Horseshoe Bend Rock Geology

Horseshoe Bend Rock Formation - Page Arizona

Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona, United States.

Incised meander : Incised meanders are meanders which are particularly well developed and occur when a river's base level has fallen giving the river a large amount of vertical erosion power, allowing it to down-cut. There are two types of incised meanders, entrenched meanders and ingrown meanders.

How was horseshoe bend formed ? - Horseshoe Bend Geology

Horseshoe Bend was formed by water following its natural path of least resistance. The sheer Cliff walls are made of Navajo Sandstone, a particularly dense type of sandstone. In the process of erosion, the sandstone acted as a natural barrier, forcing the water to make a sharp bend in the river thorough softer rocks

Horseshoe Bend Overlook

It is accessible via hiking a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) round trip from a parking area just off U.S. Route 89.

Horseshoe Bend Fun Facts

·         Horseshoe-shaped incised meander in Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona

·         The rock walls of Horseshoe Bend contain a variety of minerals, among which are hematite, platinum and garnet.

·         The overlook is 4,200 feet (1,300 m) above sea level, and the Colorado River is at 3,200 feet (980 m) above sea level, making it a 1,000-foot (300 m) drop

·         The formation was created over the course of a billion years and was caused by the continual flow of water through the canyon walls.

·         The water in the Colorado River below is emerald green in summer and is cool enough to enjoy a refreshing swim, if you can make it down to the bottom.

·         Sunsets view of Horseshoe Bend is Breathtaking and must see the vibration of the colors

·         This is one of the most spectacular and most-photographed places in Arizona

The water in the Colorado is slow moving, greenish blue in color and edged by thin strips of bright green vegetation - a striking contrast to the red-brown Navajo sandstone cliffs at either side. There are often several rafts and boats in view, making the short upstream journey from Lees Ferry; sandbanks and bushy areas along the river provide many stopping places.

Directions to Horseshoe Bend : From Page Arizona, reaching the Horseshoe Bend parking lot is a short, 10 minute drive south on Highway 89

Antelope Canyon Just 7 Miles away from Horseshoe Bend its one of the Natural Beauties must explore in Northern Arizona.