One of the most stunning and most photographed places in the world is Antelope Canyon. This slot canyon, located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona, was discovered by Sue Tsosie while herding sheep in 1931. Her family operates tours in the canyon today. It got its name from the antelope herds that roamed the area during that time.
Antelope Canyon formed over thousands of years by erosion of sandstone from water and wind. The water smoothed the edges of the canyon giving it its unique shape.
There are several different sections in the canyon that tourists can hike. We chose to hike Lower Antelope Canyon with Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon Tour, and Canyon X with Taadidiin Tours. These hikes are only accessible by Navajo guided tour. We spent two nights in Page, Arizona, and we did the two hikes on different days.
Both hikes lasted about an hour, and they were not too strenuous. Entering and exiting the slot canyons are the most challenging parts of the hike, but only because of the climbing. We went with Michael’s sister, Melissa, and our niece and nephew, Violet (9) and Barrett (6), so these hikes are kid friendly.
We enjoyed the Lower Antelope Canyon better, but only because the hike was all slot canyon. The Canyon X tour has some cool slot canyons, but you also hike in a more open canyon for part of the tour. Both guides were informative and took some amazing pictures for us.
We also stopped at Horseshoe Bend, one of the most visited places in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. It is an easy 1.5-mile roundtrip hike on a path, but it is tough for those with a fear of heights. There is a viewing area, but much of the edge of the canyon is exposed, so it can feel a bit scary to step toward the edge.
Our Airbnb, located in town, was convenient to a park to play baseball and to restaurants. Our house also had a firepit. Michael taught the kids how to start a fire with flint and steel, and we enjoyed smores.
Page, Arizona has many other hikes and attractions and several restaurants. It is a great place to explore for a few days.
