Northern Arizona and southern Utah are abundant in scenic landscapes. Strong winds carrying fine desert sand and the mighty Colorado river erode the rocks in the region to create exquisite shapes and patterns. The region is popularly known as the Grand Circle and encompasses more than a dozen National Parks including Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and the Arches National Parks. Among them is a peculiar geological formation – the Horsehoe Bend.
Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona, in the United States. Tamed by the Glen Canyon Dam, the emerald-green Colorado River makes a gigantic bend more than a thousand feet below the overlook, swinging first to the east, then curving back to the west. The bend is locally known as "King Bend." It is located five miles (8.7 km) downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, about four miles or 6 km southwest of Page. Accessible via a ½-mile (0.8 km) hike from U.S. Route 89, it can be viewed from the steep cliff above. According to Google terrain maps, the overlook is 4,200 feet above sea level and the Colorado River is at 3,200 feet above sea level making it a breathtaking 1,000 foot drop.
Horseshoe is a very small thing most people take pictures of and move on to see gorgeous lake Powell with its banded white and red cliffs all around, and if they're smart, get on the lake itself. Corkscrew canyon nearby is an more amazing sight as well...
ReplyDelete