Weekend in Page, AZ: The Toadstools, Skylight Arch + More

*Sponsored: Thank you to Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell for hosting me and coordinating experiences with Monumental Meditation and Big Orange Jeep Tours.

Earlier this year, I experienced a weekend in Page, AZ! When you think of Page, what comes to mind? The desert-painted walls of Antelope Canyon? The natural phenomenal of Horseshoe Bend? Or maybe it’s Lake Powell’s sparking blue waters? Aside from those three attractions, most people don’t know what else to do.

The first time I went to Page in 2017, I did those exact three things. Since then, I had the opportunity to rediscover Page– thanks to the generosity of Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell, Monumental Meditation and Big Orange Jeep Tours! Read below for my weekend itinerary in Page, AZ!

Weekend Itinerary in Page, AZ

For this specific itinerary, one of my best friends, Shelby, and I drove up from Tucson to Page. If you’re from Tucson, you can plan for this drive to take 5.5-6 hours. If you’re coming from Phoenix, then this drive will take about 4-5 hours. To make the most of your visit and daylight hours in Page, I fully recommend getting an early start and taking advantage of daylight hours. Start by booking your room at Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell.

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Day 1: Hotel Check-In / Sunset Dinner

Overall Hotel Impressions

Upon arriving to Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell, I immediately checked out the space. I fell in love with the dining area’s high ceilings, and the floor to ceiling windows that included breathtaking sunset views of Glen Canyon. Immediately outside was a fireside patio that faces the setting sun and offers a trail out to a mental frame.

As I navigated back inside the hotel, I noticed the design featured contemporary, Southwest decor. There were plenty of areas that were great for lounging. In the immediate lobby, I admired the artwork they had on display: an illustrated map highlighted everything in the surrounding area, and on the opposite wall was a fine art piece designed by Ulrike Arnold. Arnold specializes in creating art at colorful places like Northern Arizona. This particular canvas featured materials of the surrounding area, which were applied on the canvas with a transparent binder. The piece included the rich colors and textures that one can see in Page, AZ.

After inspecting everything in the lobby, we grabbed hand sanitizer near the entrance of the elevator and went up to our floor. From our spacious guest room, we had a beautiful view of Glen Canyon Dam and the Vermilion Cliffs. Since not all rooms include this view, I recommend requesting a room with a view at the time of booking. The king bed was extremely comfortable, the shower head was high-quality, and I even loved the lounge area.

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On-site Dining

After unpacking and settling in our room, we walked outside to capture the beautiful sun setting beyond the Vermillion Cliffs. The fire pit added the perfect ambiance as we sipped our crafted margaritas with a picturesque view of the setting sun. On the dinner menu, a variety of options and catered to everyone’s dietary needs.

I absolutely loved the Parmesan fries with the avocado aioli, but I was also happy with our salad and charbroiled burger. For desserts, we indulged in tres leches and fruit tart– with the tres leches being my favorite! After a full meal, we were ready to rest up in our room for the busy weekend and our weekend itinerary in Page, AZ.

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Day 2: Horseshoe Bend and Monumental Meditation

Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend has changed quite a bit since my last trip there in 2017. The last time I was there, I had to walk through rocks, dirt and hills to reach the view point. Since then, it’s now a ticketed attraction ($10 per vehicle) with facilities, and 1.2-mile round-trip path for people of all ages. While I have seen the bend in the evening and during the day, I did not see it at sunrise until this trip.

With the hotel only being five minutes away, we trekked out early in the morning and arrived to the edge of Horseshoe Bend at sunrise. Sunrise was beautiful, but I would have to say that sunset is still my favorite time to see the bend. As a reference, you can use this photographer’s guide to see your “ideal” version of the bend.

Things to Know…

• Excursion: Horseshoe Bend
• Cost: $10 per vehicle, single entry
• Time Length: 1-2 hours, or as long as you need
• What’s Included: Restrooms, Parking, Path for Wheelchairs/Strollers, Railing Lookout, Non-Railing Lookout

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Monumental Meditation

After we came back from Horseshoe Bend, we rested for a quick 30 minutes, ate our included breakfast at the hotel, then met Monumental Meditation’s passionate practitioners of yoga and meditation in the lobby. They picked us up in their vehicle then we went to our first destination of our private excursion as part of weekend itinerary in Page, AZ.

During our short 15-20 minute drive from the hotel, I learned more about Monumental Meditation. Monumental Meditation offers an easy and mindful adventure to reconnect with nature through nature therapy, also known as ecotherapy. Our guides Jennie Lawson and Mark Philip Gutteridge, were extremely fascinating and experienced in their holistic industries.

Jennie, grew up in rural Utah, practiced yoga for 28 years, received her Reiki attunement and Hatha yoga certification. Additionally, she leads transformative nature connection experiences in the outdoors through her nonprofit, Wild Canyon Discovery. Mark Philip, also known as “Gutty,” deeply-connected to to the natural world that surrounded him, as he grew up in the sacred, Neolithic landscape of Wiltshire (think Stonehenge). From there, his spiritual journey of self discovery began and led him to attain the Reiki-level of Master/Teacher. Eventually, he met his wife Debra Mocker and co-founded Monumental Meditations and Monumental Photography.

In the middle of our conversation, we suddenly turned off the main highway onto an unmarked road. From there we began my first off-roading adventure. As we approached our destination, Mark shared that our hike would focus on mindfulness and the surrounding scenery. We needed to be aware of every bit of land and take it all in. Our hike was incredibly windy, but as we neared towards the bottom of the canyon, the wind lost it’s powerful grasp on us.

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Monumental Meditation– Canyon and Arch

Along our journey, we stopped at a juniper tree where our guide, Jennie, shared that the dried juniper berries are used as beads by the Navajo and Hopi tribes. Once the berries fall off the tree, ants borough a hole and eat the inside of the berries. Eventually the berries dry out and have small holes in them that are used as beads. The beads, known as Ghost Beads, bring peace and ward off negative energy.

Right after we passed the tree, we found ourselves at a hidden-away slot canyon. You would never find it from where we parked! Mark and Jennie selected this as our first meditation location. The moment we sat on the blankets and closed our eyes to meditate, I felt warmth and comfort from everything that surrounded us. I was no longer cold and felt as if time itself had come to a halt. After a few exhales, Jennie began playing a Navajo flute.

With every exhale, I found myself connecting more and more with nature. From the howling wind, came the sound of rustling leaves and sand slowly drifting over the edge of the slot canyon. Meditation is different for everyone, but for me, it’s a time I use to listen to God. To take in the surroundings around me and admire how beautiful the land is that He has created. My time with Monumental Meditation reminded me how important it is to take the time to listen.

Shortly after our moment of meditation, we found ourselves walking to an arch that was within the same area. At the arch, Mark spotted an eagle’s nest– which was huge! I’ve never seen an eagle before, but I later discovered that bald eagles and golden eagles are home to the Glen Canyon Recreational Area.

After a few snaps, we hiked upward to get more of an aerial view from the arch. We came across a slick rock where puddles had eroded into the rock. In the puddles, biodiversity exists with tadpoles and weeds. Mark told us that over time, this would result in another arch like the one we witnessed from the lower floor of the canyon. With one more step we reached the arch, which offered a completely different perspective!

Soon after the aerial view, we took a short break in the car and enjoyed our packed lunches provided by Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell. Within our insulated packed lunch included my choice of sandwich (I chose fresh pesto with turkey and tomato), apple, water bottles, granola bar and pretzels.

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Monumental Meditation– The Toadstools

We hopped back into our vehicle then arrived at our next meditation spot: The Toadstools. Located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, these rock formations are easily accessible along a short 1.5-mile round-trip hike.

During our second meditation, we learned about the fragility of the land in this area. These “toadstools,” or hoodoos, form from Dakota Sandstone boulders perched atop pedestals of softer Entrada Sandstone. Then after thousands of years, the Entrada erodes and forms a spire underneath the boulder.

After we did our last meditation at The Toadstools, we wrapped up our tour with an incredible dinner and drum sound bath. Stargazing is typically part of the experience but we were unable to do this due to the fact that it was cloudy.

Things to Know…

I would have to say this was one of my favorite activities because I enjoyed the mindfulness aspect combined with nature, as well as learning so much from meditation and healing experts. As a unique and immersive experience, I would completely recommend this! For more details on their other excursions, you can visit their website and book this excursion.

• Excursion: Thoughtful Sunset Walk, Picnic & Stargazing Workshop
• Cost: $175 Adults | $125 Ages 7-12
• Time Length: 4 hours
• What’s Included: Certified Yoga Instruction, Meditation, Area Geology & Ecology Study, Stargazing, Picnic Dinner, Water, Transportation from Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell
• Social Media: Instagram, Facebook

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Day 3: Big Orange Jeep Tours

On our last day of our weekend itinerary in Page, AZ, we met Jenny from Big Orange Jeep Tours outside the Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell. Shelby and I immediately connected with her bubbly personality and the fact that she grew up in Tucson. Similar to Monumental Meditations, we were driving on the highway then suddenly turned off onto an unmarked road. We discovered that in order to be on that specific road that permits were required. But since we were with Big Orange Jeep Tours, we had that part covered.

We drove on a straight dirt road for a little bit then eventually approached some rocky roads and hills, where Jenny told us to hold on. As we ascended, the sparkling blue waters of Lake Powell caught my eye. There were so many beautiful things to see and we weren’t even at our main location yet! Eventually it was time to hop out of the car and begin our short 2-mile round-trip hike to Skylight Arch.

Along the way, Jenny showed up areas of the cliffs that showed signed of being under the ocean. It was beyond beautiful to see!

Things to Know…

For those who want a lively and adventurous excursion, then I recommend this activity! This was my first Jeep tour, so I had a lot of fun on this experience. You can visit the website for more details and book this excursion.

• Excursion: Skylight Arch Hoodoo Jeep Tour
• Cost: $115 Adults | $95 Children (6-15), Military, Seniors (65+)
• Time Length: 3 hours
• What’s Included: Historical Tour of the Land, Light Snacks, Beverages
• Social Media: Instagram

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Overall Thoughts

I loved exploring Page and the surrounding area, and I cannot wait to return soon for more adventures! I hope you will also enjoy this weekend Itinerary in Page, AZ. Thank you to Hyatt Place Page / Lake Powell for hosting me, and for organizing the sponsored excursions with Monumental Meditation and Big Orange Jeep Tours. You can view some of the video footage by viewing the “Page” highlight on my Instagram, @HappilyPinkBlog. Feel free to reach out with any questions!