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Antelope Canyon

Navajo Nation, Arizona

Sandstone carved by flash floods into something that looks poured rather than eroded - and the light only falls right for an hour a day.

Explore the Canyon
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The Two Canyons—Upper and Lower, and how to see them.

About Antelope Canyon

This 360° panorama was captured on the floor of Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, looking up through the slot to the sky.

The camera stands on the sand floor of the canyon with the walls rising on both sides and closing almost together overhead. What you are looking at is Navajo sandstone that flash floods have cut and polished into curves - the flowing shapes running up the walls are the record of water moving through, not of anything geological and slow. Light only reaches down here in reflected bounces, which is why the rock reads orange and pink rather than the pale buff it is at the surface. Look straight up and the slot of open sky is a few feet wide. Look down and the floor is ridged like the bed of a stream, because that is what it is.

Antelope Canyon is one of the most accessible slot canyons in the American Southwest. As a result of that accessibility, it is also one of the most visited and the most photographed slot canyon in the region.

Found near the city of Page, it ranks high among the best natural attractions in Arizona. Tours are extremely popular - so much so that visitors are limited to two hours in each of the canyon's two main sections, known as Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon.

Both sections lie within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation, a region that receives around three million visitors a year, due largely to Lake Powell and the Antelope Canyons.

Visiting Antelope Canyon

Where
On Navajo Nation land in LeChee, just outside Page, Arizona, near Lake Powell.
Guided only
Every visit is on a tour with a Navajo-authorized guide. Book ahead; tours sell out in spring and summer.
Upper Antelope Canyon
Entered at ground level on flat sand. Wide at the floor and narrow at the top, it is famous for the light beams that reach the floor around midday from spring to early fall.
Lower Antelope Canyon
Entered down steep metal stairs. Narrower and V-shaped, with more climbing and tighter squeezes, and usually less crowded.
Tips
Bags are restricted and tripods are generally not allowed on standard tours. Tours can be cancelled for flash flood risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon?

Upper Antelope Canyon is a flat, ground-level walk and is best known for midday light beams. Lower Antelope Canyon is reached by stairs, is narrower, and involves more climbing.

Can you visit Antelope Canyon without a tour?

No. Antelope Canyon is on Navajo Nation land and all visits are by guided tour with an authorized Navajo tour company.

When can you see the light beams in Antelope Canyon?

The beams appear in Upper Antelope Canyon around midday, mainly from spring to early fall when the sun is high.

Where is Antelope Canyon?

Just east of Page, Arizona, in the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.