Antelope Canyon, Arizona

For smooth red rocks as far as the eye can see visit Antelope Canyon. The slot canyons are a marvel to look at and make for a perfect bucketlist destination to visit along your Arizona road trip!

Where is Antelope Canyon?

You can visit Antelope Canyon in the American southwest, on Navajo land east of Page, Arizona. There are two separate slot canyons, both featuring smooth curves, deep gorges and narrow passages, Upper Antelope Canyon (The Crack) and Lower Antelope Canyon (The Corkscrew). The Navajo tribe who own the land that Antelope Canyon sits on consider the Canyon to be sacred and spiritual to their way of life and will stop to reflect before entering the Canyon themselves.

How was Antelope Canyon Formed?

Antelope Canyon is known by the Navajo as “The place where water runs through rocks.” Incredibly, the flowing rock formation has been formed over hundreds of years as water runs through the sandstone.

How to decide between the two canyons?

If you’re passing through on your Arizona road trip you may not have time to explore both the upper and lower canyons. It may be hard to decide which is best for you, but there’s really no wrong answer. The Lower Canyon gets more footfall recently as it is lower in cost. At midday, The Upper canyon light bends and bounces forming glowing beams and rays. The lower canyon tours run more frequently, so you may not need to book as far in advance as you would for the upper canyon. Whichever canyon you decide is best for your visit, we are certain that it will not disappoint!

How to visit Antelope Canyon, Arizona?

You are only able to enter the canyons on a guided tour. From Flagstaff, you will reach Antelope Canyon in 2.5 hours, covering 137 miles. Las Vegas is the closest international airport to Antelope Canyon, and day tours can be booked from Las Vegas. To drive this takes 4.5 hours, that’s 279 miles of desert driving. From Monument Valley is only 124 miles and to visit Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley is possible within a day. Though Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon are both in Arizona and are only 2.5 hours apart, they’re in different time zones during summer months. So be sure to check this before losing time from your day.

How much does it cost to visit Antelope Canyon?

All tours to Antelope Canyon are the same price. This is because it is The Navajo Indian Reservation who set the entrance fees. The cost of the Upper Antelope Canyon tour $67. There are also tours which offer beams $74, Photo Tour $151, Night tour $79, Night photography tour $263. Lower Antelope Canyon tour $40, plus $8 on any tour for a permit to enter the Navajo Nation.

Where to stay near Antelope Canyon?

Nearby Page is a great place to stay when touring this area. From here you can visit Lake Powell, Rainbow bridge and Horseshoe Bend.