Visiting Antelope Canyon in Arizona

Antelope Canyon is the most famous slot canyon in the world. Located in the Navajo Nation near Page Arizona, the narrow sandstone wonderland has captured the imaginations of nature-lovers and photographers worldwide.

Wind and water have sculpted the area’s sandstone into an unearthly masterpiece of movement and light. Sensuous curves define Antelope Canyon’s glowing walls, creating a textured canvas of fiery hues.

It’s a spectacular place that has graced travel brochures and Instagram feeds in recent years.

 

Arizona’s Antelope Canyon

Arizona’s Antelope Canyon is split into two parts: Upper and Lower.

When people refer to Antelope Canyon, they are usually referring to its above-ground portion, Upper Antelope Canyon. With its light beams and high canyon walls, the upper portion receives a bulk of the area’s tourists. Some consider it to be the more photogenic of the two (though most of my favorite pictures are actually from the lower canyon).

While the two sections of Antelope Canyon differ slightly, each offers comparable experiences that will leave you awestruck.

Both the upper and lower canyon are incredibly beautiful. Both are packed to the brim with tourists. And both will fill your camera roll with brochure-worthy photos.

 

What is a Slot Canyon?

Just as the nearby Grand Canyon is the pinnacle of canyons worldwide, so too is Antelope Canyon the apex of slot canyons.

But what is a slot canyon?

Slot canyons are long and narrow chasms that slice through soft layers of sedimentary rock. Named for their paper-thin widths, these narrow gorges are often just wide enough to walk through single-file.

The United States contains the highest concentration of slot canyons in the world. In the red rock desert of southern Utah and northern Arizona, there are over 1,000 of them.

Prior to visiting Antelope Canyon, we’d explored a smaller slot canyon in the Canyonlands Needles District and peered into the entrance of another along the Burr Trail Road in Utah.

Yet nothing prepared us for the sheer beauty of Arizona’s world-renowned slot canyon.

 

Visiting Upper Antelope Canyon

Upper Antelope Canyon is often the default when choosing which part of the slot canyon to visit. Shaped like an upside-down “V,” it is narrow up top and wide at its base.

Upper Antelope Canyon is usually more crowded than its lower counterpart and tours are more likely to sell out in advance. Its popularity stems from the fact that it is the canyon most often shown in photos. It is also the one that features shining beams of light.

The ability to see light beams in Upper Antelope Canyon depends on the timing of your visit.

Despite visiting at midday, we visited the canyon too early in the year to see the light shaft.

But the experience was still nothing short of magical.

• Upper Canyon Tours

Antelope Canyon is not a place you can travel to independently. All areas of the canyon are only accessible via guided tour.

Tours of Upper Antelope Canyon last 1.5 hours. They include a 15 minute Jeep ride to and from the canyon entrance, plus an hour-long guided tour.

We visited the canyon with Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours. Tickets cost us $100 each, inclusive of the tour and Navajo fee. Young kids and infants do not receive a discount, so we took turns visiting the canyon while the other watched Elio.

Other tour operators for Upper Antelope Canyon include Tsebighanilini Tours, Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, Antelope Slot Canyon Tours, and Antelope Canyon Tours Inc.

While tour prices might vary slightly from company to company, the experience seems to be quite similar between service providers.

 

Visiting Lower Antelope Canyon

Lower Antelope Canyon is slightly less popular than its upper counterpart, but its twists and turns are no less impressive. Shaped like a rightside-up “V,” it is narrow at the bottom and wider at the top. The lower canyon lies below ground, so you’ll have to descend into its red-rock chasm using steep metal stairs.

In general, the lower canyon didn’t really feel more treacherous than Upper Antelope Canyon. You’re still required to visit by tour, where you’ll be corralled—shoulder to shoulder and ever so slowly—through the narrow canyon.

Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, the path is mostly flat and sandy.

Still, if you are mobility impaired or unsteady on your feet, I’d probably suggest visiting the upper canyon instead.

• Lower Canyon Tours

Lower Antelope Canyon has only two tour operators—Ken’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours and Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. They are brother/sister companies (literally owned by a brother and a sister).

Despite lack of competition between tour operators, Lower Antelope tours cost roughly half of what the upper canyon tours cost. Children can enter at discounted fees, while infants 0-3 years old do not have to pay.

Antelope Canyon tours do not require a Jeep ride to and from the tour offices to the canyon entrance.

Instead, you’ll walk down a small pathway to the start of the trail.

 

Upper Vs Lower Antelope Canyon

The upper and lower sections of Antelope Canyon in Arizona are both extraordinary. So which one should you choose if you’re short on time or don’t feel like shelling out more than $200 per person for both?

The answer isn’t exactly cut and dry. Varying factors can influence your decision one way or another.

If you’re on a budget or traveling with young kids under two, I recommend Lower Antelope Canyon. But if you struggle with uneven surfaces or want to photograph the light beams, I recommend Upper Antelope Canyon.

At the end of the day, both sections are spectacular. Both will give you plenty of Instagram-worthy photo ops. And both will likely remain etched in your memories long after your visit.

 

Where to Stay in Page Arizona

Page Arizona is the gateway to Antelope Canyon. Located just south of the Utah-Arizona border near Lake Powell, the small town sits smack dab in the middle of red rock country.

Accommodations in Page range from cozy rental homes to international chain hotels. Canyon Colors Bed and Breakfast is a solid choice if you’re looking for a house to rent in Page. It offers clean spacious rooms, a central location, an affordable price point, and superb reviews.

For internationally-recognized name brand hotels, you’ll find the Country Inn and Suites by Radisson, as well as the Hyatt Place.

 

When to Visit Antelope Canyon

Though Antelope Canyon in Arizona is a memorable destination no matter the time of year or day, a bit of advanced planning will ensure that you are able to maximize your visit.

Due to the position of the sun, there are certain times of year in which the canyon’s lighting is particularly special.

Similarly, the time of day you choose to visit can affect the light that enters the slot canyon.

• Best Time of Year

Summer can be unbearably hot in the desert of America’s Southwest, but it is an optimal time to visit Antelope Canyon. If you want to see the famed beams of light in the canyon’s upper section, you should plan on traveling to the area between April and October. May and early June offer a bit of relief from the scorching summer heat, while affording some of the best lighting.

When we visited Antelope Canyon during mid-March, we were too early in the year for the light shaft.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Arizona’s monsoon season lasts from June to September. Monsoon season can bring heavy rain that increases the risk of flash flooding. Your tour company will keep an eye out on weather forecasts and close the canyon if inclement weather is anticipated.

• Best Time of Day

The best time of day to visit Arizona’s Antelope Canyon is around noon, when the sun shines directly overhead. Planning your visit between 11 am and 1:30 pm—when the sunlight is perpendicular to the canyon—will give you the best chance of seeing the famed Upper Antelope Canyon light beam for yourself.

If it’s too cloudy or not sunny enough, the sun’s rays won’t poke through the canyon.

Tours during peak time of day are often more expensive than morning tours.

 

Beyond Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon may be the reason most people travel to Page Arizona, but it is by no means the only place to visit in the area.

Just a stone’s throw away from the canyon, you’ll find Horseshoe Bend—a spectacular U-shaped portion of the Colorado River. Often confused with Deadhorse Point State Park (a similarly impressive state park in Utah near Island in the Sky), Horseshoe Bend has become a distinct symbol of Arizona’s red rock country.

Other noteworthy places to visit in and around Page include Lake Powell, the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, and the southern reaches of Grand Staircase Escalante in Utah.

 

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Antelope Canyon is an otherworldly destination. Its folds and textures bounce the sunlight in a game of hide-and-seek, like a rippling velvet curtain.

The Arizona slot canyon deserves every bit of the attention it receives. Though there are more than 1,000 similar slot canyons in the United States, none eclipse Antelope Canyon in their beauty.