Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is an awe-inspiring 270° horseshoe-shaped bend carved down, through the layers of sandstone, by the Colorado River. Visitors can walk straight up to the edge of the rim and gaze down at the crystal blue-green Colorado River below.
The view of Horseshoe Bend from the barrier-free rim of the canyon is extraordinary, ( you'll need a wide-angle lens to get the entire scene in your picture!) The colors of the rocks change throughout the day, the shadows move in and out of the canyons, and as the river flows, it sparkles and shines in different shades of green and blue.
If you find the height a little daunting, try lying down on the ground and looking over the edge that way. It gives you a much better sense of security. Make sure you keep an eye on your animal companions as well; they can slip as easily as you.
Below you, the Colorado River makes a wide sweep around a sandstone escarpment. Long ago, as the river meandered southward toward the sea, it always chose the steepest downward slope. This downward journey did not always occur in a straight line, and sometimes the river made wide circles and meanders. As the Colorado Plateau uplifted about 5 million years ago, the rivers that meandered across the ancient landscape were trapped in their beds. The rivers cut through the rock, deep and fast, seeking a new natural level. Here at Horseshoe Bend, the Colorado River did just that.
Conceivably, at some time far in the future, the river could erode through the narrow neck of rock, creating a natural bridge and abandoning the circular channel around the rock. Maybe in a few million years, this will be the site of a brand new natural bridge formed the same way as nearby Rainbow Bridge National Monument.
Related Links:
The Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River is approximately 5 miles south of the Carl Hayden Visitor Center on U.S. Hwy 89, just south of highway marker 545, turn west on the dirt road which ascends the small hill. Drive a short distance west on the dirt road and park at the base on the hill. Climb up and down sandy hill.
NOTE: Park at the base of the hill. Vehicles are prohibited beyond the end of the parking lot at the base of the hill.
"Water is the driving force of all nature." ~ Leonardo da Vinci
:: Rainbow Bridge Overview ::
The world’s largest natural bridge, Rainbow Bridge is a sculptural masterpiece hidden in the labyrinth of canyons in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Rainbow Bridge was carved by waters of the bright creek which still flows at its base. Exfoliation – the flaking off of layers due to expansion and contraction of rock – has shaped the bridge’s hard Navajo sandstone to symmetrical perfection.
Rainbow Bridge is 290 feet from its base to the top of its arch—nearly as tall as the Statue of Liberty—and spans 275 feet across the river.
The top of the arch measures 42 feet thick and 33 feet wide.
"Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings."
~ Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
