Exploring Arizona's Antelope Canyon
- Brooke
- Dec 26, 2016
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 16, 2023
It is Christmas 2016, and I am visiting my mother in New Jersey. I have just shown her my webpage, and she is encouraging me to keep writing, even as I am diligently preparing for my next semester of teaching, and really ought to be prepping syllabi. But if there's ever a day to take a break from assigning future readings, assignments, and projects, it's Christmas.
And what better day to reminisce on adventures past than Christmas. Granted, our trip to Page, Arizona and Antelope Canyon happened in the summer of 2011, but this was the place that stood out to my mother the most when we began discussing our road trip on my move back to the East Coast for grad school.
And so write about Antelope Canyon will we do!
(I have written about this road trip on a previous blog, and will be pulling information from there. To see more about the road trip written with much more detail about the actual road trip, go here).
Before we get started, we should discuss what Antelope Canyon is. Located on Navajo land just outside of Page, Arizona, this beautiful wonder is a slot canyon, where water comes from above and erodes the rocks. There are several examples around the world, but only one that would be easily accessible on our road trip. And since I had seen pictures of this stunning place years before, I was keen to visit Antelope Canyon, and had been thwarted on previous trips through the neighborhood before. But on this journey, I'd finally get a chance to see this unique wonder for myself.
I had decided to use Chief Tsosie's tours because they used local Navajo guides, and incorporated the native culture into the experience. Before we took off into the canyon, we met up at a gas station for a native hoop dance performance. It was beautiful the way the dancer picked up and manipulated each hoop, dancing through, around and with them.
After the ring dance, our smaller group boarded an old beat up Chevy Tahoe type of vehicle, manned by Tammy, our tour guide for the next hour and a half. She seemed shy, and had never driven this vehicle before, but since I was riding shotgun, we started talking about Hawaii and her upcoming trip to Bora Bora.
To get to the canyon, you have to traverse what seems like a few miles on a dry, dusty riverbed. Tammy mentioned that during the monsoon seasons (which we just avoided) this river is a flash flood hazard. As your vehicle speeds through this dusty roadway, it's hard to imagine this place being overrun by water, yet it's not too hard to imagine the consequences of being stuck when the deluges do arrive.
Eventually you pull up to the entrance to the canyon. You don’t have to climb down any steps - you just walk right into it. And by the way, if you thought you were getting an intimate tour of Antelope Canyon, I hate to burst your bubble - you will be touring this canyon with a few of your closest thousand friends. I had come prepared with this knowledge, so wasn't too fazed. As you go through the canyon, you stick with your group and move when you get the chance. Be sure to keep up, or other tour guides will press you on.
As I look back at my time in the canyon, I kick myself for not having a better camera or better knowledge on how to use it. The images below only do moderate justice to how beautiful this canyon truly is.
At the end of the canyon, we were greeted by a nice surprise of a native musician singing and beating on a drum. As someone who has been through this corner of our beautiful country many times, admittedly, I have not learned as much as I should about the native cultures of the US. Being able to walk on their land and hear their chants allowed me a brief glimpse into some of the practices passed down from generation to generation.
Once you reach the end of the canyon, you turn back and walk through the space you already toured, albeit in a much quicker fashion than you came in.
One of the important things to consider when planning your trip to Antelope Canyon is to make sure you select a time that the famous beams of light will be streaming into the canyon. This is one of the most magical features of this canyon, and to miss this would be a shame. Be sure to double check your tour guide's website to make sure your trip takes advantage of this special feature.
As we exited the canyon, we knew we had witnessed something special. Indeed, as I mentioned above, it is the first place my mother thought of when I brought up this road trip of ours. Antelope Canyon had been high on my bucket list, and after I got to explore this beautiful place guided by members of the tribe who call this place home, I am happy to report that the memory of this canyon will remain with you many years after you step beyond its walls.
Antelope Canyon Details
Antelope Canyon is located about fifteen minutes outside of Page, Arizona, in the northeast corner of the state. It is located on Navajo land, and a guide is required for entry. As mentioned above, we used Antelope Slot Canyon Tours by Chief Tsosie and would use them again if we were in the area.
Keep in mind that the famous beams of light only occur during the months of April through September, so if you're looking to catch images of that, take that into account when planning your trip.
One thing to also be mindful of is that Navajo land does follow Daylight Savings time while Arizona does not, so double check that you are arriving at the correct time.
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