Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona is a magnificent slot canyon formed over thousands of years of extreme water and elements weathering the sandstone to what it is today. You’ve probably seen glowing red sandy walls and sunbeams in magazines, on Instagram, or as the famous Windows 7 wallpaper. It is the most visited slot canyon in the American southwest for good reason.
If you’d like to visit Antelope Canyon, here’s my guide and best tips on the history, best times to visit, which canyon to visit, and other things to see around the area.
History
Antelope Canyon is known by the Navajo as “The place where water runs through rocks”. It’s located on Navajo Nation and is considered spiritual and sacred to the Navajo culture. Because of the importance this place is to their heritage, the Navajo Tribe made Antelope Canyon a Navajo Tribal Park in 1997, and has only been accessible by permit since then.
Geography
Antelope Canyon is located about a 10-minute drive east of the city of Page in northern Arizona and is part of the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. It’s actually made up of two separate slot canyons – Upper Antelope and Lower Antelope. Both are incredibly beautiful and have their own unique features. They are about 15 minutes from each other and can be accessed from Highway 98.
How to get there
If this is your first time visiting Arizona, I recommend flying into Phoenix, renting a car, and driving your way up to Antelope Canyon. We stayed in Sedona and did a day trip to Antelope Canyon, but I would recommend staying at least 1-2 days in Page (a nearby city) as there are other beautiful places to see in the area (more on this later). I’d also consider flying into Page Municipal Airport to cut down on driving time if this isn’t your first visit to Arizona. Or make it into a road trip and drive to or from Las Vegas or even from Utah.
Time zone
Antelope Canyon is on Navajo land and follows Mountain Standard Time (MST) as almost all of Arizona, all year. They also observe daylight savings time during summer while most of the state does not, such as the closest city, Page, that’s 10 minutes away. This is something to keep in mind as your phone might not pick up the difference in time so don’t forget to double-check when you are supposed to arrive for your tour.
Requires a guide to visit
One of the main reasons Antelope Canyon can only be visited with a guide is the risk of flash floods. Even if it’s not raining on or near Antelope Canyon, rain falling dozens of miles away can cause flash floods to whip through the canyons with little notice. The tour companies are always on alert of the weather pattern in this area.
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Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon?
Even though Antelope Canyon is one slot canyon, there are actually two points from where you can enter. Here are some tips for figuring out which one to visit.
Upper Antelope Canyon
Pros
More popular of the two canyons
Famous for the light beams and falling sand sifts
Route type: flat and easy
Safer for families with infants and toddlers
Inverted V shape; narrower at the bottom and wider at the top
Cons
More crowded (4 tour companies vs 2 for Lower Antelope)
More expensive: $100-$120 (for adults), $102 (for 8+), $92 (0-7)
Need to take an SUV, truck or 4WD out to the entrance (bumpy & sandy)
Less light = darker and gloomier, which makes it more difficult to photograph
Might require car seats and reserve seats beforehand
Route type: enter and exit on the same narrow, two-way path
Only 2 tour companies allow infants and younger children
Make reservations 6+ months in advance
Lower Antelope Canyon
Pros
Less expensive: $50 (adult), $30 (4-12), free (0-3)
Entrance is a short 10-minute walk from the office
Route type: one-way hike through with stairs and ladders
Brighter and easier to photograph as it’s narrow on the bottom and wider on top
Length of time: 1 hour inside
Longer and wider than Upper Antelope Canyon
Cons
Less popular than Upper Antelope Canyon
Need to climb stairs and twist and turn without difficulty
Best time to visit Antelope Canyon
Best time to visit: Between April and October
Best for light beams: June, July, and August (in Upper Antelope Canyon)
Rainiest months: August and September
Monsoon season and flash floods might occur: July, August, September, and early October
To avoid crowds of tourists: November to March
Best time of the day to visit: 11am to 1:30pm
Try to plan on a clear, cloudless day so you’ll get enough sun to see the light beams
Antelope Canyon Tours
When I first looked into Antelope Canyon, I didn’t know which tour group to go with. Basically, there are 4 Upper Antelope tour groups, 2 Lower Antelope Tour groups, and 1 for Canyon X. They are pretty similar to each other. See below to see how they might differ by age limit, services, etc.
4 Upper Antelope Canyon Tours
(Around $72 – 110)
Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours
Antelope Canyon Tours by Roger Ekis
Antelope Slot Canyon Tours by Chief Tsosie (Ages 6+, air-conditioned shuttles)
Adventurous Antelope Canyon Photo Tours (Ages 8+)
2 Lower Antelope Canyon Tours
About $50 adult, $30 kids (4-12), free (0-3)
Ken’s Tours Lower Antelope Canyon Tours
Dixie Ellis Lower Antelope Canyon Tours (we went with this one!)
1 Antelope Canyon X Tour
Things to keep in mind
Get there one hour before your chosen time (check your voucher)
Don’t forget about the time zone difference depending on when you visit
Tour groups are no larger than 7-10 people (depending on the tour company)
Masks are required (they do sell transparent masks for photo purposes)
No video recording
Nothing allowed except camera and water (1 bag depending on tour group)
No tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, GoPros, drones, or animals allowed
No bathrooms in the canyon
Don’t forget to tip your guide
Lower Antelope Canyon with kids
We visited Lower Antelope Canyon in February of 2022. With 3 kids (6, 3, 11 months old) I was worried about the stairs and how narrow they sounded. However, after experiencing Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon tour, I highly recommend Lower Antelope Canyon for the following 3 reasons:
Here we are at the entrance going down into the Canyon. This is only a 10 minute walk from the office and parking area. Very close.
1) It's more fun for kids
LAC was more fun for my kids (3 and 6). They enjoyed climbing the stairs/ladders and running through narrow areas. We even had a couple in our group who did both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon the same day and said we picked the right one because Lower was way more fun.
2) Seemed safer during covid
Because you’re on a path with a different entrance and exit, we never had to worry about bumping into other groups. We were also the last group of the day, which was at 2:15 pm so we didn’t feel rushed and even saw the light beam (in February)!
3) More affordable for kids
Another factor was the price. I have 3 kids under 6 and would had have to pay almost $100 for all 3 kids, which was pretty much the same price as an adult. Plus, my 11-month-old was just going to sit in a baby carrier, and paying close to $100 for a baby didn’t sit well with me (no pun intended).
Climbed back out through this narrow crevice
One of the many pictures taken by our guide
Other canyons within Antelope Canyon
There are also other canyons nearby – Canyon X (there’s a photography tour), Mountain Sheep Canyon, Cardiac Canyon.
Other things in the area to check out
Horseshoe Bend – 10 minutes away. This is a stunning place where the Colorado River wraps around rock formations in the shape of a horseshoe. A definite must-see!
Glen Canyon Dam – is the second-highest dam in the U.S., second only to Hoover Dam
Lake Powell – is the second-largest man-made reservoir in the U.S.
The Grand Canyon – a natural wonder because of its size and beauty. Probably on everyone’s bucket list. About 2 hours away.
Monument Valley – a red-sand desert known for towering sandstone buttes. Also seen in Forrest Gump. About 2 hours away.
Zion National Park (Utah) – known as an expansive canyon. About 2 hours away.
Sedona – is also an incredible place to visit if you haven’t been there. About 3 hours away.
