Few geological formations are more awe-inspiring and picturesque as the famous Antelope Canyon, a gorgeous slot canyon just east of Page in Northern Arizona. The smooth winding walls are monumental in appearance and look like fluid sculpture masterpieces. Said to be one of the most photographed canyons on earth – Antelope Canyon is a photographer’s dream, especially when the cavernous canyon’s famous light beams shine directly down into the openings of the canyon, creating a supernatural appearance that must be seen to be believed.
Come along as we enter Antelope canyon as a family and discover why magical canyon needs to be on everyone’s must-see list.
History of the Canyon
Named for the herds of horned antelope that once roamed the area, Antelope Canyon was discovered in 1931 when a young Navajo girl accidentally stumbled upon this natural wonder.
The famous fluid-rock formations of Antelope Canyon were carved by water. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the deep basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, making the corridors deeper and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic ‘flowing’ formations in the rock, reshaping the walls into masterpieces.
The canyons formed have small, sporadic slits in the ceiling. When these openings are touched by sunlight, it magically illuminates the smooth walls – and it creates a beautiful mix of shadow and light that you need to see to believe. It is this scene that has tourists all over the world running to see.
A Tale of Two Canyons
Two canyons are available to tour, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. Both are gorgeous and have the same beautifully smooth caverns; however, Upper Antelope Canyon is the more famous and popular location. After a short ride from a tour truck or van, Upper Antelope Canyon only requires a short sandy walk into the flat canyon. On the other hand, lower Antelope Canyon is more challenging to experience. It requires ladders to enter the canyon, and there are multiple drops to navigate within. The differences:
Upper Antelope: Easy to walk, flat terrain. Famous light beams from late March through October. The canyon is heavily crowded, and often tours are at a rushed pace. Tours are more expensive and book out way in advance.
Lower Antelope: Ladders are required for entry and steep drops are found through the path. Tours are more relaxed and less crowded. Booking a tour in advance is recommended but not required, and is generally less expensive than Upper Antelope tours.
Some visitors opt for both tours! We chose only the Upper Antelope Tour – as we thought it would be best (and easier to navigate) for our young son.
Touring Antelope Canyon – Booking a Tour
Tour guides are required to explore this natural wonder. There are several authorized tour operators to choose from who will not only bring you to the canyon, but also give you a variety of information such as the history, geology, and best photography practices of the famous Antelope Canyon. Pick whichever tour operator caters to your family’s interest.
We chose Adventurous Antelope Canyon Photo Tours and were very happy with the experience. The tickets cost a little bit more than other tour companies, but we chose them because the tour is catered to photo enthusiasts and they help you to capture the best photography during your visit. They TOTALLY lived up to their reputation and helped us tremendously with our pictures during the tour. Beyond photography, our tour guide also told us of canyon history and geology – which was fascinating. I would highly recommend them again, and to me, it was absolutely worth the extra money for their services.
For family visits it is important to note that some companies do not allow children on the tour at all, some have age restrictions, and some restrict the number of children. It varies greatly! There is also the car ride consideration. Some tour companies provide car seats, and others require you to bring your own. Be sure to do your research before booking.
Touring Antelope Canyon – Weather Considerations
Weather should be an important consideration when booking as well. Be wary of the rainy season – during times of rain, the slot canyons can be treacherous. Water does not soak into the earth in these canyons. Instead, it gathers and breaks through the canyon walls at forceful speeds. Unaccompanied visitors to the Antelope Canyon are strictly prohibited, and all visitors must have a tour guide to enter. All-weather reports are closely watched, and tours are rightfully canceled in any chance of heavy rain.
The Famous Light Beams – Planning your Visit
Upper Antelope Canyon is famous for more than its beautiful rock formations. During the summer months, the canyon becomes filled with famous light beams that form from the sunlight reaching through the slots in the ceiling all the way to the floor. The effect is magical and supernatural.
Beams occur most often during the summer, with the best views between late March and early October. The times to see these beams are when the sun is directly overhead of the canyon – around 11:00-1:30 in the afternoon. Tours during these times are called “prime time tours” and will cost considerably more, booking up months in advance.
You need to be lucky to see a beam. Many factors depend on them – such as weather conditions and sun direction (can’t be raining or cloudy!) Consider yourself lucky if you are able to witness this phenomenon. The canyons are still beautiful without the beams of light. We visited in February and did not see beams. It was still a magical experience.
Touring Antelope Canyon – An Off-Road Adventure
Buckle Up! The ride to Antelope Canyon is an adventure in itself! No matter which tour company you choose, there is an “off-road” portion to the tour, and many tour companies use vehicles with an open back end to transport guests. This off-road drive takes about 20 minutes and travels through bumpy terrain and slippery sand to reach the entrance of the canyon. During our tour, our truck was sliding all over the place (much like driving on ice). Those with motion sickness (or dust aversions) should be cautious!
As the ride is so treacherous, it is imperative (and required) that young children have a car seat. Our tour company did not provide them, so we brought ours along and quickly installed them before the tour. UPDATE: The company we used several years ago now requires children to be 8 years old (so no car seats would be required). Information changes often. Check with other companies to find the latest information, and to see if younger children are allowed and the proper requirements.
Touring Antelope Canyon – What to Expect
When you start to navigate through the canyon it will feel similar to an underground cave viewing. Space is very dark and extremely narrow, and not good for those with any bit of claustrophobia. Some turns only have space enough for one person to pass, and in other areas, you may find your group waiting for a different tour group to finish before you are able to continue.
The canyon only has one entry point. Once tour groups reach the end of the canyon, they have to turn back and retrace their steps back to the entrance, which creates a bit of chaos within (with hundreds of tourists moving in both directions).
Bottom line: Be prepared for a BUSY and crowded experience with many, many tourists. We visited on a cold day off-season and had literally hundreds of people in the canyon at the same time as us. Summer months are MUCH more crowded, with numbers easily reaching way into the thousands.
Tips for your visit:
- The canyon is considered spiritual by the Navajo, and your tour guide will ask you to respect the canyon during your visit.
- Most tours do not allow for bags of any kind to be brought on the tour. This is due to space constraints. It is really tight within the canyon’s walking paths, and there is no space for visitors to carry a bag with them (seriously!).
- As the space is quite tight, it does get quite claustrophobic in the canyon -especially during prime viewing times and the summer months, when literally thousands of people could be walking through at once.
- Be prepared for it to be MUCH colder inside the canyon, with temperatures 10-20 degrees cooler than the outside temperature. Dress appropriately (and in layers!) so you can enjoy the tour.
- As mentioned – The off-road ride to the canyon entrance is no joke. It is bumpy and slippery and is a dusty adventure in itself. Our tip: bring along bandannas or masks to cover young faces with. You can also use these inside the canyon, which is quite dusty due to the sandy floor.
- For photographers: be sure to bring a cloth to clean your camera, and possibly a plastic bag to keep it in between shots. As mentioned, it is quite dusty, and constant lens cleaning will be needed.
- There is no bathroom in (or anywhere around) the canyon. It is essential that you go before the tour.
- Make a day of it! The city of Page, Arizona, and gorgeous Lake Powell is a few miles from Antelope Canyon. There are plenty of recreation options, beautiful scenic overlooks, and dining options for families.
Antelope Canyon
Location: Navajo Tribal Park, Page AZ. Note: Many tour companies will require you to meet them at their offices (not at the canyon entrance). Be sure to follow the exact meeting directions.
Tours: Guided Tours are available through multiple companies – We used Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours, and recommend their services. The tour company we used years ago now only allows children age 8 and over. Others that allow children are as follows: Antelope Canyon Tours, and Chief Tsosie Antelope Canyon Tour.
Age requirements and restrictions change often. Be sure to research each properly before booking.
