Flashback to the second day of our shortlived Utah road trip in 2019.
Pre-covid, of course.
I would be lying if I said that Horseshoe Bend was our lone destination for the day. Coming southeast from Vegas, we had planned to stop by Kanab, UT for their caves and slot canyons. However, due to a mixture of bad luck and highly congested traffic, time was cut short.
By a lot. Like, almost-six-hours-a-lot.
After having been denied by mother nature herself from visiting the Grand Canyon due to harsh snowstorms, we set our sights on making it to Horseshoe Bend just in time for sunset. Within a matter of hours, we had left the Nevada desert and entered a winding road cutting through Arizona and Utah. A looming sea of clouds had replaced the Vegas sun. Everywhere we looked, there was snow. Just like that in the blink of an eye, we were surrounded by layers of white as we continued to drive.
As the day progressed, the sky had only grown darker. Not a sun in sight, and we were already about an hour from sunset and minutes away from Horseshoe Bend. When Alice and I made it to Page, AZ (closest town bordering Horseshoe Bend), we saw all of the electronic signs saying ‘Horseshoe Bend – Parking Full’ and redirected us to a separate lot where a shuttle comes for transfers.
Perfect – no worries.
We arrived at the separate parking lot to see the entry blocked by cones. I hopped out to read the sign in front.
Shuttle Hours: 8 AM – 5 PM
Well then, that’s just great. I hopped back into the car and we headed straight for the actual parking lot. It turned out that it was quite full, but we managed to snag a spot. As we got out and quickly prepared our gear, I noticed how many people there were.
Countless groups of families and tourists in their snow jackets, waddling in waves on the short path up to the viewpoint. After hours of wanting to arrive here all day, we weren’t so different from them.
Once ready, we walked up the snowy path, riddled with muddy footsteps. As we slowly approached the viewpoint, the crowds of people that gathered grew more and more. The clouds continued to overcast. Thirty minutes left to sunset.
We stood at a spot on the edge. We were another two people in the couple hundred that were there. What brought us here? We’ve seen dozens of photos online taken by photographers that we follow. The images usually showed a lone person or two in front of the majestic scenery. Not gonna lie, these photos always looked great. But like with every photo, they’re taken with a vision in mind that may or may not tell the full story. Most of the time, a photo never tells the full story.
Sure, it’s fine for aesthetic reasons. But the issue is that aesthetics are not the only reason. There are other factors at play that can very well impact (or in this case, infect) the way we all travel.
Horseshoe Bend was no longer just a local’s view. It became viral and reached a burning point so much so that they needed several more parking lots because the original became too crowded. Behind the photos, there were hundreds of tourists from other states and countries, hugging the edge of the canyon.
And we were a part of it – all because we wanted to recreate that shot. After thirty minutes of waiting for the clouds to disperse, the sun finally cut through with a single beam. Within seconds, the gloomy white backdrop turned into a golden blanket over a snow-covered Horseshoe Bend.
We were able to get the shot that we wanted, took one last moment to breathe in the scenery, and left.
Should everyone go to see the places that they want to see at least once in their life? Ideally, yes. That’s what I thought. But after seeing all of those people, it’s hard to argue why that should feasibly be the case.
So please, travel with caution. Some places may have high traffic, other places may not. I want to believe that people can learn to consider their own impact on the destinations that they want to visit, whether it means choosing to visit the place another day or finding a new alternative spot to explore.
