RILEY J ROAMS

Back in 2015 it was difficult to find Horseshoe Bend Overlook. I drove to Page, Arizona with my family, and we parked our car along the shoulder of U.S. 89. We hiked up the Navajo sandstone for 1.5 miles until reaching the steep drop off with a view of the canyon outlined with a 270-degree turn of the teal Colorado River. There were a few others enjoying the view, and my mom was constantly warning me to get away from the edge in fear I might fall.

Fast forward to 2019 where I was greeted by a fee booth where an employee asked for $10 to visit the canyon. After paying I pulled into a huge parking lot and claimed a spot. The lot was crowded with tourists hoping to catch a colorful sunset at Horseshoe Bend, and the overlook trail was no different. Children raced to the overlook while their parents shouted for them to slow down and be careful. When we made it to the orange canyon I noticed a metal fence along the overlook blocking people from plunging 1,100 feet to the river.

Horseshoe Bend is located just south of Page, Arizona—a desert town close to the border of Utah with a population of 8,000. According to officials in Page, fewer than 40,000 people per year would visit Horseshoe Bend a decade ago. These days there are close to two million visitors per year visiting and taking photos of the canyon.

Photos posted on social media websites such as Instagram and Facebook have resulted in more foot traffic to remote places. It’s not just Horseshoe Bend that is seeing a dramatic increase in visitors, but national parks across the country such as Zion, Joshua Tree, and the Grand Canyon are seeing an influx of visitors due to the social media boom. Visits to National Parks in the US increased by 11.6% between 2009 and 2018. With this brings more issues from littering to traffic to fatalities. Five people have fallen off the overlook of Horseshoe Bend while trying to take photos since 2017.

People coming to Page to visit wonders such as Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon have created a tourist boom in the sleepy town close to Navajo Land. Restaurants now have lines and new tour businesses have risen to accommodate tourism. All this tourism does benefit the Navajo people, who make money from the tours and entrance fee to Horseshoe Bend.

Horseshoe Bend has become one of the country’s top Instagrammed places, but is it for the best? There are many outdoors people who urge social media users to avoid geo-tagging their locations in hope to keep destinations as pristine as possible. Unfortunately, with more visitors comes more trash and waste. I personally believe people should be free to geo-tag their images, and everyone on this planet should have access to these healing places. If people don’t have access to these places, how else will we convince others to protect our planet against the effects of climate change? But with more coverage should come more education and responsibility. Everyone isn’t aware of how foot traffic is affecting nature, and that’s why it is important to implement some sort of education when posting about these places. Something as simple as mentioning “leave no trace” can do wonders for those who may not know much about nature. 

It can be hard to revisit a place you haven’t been to in years to see changes including overcrowding. When I go out in nature one of my primary goals is to escape being around other people, but that is becoming harder and harder with the social media boom. When I’m in nature surrounded by others, I often remind myself that those around me are lucky to experience our earth’s magic, and I should be happy they are here enjoying it with me.

While reflecting on both of my visits to Horseshoe Bend, I noticed a huge shift in my photography skills. When I visited Horseshoe Bend in 2015 I came in the middle of the day when the lighting was harsh and used a 18 – 55 mm lens to take this photo. Even at the time I knew it wasn’t the best photo, but I was still proud to share this photo with others.

I used the experience I gained from my first visit to get the perfect shot during my second visit. This time I made sure to visit Horseshoe Bend during golden hour and brought a 10 – 20 mm lens to take a wide-angle shot of the canyon. I was able to get the entirety of the river and much more vibrant colors during the sunset.

I’ve come to enjoy visiting specific spots in our country multiple times. Road tripping has become much more popular, and content creation while off the grid is a hobby picked up by those hoping to share their adventures with friends, family, and followers. When I take photos or write about traveling, I’m hoping to inspire others to care about these places and see them for themselves. I never understood how drastically the numbers would increase and all the dangers that come with more visits to pristine places. Hopefully we will be able to continue educating others on the effect of tourism, so places like Horseshoe Bend will still be here for many more to enjoy.