Slots ‘o’ Fun – Lower Antelope Slot Canyon – Page, Arizona

Page, Arizona has been on our radar ever since I came across some amazing photos of the Antelope slot canyons that can be hiked in the area. We decided the slot canyons fit right into our geology-themed tour of canyons, petrified forests, painted hills, and incredible rock formations of the desert southwest.

(Reminder: You can click on these pictures to enlarge them.)

Page, AZ is the gateway to beautiful Lake Powell and all its recreational opportunities.

Our assigned tour time to visit the Upper Antelope Slot Canyon was for 2:30 pm. We had made the reservation a couple of days earlier once we felt confident that our arrival date would likely avoid any rains which could cancel our tour.

Just outside of Page, AZ the Colorado River flows through Glen Canyon and makes a hairpin turn at the aptly named Horseshoe Bend.

It is just a two hour ride from Monument Valley to Page, Arizona so we were able to catch the early morning light in Monument Valley and still make it to Page and grab lunch, get settled in our hotel, and drive out to the Tour company which was adjacent to the slot canyons.

Part of the Upper Antelope Slot Canyon tour featured a colorful Navajo hoop dance.

You likely have not heard of Page, AZ but it is a convenient stopover for travelers going North-South between Phoenix and Salt Lake City or travelers going East-West from Las Vegas to Colorado or New Mexico. It is also surrounded by natural wonders and recreational opportunities. The Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Monument Valley, and Lake Powell are all within a half days drive from Page.

Hikers standing at the entrance to the Upper Antelope slot canyon.

We came to Page for a specific reason – the incredible slot canyons in the area. To describe what a slot canyon is you should substitute the word narrow for the word slot. The picture above is the best representation that I have photographically of what a slot canyon looks like. A slot canyon is essentially a crack between rocks that due to wind and water has deepened and widened over time to become a narrow canyon with uniquely colored and shaped canyon walls.

The rest of the pictures that follow are less of a representation of what a slot canyon physically looks like and more like a modern art display – let’s call it Impressionnisme en Orange. Sunlight streams in from above and illuminates the canyon walls in some remarkable ways – beautifully accentuating the colors, curves and texture of the red sandstone walls. 

Due to very difficult lighting conditions, tight quarters and crowds it is tough to get the “perfect” shot. You can pay $250+ and take a special photo tour where the crowds are smaller, you get more time, and you are allowed to take a tripod and take time exposures necessary for the best shots. It was tempting but I wanted to see it with Julia and $130 for two fit our budget better than $500 for two.

We also learned that the “classic” slot canyon photo usually includes a beam of sunshine from above shining onto the canyon floor and those rays only appear later in the spring and during summer and only at specific hours. The demand for those prime tour slot times are especially high and require reservations well in advance but if you are going any time in summer you’ll need reservations.

We toured the Upper Antelope Slot Canyon which is on Navajo land and requires guided tours in order to visit. Even in early March before the high season the various official tour operators were going full bore and moving groups through at a steady pace. There is also a Lower Antelope Slot Canyon which is also supposed to be spectacular. 

Eventually I just put the camera down and enjoyed color and light show.

You can’t shoot photos directly at the light because the brightness overwhelms the photo. So you have to shoot indirectly or with a setting that lets in much less light. The problem being that if you allow less light in your lens you generally need a longer exposure time and that requires a tri-pod which you aren’t allowed to bring. So I set my camera to shoot three photos at different light settings every time I clicked the button. So I ended up with lots of blurry and underexposed and overexposed photos that I deleted as a result.

This picture was said to look like a dragon’s eye.

Around every bend in the narrow canyon we were treated to textures and shades of red, orange and yellow. Over the years different rocks and walls have acquired nicknames because the shapes are reminiscent of faces or birds or animals. 

The lower part of this rock was said to look like an eagle – do you see it?

The whole tour including the native dancing, the talk about the slot canyons, the drive to and from and walking the length of the canyon and back took about two hours with only half of that spent inside the actual slot canyon.

Several of the canyon walls take on a wave-like appearance.

The hike is not at all strenuous but I’ve heard in the summer it can be quite dusty and even more crowded than our experience in the early spring. Lower Antelope slot canyon does require scaling a ladder or two and scrambling on some rocks but should be accessible for most hikers.

Both the Lower and Upper Antelope slot canyons are on Navajo land and require that you take a guide to hike through them but there are other slot canyons in the area where you can obtain a permit and go at your own pace. 

If you are planning a trip and your drive is going to take you near Page, Arizona then plan ahead and book a hike through one of the Antelope slot canyons for a memorable visual experience.