Exploring Antelope Canyon In Arizona: A Hikers Guide
The Antelope Canyon is one of the most famous slot Canyons in the world, located in the Navajo Nation, East of Page in Arizona. It can only be accessed via a tour and is made up of two Canyons, the Upper Antelope and Lower Antelope. The Canyon features winding sandstone walls crafted from millions of years of water and wind that tower 120 feet (37 m) above the streambed. This is one Canyon you do not want to miss out on!
Difficulty:Â Easy
Length:Â 0.6 miles / 1 km (round trip)
Suggested Duration: 1-2 hours
Signage:Â No signs – but there is a local guide
Facilities: Visitor center, restrooms, garbage
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Key Features Of Antelope Canyon
- There are two separate slot canyons: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon.
- Renowned for their narrow, winding passages and stunning light beams.
- Requires a guided tour for access, typically provided by Navajo guides.
- Popular for its unique sandstone formations and the interplay of light and shadows.
- Upper Antelope Canyon is more accessible and famous for its light beams.
- Lower Antelope Canyon offers distinct but equally beautiful features.
- A prime destination for photographers and nature enthusiasts.
- Requires advance booking for tours, as they are in high demand.
- Can be crowded, especially during peak tourist seasons.
Facilities And Services
- Visitor Center
- Restrooms (at the visitor’s center)
- Garbage (at the visitor’s center)
Before You Start Hiking Antelope Canyon
Before you begin hiking the Antelope Canyon, there are a few things you should know. First is that there are two sections of the Antelope Canyon that you can visit and walk through, the upper and lower. In order to visit the Antelope Canyon, you must take a tour as the area is protected by the Navajo Parks and Recreation. Both tours take anywhere between one to two hours. Our tour was around 90 minutes in total.
The Upper Antelope Canyon is about 660 feet (200 m) long and is a great option for those who are claustrophobic as it is wider. This Canyon is famous for its picturesque light beams and falling sand. It is the most popular of the two and generally costs more.
The Lower Antelope Canyon is around 1,335 feet (407 m) long. If you are claustrophobic, this might not be the best option for you as it is much more narrow than the Upper Canyon. There are only two tour options: Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours and Ken’s Tours Lower Antelope Canyon. Visitors will need to take a ladder down to the Canyon. The narrow walls that twist and turn throughout make for a fun experience.
We did a tour with Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours. We can’t speak for the rules for the other tours (though we assume they are similar). The rules for this particular tour are as follows:
- Guest must remain with designated tour guides
- Do not disturb, remove or take any plants, animals or artifacts
- No rock climbing
- No littering or writing on the Canyon
- No smoking, alcoholic beverages or drugs prohibited
- No selfie sticks, monopods, go-pros, tripods or drones
- No service animals
- No taking photos on the stairs
- No bags, purses, fanny packs or bookbags unless they are clear, such as this heavy-duty transparent bookbag. Small belongings can go in your pockets.
When visiting the upper or lower Antelope Canyon, beware of flash floods, snakes and scorpions.
It is important to follow the Leave No Trace Principles whenever you are out enjoying nature. Whatever you take in, be sure to take out. Do not feed any wildlife or leave any trash.
Our Experience Hiking Antelope Canyon
After completing the Horseshoe Bend hike, we drove around 12 minutes to Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tours to check in for our lower Antelope Canyon walking tour.
About 20 minutes before our tour started, we walked to the outdoor waiting area, where we were greeted by a local hoop dancer who gave us an incredible performance as we waited.
After, we were divided into groups of ten and paired up with a local tour guide. We lucked out and got Lydell as our guide, whom we highly recommend requesting if you choose to go with Dixie’s Tours.
Not only was he insightful about the history of the Antelope Canyon, but he also shared other tour stories and information about the Navajo Nation and took incredible photos of each group member on our tour. He went out of his way to truly make this a memorable experience. Below are a few photos he took for us!
To get into the Canyon, you take a short walk from the Visitor Centre to the canyon entrance. This is in the direct sun and can be pretty warm during the hotter months. Sunhats are strongly encouraged! Once we reached the entrance, we went down a few sets of stairs to reach the bottom of the Canyon. At some points, the stairs did get a bit steep and narrow, so it was important to take our time going down. This is one of the main reasons you are not allowed to take photos on the stairs.
The Canyon itself was narrow at times. You could see all the ridges on the winding walls carved out by years of fast flooding waters (as you can see in the photo below). Be sure to look behind you and upwards as you go through the Canyon, as it will give you a new vantage point!
Here is a photo of where the Windows 7 screensaver was taken!
As we made our way out of the Canyon and back to the visitor centre, Lydell showed us two fossils in the area. One was of Juniper, and the other was the footprints of a Theropod dinosaur (photo below for reference).
The entire walking tour took around 90 minutes to complete. It goes pretty slowly, as many groups are going through it at once, but it is entirely worth it and makes you forget you are in a crowd of people. This is a must-do experience if you are in the area!
Checklists And Recommended Gear
Our recommended gear list is small and practical since outdoor gear, including purses and bookbags, is not allowed in the Canyon unless it is clear.
- Phone or camera
- Sunhat
- Sunscreen
- Water Bottle
- Clear/transparent bookbag
- Comfortable walking or hiking shoes – Women’s // Men’s
Related Hikes
NEARBY HIKES
- Horseshoe Bend
- Hanging Garden Trailhead
- Cathedral Wash Trailhead
