The Spectacular Beauty of Antelope Canyon
Place: Upper Antelope Canyon
State: Arizona
Closest Town: Page, AZ
Time of Year: April 2023
How we got there: Road Trip
Antelope Canyon was on the top of my bucket list and I am not sure why it took us so long to get there. It is located in our home state of Arizona, however it is just far enough away that it is more of a weekend getaway than a day trip. The canyon is owned and operated by the Navajo Tribe and is a very sacred and spiritual place for the Navajo people. They refer to it as “the place where water runs through rocks”. Because it is such a special place, a permit and guide is required to enter. We booked a tour through Antelope Slot Canyon Tours and later found that we made the right choice! For one, they use an enclosed 4 x 4 truck to drive us to the mouth of the canyon. It is so very dusty from the red sand. All trucks go down together creating a huge stir up of dust. The other company had open back trucks and we felt sorry for it’s passengers! We knew right away that we had an amazing guide. Not only did he know the history of the canyon like the back of his hand but he was also very knowledgeable about photography, particularly in the canyon. He set up our iPhones to take the best pictures and took several pictures of us as well. The whole tour was a little over an hour and in that hour we felt like we were in the most special place on Earth. There is nothing else like it!
This amazing canyon was created by flash floods. During the monsoon season rainwater rushed through the canyon swirling and carving the sandstone into the natural beauty it is today. At one point, National Geographic tried to mount a camera on the wall in a particular spot where the water swirls however the force of the floods ripped it right out of the wall. In an average year there are about 5 flash floods that run through the canyon. This year they had 19! I can imagine that every year the sandstone designs change a little as the water makes it way through the narrow passageway.
We visited Upper Antelope Canyon known as “The Crack”. We still have yet to see Lower Antelope Canyon aka (The Corkscrew). The upper canyon is easily accessible as there is no climbing. The walk through the canyon is flat however it is much like walking on the beach. Several inches of thick red sand lay under your feet. Once you exit the canyon there is a ramp to get you up and over the top back to the trucks.
The feeling you get when standing in this magnificent canyon is indescribable! We were in awe at the power of nature and the beauty it creates. There was nothing but gratitude for the world we live in and the Navajo people for sharing this place with us. The pictures do not delivery everything Antelope Canyon has to offer.
The town of Page, AZ has plenty to do such as Horseshoe Bend and other awesome hikes! I will be writing more posts about that later! Plan to stay a few days at least! It is also on the border of Utah and not far from many of Utah’s awesome National Parks! We have been in the area several times and plan to go back to see more! We hope you can too! Please remember to visit responsibly and leave no trace!