Getting to Know Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon.
You’ve probably seen the landscape in photos or shared online, and you may be wondering how much of a tourist hot spot it really is. When is the best time of year to visit? What time of day is best? How do you get there? What else can you do while you’re there? What is Antelope Canyon? It can’t just be tours, right? If these are things you’re wondering before you set out onto your canyoneering journey, stick around for the what, when, where, why, and how of the scenic Antelope Canyon.
What Is Antelope Canyon?
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the southwestern United States.
What’s a slot canyon, you might ask?
It’s a narrow canyon formed by the wear of water rushing through rock (of the sandstone and limestone varieties). Slot canyons are always significantly deeper than they are wide. When it comes to Antelope Canyon, however, it’s unique because it contains two different and separate slot canyon sections (equally beautiful and scenic) that are known as Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon.
Upper Antelope Canyon is about 660 feet long (or 200 m) with the Lower Antelope Canyon being about 1,335 feet long (or 407 m). Each section of the canyon is about 120 feet deep (or 37 meters).
When Should You Visit Antelope Canyon?
Typical to the tourist trap vacation spots and amusement parks, the best time to visit is during the off-season, which is to say, anything but the summer. Yes, during the summer you have more time on your hands, but you’d also find yourself sweating buckets and elbowing others who had the bright idea of being in the beaming sun for hours on end for the best photo-op.
That sounds miserable, right?
So turn your thoughts to spring, winter, or fall….the months outside of May through September. The temperatures will be lower, yes, but so will the crowds. The feisty fauna, such as spiders, scorpions, and snakes, will be keeping to themselves more than spending time out in the open. Additionally, there will be significantly fewer tourists and photographers, as mentioned before, which makes for a better viewing and photographing experience.
When it comes to what time of day you should visit, there really isn’t a right answer. You might be the early-bird that loves the cool wash of dawn daylight, or you might fancy the warm wash of the golden-hour sunset glow. Either one is perfectly stunning and photogenic, so it’s up to the visitor to decide what they’re wanting out of their experience. That being said, some photographers and avid tourists feel that visiting between 10 am and 12 pm is the best time because you’ll be welcomed to beams of light peaking through cracks, washing the canyon with glimmering sunlight. Shadows begin to peek in after that 12 pm timeslot, which may make that perfectly lit photograph difficult to achieve. That being said, 10 am is often the most popular tour time, so if you’re thinking of doing a tour, you may want to keep it in mind way in advance. If you’re less particular, you’ll have more wiggle room as it pertains to canyon visitation.
Where is Antelope Canyon?
This scenic beauty can be found just east of Page, Arizona. Closeby you’ll find Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, and other spots of rock formations similar to that found in the hefty Grand Canyon. Antelope Canyon is just off Highway 98. When you get close, you’ll find man-made stairs (5 flights of them!) that you will descend to find the natural wonder.
Antelope Canyon is found on the lands of the Navajo County, Arizona. Found across those lands are different towns, Native American reservations, ghost towns, and a number of interstates and highways taking you every which way.
Compared to the Grand Canyon and other well-known national landmarks, Antelope Canyon is away from the crowds, making it easy to get to, visit, and photograph without other tourists interrupting you.
Why Visit Antelope Canyon?
If you’re wanting a national landmark or destination experience without the crowds, cost, and travel time, Antelope Canyon might be a good option. It’s remote, it’s currently less traveled, but still a visually stunning and unique tourist experience. If you’re looking to be visually mesmerized, the wave-like structure and the glimmering light beams create any nature photographer’s dream.
If you’re thinking of visiting, you may need to figure out which of the canyons to visit, should you only be able to visit one. Upper Antelope Canyon is the more popular (and well-known) of the two and is more photogenic but is also generally darker (and get’s darker quicker) due to the narrow canyon walls.
On the other hand, Lower Antelope Canyon is known to be a more fun experience, due to the different types of passageways and climbing areas. In fact, the lower canyon is known for its ladders. That being said, it’s growing in popularity, making it more crowded than you might assume, considering that it’s less likely to sell out as far as tours are concerned. You can find tours for this canyon typically every half hour, which is more frequent than tours of the Upper Antelope Canyon.
How Do You Visit Antelope Canyon?
We’ve given you all the steps, it’s up to you what to do with them. To recap:
Decide which of the canyons you’re wanting to visit and book tours accordingly.
Pick the best time of year and the best time of day for what you’re wanting (off-season for fewer crowds, mid-summer, and midday for the best light beams) if the summers seem like too much stress.
Get to Antelope Canyon (or, the nearby Page, Arizona).
Pack your bags, and don’t forget the photography equipment.
Rise & shine & take all the pictures.
From a more logistical standpoint, the quickest way to get there (if you’re not near the Four Corners) is to make your way to Las Vegas, which is home to the closest airport. There, you’ll find several shuttles or tour companies willing to bring you to and from the various outdoors excursions, including Antelope Canyon. Or, you can rent a car and do the scenic drive yourself. The total driving travel time between Las Vegas and Antelope Canyon is about 4 and a half hours, traffic permitting.
Parting Thoughts
If Antelope Canyon has made its way on your travel bucket list, and the beautiful imagery has got you feeling some sort of wanderlusty way, we hope you’ll consider booking a tour with Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon Tours. We have a special tour dubbed the “Secret Antelope Canyon” because you’ll get all the stunning scenic views, without the crowds of either of the other Antelope Canyon options.