I absolutely love paddle boarding, in fact, I teach people how to paddle board with their dogs part-time. It was my happy place during the pandemic, being out on the water is so therapeutic for me. I also love camping and getting out in nature, I crave getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city. So, I decided to combine the two and go SUP camping on the Colorado River for my birthday this year. It took some planning and preparation, but it was so worth it! Here is my guide to SUP camping Horseshoe Bend.
About the area
Most people will view Horseshoe Bend from above, but they rarely ever experience it from below. Horseshoe Bend is located in between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry. The total distance between the two is 15 miles and the river flows at about 2.5-4 miles per hour. It takes about 6 hours to do the full 15 miles with no wind. It can be done in one day, but overnight is way better in my opinion. Or you can do a multi-night trip. There are five campgrounds to choose from and there is no fee, permit or reservation required. The campgrounds are first come, first serve and they come with a fire pit and composting toilet. You don’t have to do the full 15 miles, the boat can drop you however far up river you would like.
Our experience – Day 1
We hired a back haul (boat that takes you up river) from Lees Ferry to Glen Canyon Dam with Kelly Outfitters. The owner, Steve Kelly, brought us up river and was a wealth of knowledge about the area. He taught us about river etiquette (for example, you want to stay on the inside of a turn), pointed out some cool rock formations and gave us a general history of the area. He also said that springtime is usually windy and October is the best time to go. Because of a wind advisory, we opted to only do ten miles. Steve dropped us off at the Mile 10 beach, where you can go for a short hike to view some petroglyphs.
After viewing the petroglyphs, we hopped on the water to try and beat the worst of the wind. In no time we had already paddled two miles through Horseshoe Bend and arrived at Mile 8 campground. We debated continuing on to Mile 6 campground, but ultimately decided to stay and enjoy the day (my birthday). We immediately regretted not bringing a book to read and it was way too windy to play a card game. Thankfully, a very friendly group of people about our age invited us to join them. We spent the afternoon chatting, drinking hard seltzers and taking quick dips. Once the sun went down we started a fire in one of the fire pits, made dinner and listened to music. The best part was sleeping in the tent without the fly and looking up at the stars.
Our experience – Day 2
The next morning we woke up with the sun and finished the last 8 miles before the wind got too bad. We hit the water around 6:15am and got to Lees Ferry around 10:30am. Rather than wasting time and making breakfast, we had collagen bars and jerky on the river to hold us over. I’m glad we left as early as we did because the wind started to pick up earlier than predicted. With less than a mile left we saw some wild horses on the opposite side of the river.
At Lees Ferry we cleaned our gear, packed the car and made oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast. I would recommend camping at Mile 8 Campground because of the great little beach and the privacy compared to Mile 9 Campground, which is directly below Horseshoe Bend Overlook. I for sure want to do this trip again, maybe without the wind advisory!
My tips for paddling Horseshoe Bend:
- Be prepared for anything (wind, heat, cold, etc.) and be flexible.
- Head out early to beat the wind and the boat traffic (so peaceful early in the morning).
- Stay on the inside of a river bend, boat traffic utilizes the outside where it’s deepest.
- Keep an eye out for shallow areas, so you don’t bottom out.
- Give fly-fisherman enough room or they will get pissed.
- Bring a netted bag and rope to suspend your beverages in the river to keep them cold, the river is about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You can swim in the water, but don’t stay in for more than five minutes. You can get hypothermia, even in 90 degree weather.
- The sun is strong, definitely bring plenty of sunscreen. We bought UPF 50+ shirts with a hood from REI before the trip and we did not regret it. I also love these quick-dry shorts from Vuori for paddle boarding.
- Arrive early to your campground to get the best spot.
- Make sure your boards are secured overnight, the water levels do fluctuate.
- Don’t leave your inflatable boards baking in the sun, they can expand in the heat and pop. We splashed ours around in the river a few times because there wasn’t much shade
- This part of the river is dog-friendly, but please make sure conditions are calm and your dog is experienced.
Packing list:
- Paddle board
- Paddle
- Fin
- Leash
- Waist PFD or lifejacket
- Patch kit and manual inflator (for inflatable paddle boards)
- Water or filtration system (don’t drink straight from the river)
- Food & drink
- Cooking stuff
- Butane
- Lighter
- Cooler
- Dry bags for your gear
- Tent
- Crash pad
- Sleeping bag
- Camp chairs
- Sun hat
- Sun shirt
- Keens, Chaco’s or any water shoe for that matter
- Suncreen
- Bug spray
- Multi-tool
- First aid kit
- Parks Pass
- Shower wipes
- Stasher bag for garbage (pack it in, pack it out)
- Waterproof bluetooth speaker, playing cards (not conducive with wind) or a book to pass the time
Where to stay before and after
The night before the trip we opted to stay at a hotel rather than camp, so we wouldn’t have to repack all our camp gear. There are campgrounds right at Lees Ferry if you would prefer camping. We stayed at Cliff Dwellers Lodge, just 20 minutes from Lees Ferry. It had a very old-timey, Western feel to it which was really cool. They had a restaurant that was open for dinner and breakfast, which was very convenient. I highly recommend getting the avocado pie, sounds weird, but was so good! We also chose this hotel because they have two Tesla destination chargers, so we could fully charge the car overnight.
After the paddle trip, we headed south towards the Grand Canyon and stayed at Wander Camp. Wander Camp Grand Canyon is about a 35 minute drive south from the South Rim. It is about a 10 minute drive off the main road on dirt roads to the camp, but can be done in just about any car. I did love that the location was very private and the tents were well spaced. There were about 30 tents, please keep in mind that this is still “roughing it” and is not luxury stay. Our camp host was super friendly and the beds were surprisingly comfortable. They offer two options on site for dinner and breakfast or you can make your own meals. There were four bathrooms with showers on site, but hot water is limited. Stargazing at night is a must here, it is located in Dark Sky Country.
Other things to do in the area:
- Visit the North Rim
- Horseshoe Bend Overlook
- Antelope Canyon
- Stop at a roadside stand on route 89 for Navajo-made crafts and jewelry
- Visit the South Rim
I hope you enjoyed my guide to SUP camping Horseshoe Bend. If you liked this blog post, be sure to check out My Guide to Death Valley National Park (in a Tesla). Don’t forget to book your trip with your favorite travel planner, yours truly.
