There are those moments when flipping through photos that you see a place and just have to see it in person. One of those places for me were the Antelope slot canyons near Page, Arizona. Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon are located within the Navajo Nation (the largest land area retained by a Native American tribe in the US). It is one of a few indigenous nations whose reservation lands overlap its traditional homelands. COVID had a disproportionate impact on the community which led to the slot canyons being closed to tourist for over 485 days in order to protect the indigenous population. It was reopened to tourist mid-July 2021. There are four native families that provide access and tours to see Upper Antelope Canyons, coordinating schedules to manage crowds and so you can get that perfect photo with no people in it. When I went online to make a reservation there were only a couple of openings in early August and not when I would be in that area. As I was in Phoenix taking a break from traveling I decided it was worth the drive up there to see it. As the day approached I realized that the drive was too long for a day trip so I turned it into an overnight trip and I added a sunset tour of Horseshoe Bend and another slot canyon. I arrived and checked-in with time to spare so I headed to an overlook of the Glen Canyon Dam. It involved a short but challenging hike over the rocks for a view of the dam as well as Colorado River.
I drove into Glen Canyon National Recreation Area at the Wahweap entrance and drove up Lakeshore Drive for amazing views of Lake Powell. A week prior the lake had reached its lowest point since the creation of the reservoir. The water level was 50 feet lower than last year and 153 feet below ‘full pool’ level (30% capacity).
Wanting to make the most of my trip to Page, I booked an additional tour with Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon Tours. After an incredibly fun and bumpy off-road drive, we arrived well shaken and dust covered at Secret Antelope Canyon. The owners of the tour company hold the land lease so our small group of seven had the whole canyon to ourselves to explore. The red-orange Navajo sandstone was sculpted over time by wind and water to form beautiful patterns, narrowing as you walk deeper into the canyon with the tops of the walls coming together to limit the amount of light in and create amazing shadows. It is the last place you want to be if there is a flashflood.
I was lucky enough to book the sunset tour, so we hung out in the cool shade of the canyon until the sun started to set and then headed to Horseshoe Bend. Aptly named, it is a horseshoe shape formed by the Colorado River. There is a viewing area that tourists can hike to, however with our tour we were able to drive up close and had our own private area away from the public viewing area. It is a 1,000 foot sheer drop to the bottom, so we got down on our hands and knees and crawled to the edge as our tour guide didn’t want any cliff divers. This was one of my top five moments of the trip. As we sat on the edge watching the river and setting sun, our tour guide, Three Feathers, began to play the flute. It was a beautiful melody that fit the moment so well. Seeing something so beautiful is a spiritual experience.
The next morning, I joined Antelope Canyon Tours for the much anticipated tour of Upper Antelope Canyon. Off-road vehicles are not able to get as close to the entrance so it involves a little walking through sand and heat to get there. Foot traffic is one-way through the canyon, when you reach the other end you hike out and climb a huge metal staircase to go up, around, and back to the vehicles. I was impressed with how well they managed the crowds and still allowed you time to enjoy and take pictures. Our tour guide was amazing and knew so much about photography and she directed us on where to stand to get that perfect shot. It is a spectacularly beautiful place.
Three Feathers told me that I had to stop at Cameron Trading Post on my way back to Phoenix and enjoy a Navajo Taco. Built high upon fry bread it was soooooo yummy. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up stopping at the Trading Post three more times throughout my adventures in the Southwest and getting a second one.
