Sedona to Page AZ Road Trip – Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Photography Tips
Updated 2026 with travel tips and photography advice
by Scott Turnmeyer
Sedona to Page Arizona Road Trip Guide
If you are planning a road trip from Sedona to Page, Arizona, this is one of the best drives in the Southwest. The route takes you past incredible desert scenery, including Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and some of the most famous photography locations in northern Arizona. This Sedona to Page Arizona road trip is one of the most popular travel routes in northern Arizona, especially for photographers visiting Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
This guide shares our experience driving from Sedona to Page, tips for visiting Antelope Canyon, photography advice for slot canyons, and some of the best stops along the way.
This post is part of my Southwest photography trip, and in this guide I’ll share what the drive from Sedona to Page is like, tips for visiting Antelope Canyon, photography advice for slot canyons, and some of the best stops along the way.
Whether you are planning a road trip, looking for travel ideas in Arizona, or hoping to photograph Antelope Canyon yourself, this guide should help you know what to expect.
This post is part of my full Southwest road trip photography guide covering Phoenix, Sedona, Page, Zion, and Las Vegas.
Read the complete trip here: Southwest Road Trip Photography Guide – Arizona, Utah & Nevada
Sedona to Page AZ Road Trip Guide – Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend
The drive from Sedona to Page, AZ is about three hours depending on your route, but it can easily turn into a full-day trip if you stop at some of the amazing locations along the way. Page is home to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, two of the most famous photography locations in the Southwest, and both are well worth the trip.
On this day of our trip we left Sedona early in the morning, planning to reach Page in time for our Antelope Canyon tour later in the day.
So after a quick packup of the vehicle, locking ourselves out of our room and caffeine fill ups, we were off. The trek from Sedona to Page was astounding. We drove through massive canyons, high elevations, desert straight stretches that went on for miles. We went from sand to evergreen trees, with Watch for Elk signs along the road, back to desert. Along the way, you are surrounded by miles and miles of beautiful Navajo tribal reservation. Truly a drive that I would want to do many more times, but next time not under a time pressure so that we could stop and enjoy it like we did from Page to Zion, watch for that blog post coming up.
We arrived in Page, AZ, and checked in for our tour with 45min to spare. Things got a little tense on the way there because apparently the time zone line is super close so our phones were bouncing back and forth with us being early, then late. But when we got there all was well.
Antelope Canyon should be on anybody's list, especially if you are a photography. The slot Canyon is divided into the upper and lower canyons and each is different. Upper Antelope is the one most visited by tourists such, and you cannot get into it without a guide. The Canyon is on reservation land, so the tour groups that go into there are usually run by Native Americans, which I thought was great because you learned history while seeing and experiencing in a different point of view. We chose Chief Tsosie -Antelope Slot Canyon Tours (highly recommend and we gave a 5 star review on Facebook).
Visiting Antelope Canyon – Tour Tips, Photography Tips, and What to Expect
Antelope Canyon is one of the most popular attractions in Arizona, and for good reason. The narrow slot canyon walls create incredible light, color, and shapes that change throughout the day.
If you plan to visit Antelope Canyon, you must book a guided tour in advance. Tours leave from Page, Arizona, and different tour times can produce very different lighting conditions, especially for photography.
As a landscape photographer, Antelope Canyon had been on my list for years, and this trip was my first chance to finally see it in person.
The Monument by Scott Turnmeyer - Click photo for purchase options
Chief Tsosie tours has two Upper Antelope Canyon tours, the standard group tour that lasts 55 minutes, or the highly recommended guided photography tour, which lasts 2 hours. The difference is night and day once you get in there. The main tour you stay in line and are always around people (this is a busy place people!!). The photography tour is just for that, photography. You have to have a tripod and a camera that you can perform manual adjustments on. No green automatic box here people. BTW, I teach how to get off of automatic mode, check out my classes page. It's pricier, but worth every penny. Your guide sets you up for spots, blocks people from your shot for up to 2 minutes at a time and is invaluable!! There is no way we could have gotten these shots without George's help, the best guide for sure.
If you'd like hands-on help mastering composition, my Manual Mode Photography Classes in Front Royal, VA walk through these techniques in real time.
While led the main tour has multiple offerings throughout the day, the photography tour has 2 options. 10:30am or 1:00pm. We chose the 10:30am because we wanted this magic light beams that shoot through the canyon. Again, George was amazing here. He knew the timings of each one and had us in the right spots at the right times, simply amazing! The shots speak for themselves.
The Chamber by Scott Turnmeyer - Click photo for purchase Options
I was was shooting on manual mode, cloudy white balance. ISO100, aperture ranging from f5 - f8, and then the shutter varying for the exposure that we wanted. You MUST use your tripod if you want to get anything like this. You will want to use a wide angle lens as it is close quarters in there.
We had such a great time, and checking that box off the bucket list was amazing. But in the end, George looked at us and said, "You know the light beams are cool, but the real color and magic happens later in the afternoon during the 1pm tour." So we went back the next day! Read about that in the Day 4 blog post.
Fire Within by Scott Turnmeyer - Click photo for purchase options
After we we finished with Antelope Canyon we checked into our hotel, freshened up, and started to get the lay of the land. Page, AZ isn't thought of as a touristy destination, but you can tell it is growing, and we found a ton to do. Hiking, photography, Lake Powell and so much more is there.
That evening we had sunset photos at the iconic Horseshoe Bend planned out. We've all seen this beautiful Bend of the Colorado River as it makes its way into the Grand Canyon. Yet another check off our bucket list on this trip.
Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Stops Near Page Arizona
Another must-see stop near Page is Horseshoe Bend, one of the most photographed views in the Southwest. The overlook is an easy walk from the parking area and offers an incredible view of the Colorado River as it curves around the rock formation below.
If you are driving from Sedona to Page, it is easy to visit both Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend on the same day, but be prepared for crowds, especially during peak travel seasons.
Horseshoe Bend by Scott Turnmeyer
Horseshoe Bend is an easy find. There is a huge parking lot for it off the main road, you simply cannot miss it. There is a hike, I think All Trails said it was .5 mile, but it is in deep sand and up and down a hill. It's not bad going to it but a little more difficult coming back. But don't worry, we saw all ages and health conditions doing it, and I will tell you it is so worth it. It's so worth it that we made that trek 3 times on our trip taking photos.
When you you get to the end of the trail you are literally standing at the lip of one of the most beautiful things that I have ever laid my eyes on. So majestic, Mother Nature at work, showing us how small and insignificant we really are. If your jaw doesn't drop at first sight then you aren't human.
Watch for my fully detailed blog post for shooting in Antelope Canyon, coming I the next few days.
Also, you will see most of these photos released as fine art edition prints in the very near future. Watch for them because each one will have a huge sale on their release weekend.
Antelope Canyon Photography Tips – Camera Settings and Advice
Photographing Antelope Canyon can be challenging because of the low light and constantly changing colors inside the slot canyon. A tripod, low ISO, and longer exposures help capture the detail and color in the rock walls.
If you are serious about photography, try to book a tour that allows extra time for photos, and be ready to adjust settings quickly as the light changes.
Sedona to Page AZ Travel FAQ
How long is the drive from Sedona to Page Arizona?
About 3 hours without stops, but most people take longer to visit Antelope Canyon or Horseshoe Bend.
Do you need a tour for Antelope Canyon?
Yes. All visitors must go with an authorized guide.
Is Antelope Canyon worth visiting?
Yes, it is one of the most unique and most photographed locations in the Southwest.
Can you visit Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon in one day?
Yes, but plan ahead and allow enough time for tours and travel.
Do you offer photography workshops?
Yes — I teach photography workshops in Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
You can see upcoming workshops here: Explore Photography Experiences →
Next Stop – We’ll be heading from Page to Zion National Park
The next part of the trip would take us west now from Page to Springdale Utah and Zion National Park
Southwest Road Trip Itinerary – Phoenix, Sedona, Antelope Canyon, Zion & Las Vegas
Previous Day - Phoenix to Sedona Road Trip – Driving into Red Rock Country
Tomorrow - Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend Photography Guide – Page Arizona
Several of the photos from this trip are available as fine art photography prints, including Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and other Southwest landscapes.
You can view available prints here: https://turnmeyers.com/pages/scott-turnmeyer-photography-wall-art
These prints are produced from my original landscape photography and are available in multiple sizes.
More Photography from Scott Turnmeyer
I write about landscape photography, night sky photography, camera technique, and photography workshops in the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains. You can explore more photography, workshops, and articles here:
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