Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon is a beautiful slot canyon located just a couple of miles from Page, AZ.  A slot canyon is created by water rushing through a canyon of sandstone.  The water will rush as fast as 60 miles an hour and as it passes through the canyon, it carves out the sandstone to reveal very beautiful colors.  The colors of the sandstone range from purple, to orange, to red, and many other colors.  Antelope Canyon is actually two canyons, one called Upper Canyon and one called Lower Canyon.  The Upper Canyon is the most popular and easiest to walk.  The Lower Canyon requires some climbing and is not as long.  We explored the Upper Canyon.

To hike the canyon requires a Navajo guide.  Because the canyon is located on Navajo land the Navajo people will only allow access by paying a fee and using a guide.  The fee to get to the guide hut is $6.00 per person.  Then you hire your guide.  We were fortunate to have Anna, a family member of the company that operates the guide service.  We left the hut and traveled 3 miles through very soft sand in a pickup outfitted to carry 14 people.  In the bed of the very old pickup (1975 Chevy) were two benches over the wheel wells.  They had seat belts, but the belts were used to hold the benches to the truck, not the occupants to the benches.  My wife, Kathy was very lucky to be able to ride in the cab with Anna,  I got the windy, sandy ride in back with 11 other people.

Inside the canyon is very beautiful and very crowded.  Even in the slower season the hike is very popular and many tour operators bring victims.  The tour is well worth it though.  If you ever have the opportunity, it’s a must see.  There are many slot canyons in Northern Arizona.  Some do not require a guide.  Be very careful exploring on your own though.  The very same flash floods that created the canyons can occur any time of the year and start 100’s of miles away.  By the time they arrive, the water can be traveling 60 miles per hour and you can become trapped.  Be sure to get some local information.