A Free Alternative to Antelope Canyon: Biidi the Arch in Page, AZ
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
Despite living in Arizona for over 4 years and passing Page numerous times enroute to national parks like Zion and Bryce, I’ve never taken one of the famous slot canyon tours. I’ve heard from many family members and friends that these tours are a complete rip off – a tourist trap if there ever was one. Tours are a whopping $100+ per person. Sure you can take some cool pictures, but you can take cool pictures anywhere in the state to be honest. Tickets are overpriced and slots fill up quickly (reservations are required). You often need to book weeks in advance especially to get a prime summer mid afternoon time slot.
Honestly, there are so many cool natural wonders in Arizona that you don’t have to pay an arm and leg to see. In my 4 years of living here, I enjoyed so many incredible hikes and national monuments, most of which were free. If you do want to see a famous sandstone arch, there is a lesser known free gem requiring no reservations. Biidi the Arch is located in a really strange place (behind a Shell Gas Station). It’s a short 10 minute walk to a unique oval shaped formation.
How to get here?
You will drive to the Shell Gas Station at 1501 Coppermine Rd. There is also a Big Lake Trading Post where you can purchase souvenirs and Native American trinkets. You will see a small dirt lot to the side. There is no fee to park. Likely, there will be a lot of cars parked here so you will know that you are in the right place. From the dirt lot, you will walk up a steep dirt trail to get to the arch. It’s a bit steep but no more than a 10 minute walk.
On our mid-June visit, it was excruciatingly hot. Keep in mind that it is scorching hot here with zero shade during the summer season. Temps easily hit the 90’s and oftentimes soar above 100. Also keep in mind that there will likely be a big line of influencers waiting to get their pictures. Prepare to wait a while.
The Arch
Biidi translates into “the arch” in Navajo which is a fitting title. It is also known as the Big Lake Sand Cave. It was formed naturally by erosion. You can learn more about the geology of the area on the NPS website.
You will find the same wavy pink, red orange-ish sandstone that draws so many tourists to Antelope. However, the benefit here is that you don’t need to sign up for a guided tour whereas you do to tour the other slot canyons.
Navajo sandstone turns the brilliant red and orange color you see via the process of rusting. According to the NPS, colorful minerals like hematite form when iron is exposed to oxygen.
We waited in line for about 20 minutes. It definitely felt like a bit of a tourist trap (not a hidden gem for sure), but it was a cool sight to see regardless of the popularity. You can take some pictures by the wavy sandstone wall and also get your picture looking out into the desert via the unique oval arch.
If anything it helped break up our long roadtrip from Bryce Canyon to Phoenix (a tiresome & very boring 7 hour drive). Page was about a 2 hour drive from the national park, so we gladly took the opportunity to stretch our legs.
I mean, it’s free so you aren’t losing anything and you’ll get in a mini workout to keep the circulation flowing during any drive. I recommend checking it out on the way to any park like Zion, Bryce, Grand Staircase, and numerous other natural wonders.
Best time to visit?
The sandstone appears brighter with direct sunlight so the best time to visit is the middle of the afternoon when the sun is highest. Unfortunately, this is the desert and this is also the hottest time of the day. You may have seen friends or social media pictures where a beam of light is shining through – you just have to time your visit right.
Tips
- Bring with plenty of water. It’s so hot and dry out here especially mid-day. Plus, you could be waiting for a while to take your pictures.
- Wear hiking shoes. It’s easier to trek uphill in the sand.
- Bring with a camera/phone tripod if you are coming alone.
- There is a restroom inside the Big Lake Trading Post. Also, they advertise 30 flavors of jerky. Not my thing but they offer Buffalo, Alligator, Elk, and more if you are interested.
Other area activities I recommend
I am not a big fan of this area in general, but if you are passing through, there are a few cool sights to see. Here’s what I recommend seeing.
Horseshoe Bend – This is a short 0.7 mile hike up to one of the most photographed natural wonders in the Southwest. Most likely you have seen the amazing pictures where the Colorado river forms a unique horseshoe shaped curve around a sandstone formation.
I would say it is worth a stop if you are heading this way towards a national park. On the plus side, the park upgraded the trail in 2019. The new hardened sand path is now ADA compliant. When we hiked this years ago, it was pretty difficult to trudge up the sand! Parking is $10 for cars and $5 for motorcycles. Read more about our visit.
Grand View Overlook – This is a free scenic viewpoint which won’t take up much of your time. You can see Lake Powell and Navajo mountain from here. Honestly, I wasn’t too impressed, but it’s free. Consider it just another opportunity to stretch your legs.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook – This is a short steep stone path with guardrails to a viewpoint of the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dam. Note that the railings were insanely hot when we visited on a 90 degree summer day – do not touch them or wear gloves.
