Narrow, wave-shaped sandstone slot canyons near Page on Navajo land, visited only with a licensed Navajo guide
Antelope Canyon is made up of two separate slot canyons cut into Navajo Sandstone. Upper Antelope Canyon, known in Navajo as Tse'bighanilini, the place where water runs through rocks, is entered at ground level and is the easier walk, with a wider floor. Lower Antelope Canyon, Hasdez'twazi, is longer and narrower, reached by stairways and ladders, and its tight passages are not suited to anyone who is claustrophobic.
Inside, the walls curve and twist in smooth waves of pink, orange and gold, and when the sun is high, shafts of light can reach the sandy floor. The canyons sit within Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, managed by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation, and every visit is led by a Navajo-authorised tour operator.
The canyons were carved mainly by flash floods: rain falling on the basin above funnels into the narrow cracks and races through them carrying sand, slowly scouring the rock into its flowing shapes. The same process makes them dangerous. On 12 August 1997 a flash flood in Lower Antelope Canyon, caused by a storm several kilometres upstream while little rain fell at the canyon itself, killed eleven tourists. Bolted ladders, cargo nets, a weather radio and an alarm horn have since been installed.
The canyons lie in the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation and are managed as part of Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, which also includes the East Waterholes canyons and the trail to Rainbow Bridge. Since 2011 visits to Upper Antelope Canyon have been limited to two hours, and guided tours are mandatory throughout.
Antelope Canyon lies on Navajo (Diné) land, and tourism here is run by Navajo businesses under Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation. Small groups are led by licensed operators who share the area's history and geology, and the canyon's Navajo names are a reminder of whose land it is. The nearby town of Page is the usual home base for exploring the area.
Every visit is a guided tour booked with one of the operators authorised by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation; six are listed for Upper Antelope Canyon and two for Lower Antelope Canyon. Upper Antelope tours start at ground level and finish with a sandy walk back to the car park, and some operators run photography tours with smaller groups and more time. Lower Antelope tours involve more stairs and ladders and a longer approach. Nearby, other slot canyons in the same tribal park, such as Antelope Canyon X and Upper East Waterholes, can also be visited with authorised guides.
Tours run year-round, but for the classic light shafts and warm colours photographers aim for midday visits between March and October; in winter the colours are softer. Summer thunderstorms can cause flash floods even when the sky above the canyon looks clear, and tours may be cancelled or the canyons closed in bad weather.
Checked against the sources on 29 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Page, the usual base, lies close by, and Horseshoe Bend and the Vermilion Cliffs are in the same area. Lake Powell views open up from the Page Rimview Trail, and Antelope Point Marina is on the Arizona side of the lake. The same tribal park includes Antelope Canyon X, the East Waterholes canyons and the trail to Rainbow Bridge.
United States · 9 nights4★ HotelUnited States · 8 nights3★ LodgeThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 29 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
