Slots Antelope Canyon
What Makes it Great
- Antelope Canyon Slots Photographic Tours
- Antelope Slot Canyon Utah
- Antelope Canyon Slots
- Antelope Slot Canyon Images
This gently carved Navajo sandstone has been shaped by wind and water to form a tight slot canyon. The shapes and curves are fairly unique and often recognizable in photographs. The canyon is approximately 660 feet long — relatively short compared to other Southwest slot canyons — and about 120 feet at its deepest. Zion Canyon, one of two dozen in Zion National Park in southern Utah, may be the most famous slot canyon in the Southwest, but the Upper Antelope may be the most photographed!
The hues of the sandstone are the richest in the early morning and late afternoon, although if you’d like to take in the canyon’s famous beams of light, heading in starting around high noon is best — especially during the summer.
The canyon is quite unique, and if you don’t mind the crowds and guided tours, it is a must. Additionally, the entrance and entire walkway are flat, making this trail hike accessible for all.
Who is Going to Love It
Rock and canyon lovers; photographers, both professional and amateur; anyone in awe of breathtaking rock and light beams; people who don’t mind crowds.
- Many years ago, herds of Pronghorn Antelope roamed freely in and around the canyon, which explains the English name. This incredible canyon has been created over millions of years by the relentless forces of water and wind, slowly carving and sculpting the sandstone into forms, textures, and shapes which we observe today.
- We are conveniently located in Page, AZ. Many of our visitors take our Antelope Canyon tours from Las Vegas, Sedona, Flagstaff and Phoenix. Our tours involve transporting you to the Upper Antelope Canyon in our four-wheel-drive tour trucks that are rugged, safe, and comfortable.
Antelope Canyon Slots Photographic Tours
GPS Coordinates, Parking and Regulations
Antelope Canyon Marvel at Arizona’s awe-inspiring sandstone slot canyon when you visit Antelope Canyon in northern Arizona. Few geological formations are as picturesque and awe-inspiring as Antelope Canyon, a magnificent slot canyon just east of Page in Northern Arizona. With tall winding walls, it’s a monumental sandstone sculpture.
The Navajo Nation has restricted access to this slot canyon. You’ll need to pay a fee and hire a guide to visit. Prices fluctuate but generally hover around the $40 mark; this does not include the $8 fee for admittance by the Navajo Parks & Recreation office. It’s recommended to book in advance if you’d like to see the light beams, because these highly sought-after slots fill up quickly. Additionally, you can book tours at helpful guide services in Page, Lake Powell or at the entrance to Navajo Nation, east of Page.
Spring to fall are ideal times to tour Upper Antelope Canyon. Utah visitors and residents remind us that summers and weekends can become incredibly busy. Due to the light changing with the seasons, the ideal time to see light beams will fluctuate, but a good gauge would be from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Dogs are not allowed in Upper Antelope Canyon.
Be sure to add this iconic canyon to your Utah trip itinerary!
| Antelope Canyon | |
|---|---|
| Tsé bighánílíní dóó Hazdistazí(in Navajo) | |
Navajo Nation, Coconino County, near Page, Arizona | |
| Floor elevation | 3,704 ft (1,129 m)[1] |
| Length | Upper Antelope Canyon: about 660 feet (200 m)[2] Lower Antelope Canyon: about 1,335 feet (407 m)[2] |
| Depth | about 120 feet (37 m)[3] |
| Geology | |
| Type | Sandstoneslot canyon[3] |
| Geography | |
| Population centers | Page |
| Coordinates | 36°57′10″N111°26′29″W / 36.9527664°N 111.4412683°WCoordinates: 36°57′10″N111°26′29″W / 36.9527664°N 111.4412683°W[1] |
| Topo map | USGS Page |
Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the American Southwest, on Navajo land east of Page, Arizona. It includes two separate, scenic slot canyon sections, referred to as Upper Antelope Canyon (or The Crack), and Lower Antelope Canyon (or The Corkscrew).[2]
The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means 'the place where water runs through rocks'. Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí (called 'Hasdestwazi' by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department), or 'spiral rock arches'. Both are in the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.[4] They are accessible by guided tour only.
Geology[edit]
Antelope Canyon was formed by the erosion of Navajo Sandstone[2] due to flash flooding and other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, deepening the corridors and smoothing hard edges to form characteristic 'flowing' shapes.[3]
Tourism and photography[edit]
Antelope Canyon is a popular location for photographers and sightseers, and a source of tourism business for the Navajo Nation. It has been accessible by tour only since 1997, when the Navajo Tribe made it a Navajo Tribal Park. Besides the Upper and Lower areas, there are other slots in the canyon that can be visited, such as the Canyon X which is also part of the same drainage as Antelope Canyon. All visits are through one of several licensed tour operators. It is not possible to visit the Canyon independently.[5]
Photography within the canyons is difficult due to the wide range exposure range (often 10 EV or more) made by light reflecting off the canyon walls.[6] For several years, there was a specialized 'photographer tour' of the Upper Antelope Canyon, where participants needed to have a tripod and camera. These were discontinued at the end of 2019 to improve the experience for the larger number of people on the general tours.
Upper Antelope Canyon[edit]
Upper Antelope Canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní, 'the place where water runs through rocks' by the Navajo. It is the most frequently visited by tourists because its entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing; and because beams of direct sunlight radiating down from openings at the top of the canyon are much more common. Beams occur most often in summer, as they require the sun to be high in the sky. Winter colors are more muted. Light beams start to peek into the canyon March 20 and disappear by October 7.
Inside of the Upper Antelope Canyon
The Candle, Upper Antelope Canyon
The 'Lion's Head' rock formation inside Upper Antelope Canyon
Famed formation of Heart shape in the Upper Antelope Canyon
Lower Antelope Canyon[edit]
Antelope Slot Canyon Utah
Lower Antelope Canyon, called Hazdistazí, or 'spiral rock arches' by the Navajo, is located several miles from Upper Antelope Canyon. Prior to the installation of metal stairways, visiting the canyon required climbing pre-installed ladders in certain areas.
Even following the installation of stairways, it is a more difficult hike than Upper Antelope. It is longer, narrower in places, and even footing is not available in all areas. Five flights of stairs of varying widths are currently available to aid in descent and ascent. At the end, the climb out requires flights of stairs. Additionally, sand continually falls from the crack above and can make the stairs slippery.[7]
Despite these limitations, Lower Antelope Canyon draws a considerable number of photographers, though casual sightseers are much less common than in the Upper canyon. Photography-only tours are available around midday when light is at its peak. Photographers cannot bring a tripod.
The lower canyon is in the shape of a 'V' and shallower than the Upper Antelope. Lighting is better in the early hours and late morning.
Inside the Lower Antelope Canyon
Inside the Lower Antelope Canyon
Inside of Lower Antelope Canyon
Stairs leading out of Lower Antelope Canyon
The Lady in the Wind, Lower Antelope Canyon
Inside Lower Antelope Canyon
Access[edit]
The road to upper Antelope Canyon is gated by the Navajo Nation and entry is restricted to guided tours led by authorized tour guides.
Flash flooding[edit]
Antelope Canyon is visited exclusively through guided tours, in part because rains during monsoon season can quickly flood it. Rain does not have to fall on or near the Antelope Canyon slots for flash floods to whip through; rain falling dozens of miles away can funnel into them with little notice.[5]
On August 12, 1997, eleven tourists, including seven from France, one from the United Kingdom, one from Sweden and two from the United States, were killed in Lower Antelope Canyon by a flash flood.[8][9] Very little rain fell at the site that day, but an earlier thunderstorm dumped a large amount of water into the canyon basin 7 miles (11 km) upstream. The lone survivor was tour guide Francisco 'Pancho' Quintana, who had prior swift-water training. At the time, the ladder system consisted of amateur-built wood ladders that were swept away by the flood. Today, ladder systems have been bolted in place, and deployable cargo nets are installed at the top of the canyon. A NOAA Weather Radio from the National Weather Service and an alarm horn are at the fee booth.[10]
Despite improved warning and safety systems, the risks of injury from flash floods still exists. On July 30, 2010, several tourists were stranded on a ledge when two flash floods occurred at Upper Antelope Canyon.[11] Some of them were rescued and some had to wait for the flood waters to recede.[12] There were reports that a woman and her nine-year-old son were injured as they were washed away downstream, but no fatalities were reported.[13]
References[edit]
- ^ ab'Antelope Canyon'. Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. 27 June 1984. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ abcdKelsey, Michael R. (2011). Non-Technical Canyon Hiking Guide to the Colorado Plateau (6th ed.). Provo, Utah: Kelsey Publishing. p. 324. ISBN978-0-944510-27-8.
- ^ abc'Antelope Canyon: Overview'. Navajo Tours. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^'Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park'. Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation. Archived from the original on 12 November 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
- ^ ab'Lower Antelope Canyon- Where Surrealism meets Nature'. Minor Sights. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
- ^Martrès, Laurent (2006). A guide to the natural landmarks of Arizona. Photographing the Southwest (2nd ed.). Alta Loma, CA, USA: Graphie International. ISBN978-0-916189-13-6.[page needed]
- ^'Antelope Canyon Tour: WORTH IT!'. The O'Briens Abroad, Family Vacations. 2017-10-22. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
- ^'Flash Flood Antelope Canyon'. Retrieved 20 March 2006.
- ^'Antelope Canyon'. Archived from the original on 17 March 2006. Retrieved 20 March 2006.
- ^Kramer, Kelly (2008). 'Man vs. Wild'. Arizona Highways. 84 (11): 23.
- ^'Hikers rescued from flooding in northern Arizona canyon'. ABC News. 1 August 2010. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
- ^'Eight People Rescued from Antelope Canyon'. NAS Today. 30 July 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
- ^'Five injured in Antelope Canyon flash flood'. AZ Daily Sun. 1 August 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to Antelope Canyon. |
Antelope Canyon Slots
- Antelope Canyon Navajo Tribal Park at Navajo Parks and Recreation Dept.