The Antelope Canyons ~ a 48 Hour Adventure

Our 48 Hour Adventure in the Antelope Canyons

This is how we did both Canyons and more in our 48 Hour Adventure!

Antelope Canyons are about 10 miles from Page Arizona in the Lake Powell Area. 

These canyons are within the Navajo Nations Reservation so visiting them takes a little planning as you must book thru a Navajo guided business. 

These canyons were created by millions of years of water and wind erosion. They are named after the pronghorn antelope that used to roam the area. 

We arrived in the area in the afternoon and our first night there we did a Star Gazing tour. It was a Sunday night and no one else had booked, so it was a private tour. Our guide Ron and his wife own this company and have deep ancestral roots to the area. The slot canyon is on land that his wife’s family owns. He loaded us up in his truck and drove several miles across the land to the entrance of the canyon. After the sun had set we took a hike into the slot canyon.

We descended about 200 feet on a lit path and once in the canyon, Ron used red lights to light the space for us. When it finally started to get dark, the sky was full of clouds and we thought we weren’t going to see many stars. We spent some time taking pictures with different lighting. 

After about 45 minutes, the clouds lifted and the stars came out. There is zero light pollution in the canyon so the view was really spectacular.  I didn’t know what to expect when I booked this tour but Ron really exceeded anything we could have imagined.  

Check them out here:

https://hikingslotcanyons.com/our-tours/ligai-si-anii-stargazing-night-tour/

https://www.facebook.com/navajosandstoneslotcanyons

Lower Antelope Canyon

We did Lower Antelope Canyon early in the morning. 

The lower and upper canyon are a global destination for photographers. It was a 1.5 hour guided tour. Our guide was from the area. She was knowledgeable about the geology, history and the culture of the Navajo people that live in the area. 

She helped us with camera settings, took pictures of us and others in the group and made sure to point out specific shots. 

This canyon is more difficult as you have to climb down several steep staircases to access the floor of the canyon. It differs from the upper canyon that you simply walk straight into. 

It’s hard to find the words to describe it so I’ll let the photos do the talking.

If a couple of the pictures look familiar it’s because both Microsoft and Apple have used them for screen savers. 

We booked thru Ken’s Tours: https://www.lowerantelope.com

Upper Antelope Canyon

Our 48 Hour Adventure continued to Upper Antelope Canyon, which is also known as “The Crack,” is the most popular of the two slot canyons that make up Antelope Canyon. It is also the most-visited slot canyon in the American Southwest and the most-photographed in the world. The radiant sun beams that shine through its walls in the spring and summer are one of its main claims to fame, while its changing colors in the fall and winter are another mesmerizing sight to be seen.

The Upper Canyon’s ease of access and lack of climbing also make it extremely popular with the family set as well as visitors who may require easy travel but still want an exciting experience in nature. The upper canyon tour starts with a 15 minute ride in a tour jeep. The ride is bumpy and the ground is soft, deep red sand. They park at the opening to the canyon and you simply walk in. The hike out is about ½  mile climb but if you have any physical restrictions they can take you out the way you came in.

Upper Antelope Canyon is about 660 feet long where the lower canyon is more than twice that long. The floor of the canyon is much wider than the lower canyon. Because it was later in the day, the colors were darker and richer. It was equally as visually stunning as the lower canyon and we definitely recommend doing both canyons and try to do both in the morning hours.

The “sweet spot” for the Upper Canyon seems to be between 10am & 11am. We used https://www.navajotoursdirect.com but there are several companies and I don’t think it matters much which one you take.

For other 48 hour Arizona adventures and more visit 48 Hour Adventures Arizona