly 1/2 of that one day and 1/2 the next. Depending on water flow and wind it takes roughly 6-8 hrs for total 15 miles. We will be doing stops each day. 

PADDLE PREP:

We will pump our boards up at the dock before we leave and stow bags and electric pumps in cars. Pumped up boards will go on the boats. 

Tips: it's hot, dry and sunny - No potable water - filters recommended

• Sunscreen, hat, and electrolytes are essential

• Ultralight sleeping like a sheet or minimal sleeping bag

• Bring a thin blow up pad to sleep on. Use this to sleep on the paddle board.

• We didn’t have to worry about mosquitos and other bugs weren’t a big deal either.

• We found that small ratchet type straps are great for extra gear

• I's hot, dry and sunny so sunscreen, hat, and electrolytes are essential

• A Safety Boat from our company Patrols the river 9am - 5pm. Put arms in X over your head if you need help.

• Mt Mamas has 2 tow ropes the assistant guides carry in case anyone needs to be towed.

• Bring a water filter

• Sleeping on the paddle boards can be comfortable as long as you pack a thin blow up pad and a blanket or light warm weather sleeping bag. I recommend a thin sheet instead of a sleeping bag.

• Get a Kayak paddle if you can. They work more efficiently than a paddleboard paddle.

• We didn’t have to worry about mosquitos and other bugs weren’t a big deal either.

• Best to strap items to the top of the board than have straps going around the board (lessen drag). We found that the bungee cord around the paddle board had less drag than the ratchet strap around the board.

• Buying a duraflame (I will bring) or something similar would have been nice in the designated fire pits. (no wood gathering allowed)

Boat Ferry:

You are about to enjoy what might be one of the most scenic trips in Northern America. Glen Canyon is the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park, home to the famous Colorado River.**You will be meeting at the boat launch at Lees Ferry. Time Zone: Arizona does not observe daylight savings time. In the winter months we are Mountain Time and the summer Pacific Time.Prior to your trip, please read the following guidelines.

• Before your trip:Pay your entrance fee at the fee station or use your national park pass (interagency pass, senior pass, etc.). Display the pass in the windshield of your vehicle or on the seat of the car (during summer).

• Have one person in your group obtain a free permit at the self-serve kiosk in the parking lot above the Lees Ferry launch ramp.

• Have all your gear ready and packed before your trip. Lees Ferry is a heavily trafficked area and you should not block access to other river enthusiasts.

• Arrive 60 minutes early.

• Unload your gear from your car at the paved boat ramp and place it on the dirt area on the far side of the boat ramp, without blocking the access to the dock.

• Once your equipment is unloaded, park your vehicle in the large dirt lot above the boat ramp. If you are camping overnight, park in the 14 day lot (or you will receive a ticket/ be towed.)

• Return to the dock area and await your captain's instructions.

Gear: Thin T-shirts, thin long-sleeve shirts, fleece, rain jacket, shorts or hiking pants, swimming suit, water shoes, running shoes or sandals ( no flip flops) 2 L water bottles, or filter, snacks, small backpack/drybag, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, first aid kit, Paddleboard (can rent), paddles (can rent), lifejackets(can rent) thin sleeping pad and thin sheet. Bungee cords seem to have less drag than ratchet straps under paddle boards.

Meal Ideas:

• Thursday- eat dinner before carpoolFriday-

• Breakfast & Lunch - bring own or we will stop at Maverick where you can buy.

• Dinner - Bring own. Simple. Many people do a water heat up meal like Ramen or a Mountain House meal (if you do this you need to pack fuel and a cook stove. I recommend you share a meal with someone else if youwon’tbe super hungry since these often feed 2 people and packing out your leftovers can be blah.

• Pack a ziplock back in case you need to take it since this is a leave no trace place. Also can do simple no cook items.

• Saturday Breakfast- I recommend a no cook meal. On your own.

• Lunch- I recommend a no cook meal. On your own.Will have at a rest area along the river

• Dinner - On your own. Buy at drive thru or restaurant.

• No Cook Meals (Would recommend for snack, lunches and breakfast)

  • Fillo’s Walking Tamales

  • Protein bars

  • Fig bars

  • Honey stingers

  • Beef jerky

  • fave non melt candy

  • Granola

  • Honey sticks & Squeeze pb

  • PB & J packets - put on tortillas

  • Fritos and canned bean dip

  • tuna fish packets with pita bread

  • Electrolytes

  • Electrolyte applesauce

  • Mandarin oranges

  • Apples

  • Mini pickle packages & chips

    
    

  • Cooking ideas (can share a jet boil with a few people. Some people liked a warm meal for dinner).

    • Ramen bomb: ramen make, add instant potatoes let stand for a minute.

    • Fish taco:Tuna fish, Knorr rice package- cook, Tortillas, Fritos, Hot sauce from Taco BellMountain star* meals, Alone or put in a tortilla*(Add 1/4 to 1/3 more water than called for in Mtn Star meals when at Utah high altitude).

      
      

  • Packaged-

    • Lasagna

    • Spaghetti

    • Peak company - Chicken  & rice

Lees Ferry

Map to Lees Ferry