Antelope Canyon includes six separate, scenic slot canyon sections on the Navajo Reservation, referred to as Upper Antelope Canyon (or The Crack), Rattle Snake Canyon, Owl Canyon, Mountain Sheep Canyon, Canyon X and Lower Antelope Canyon (or The Corkscrew).
We visited two of the six slot canyons, the Lower and the Upper Antelope Canyon. The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means ‘the place where water runs through the (Slot Canyon) rocks’. Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí (called “Hasdestwazi” by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department), or ‘spiral rock arches’. Both are in the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation. They are accessible by Navajo guided tour only.
Antelope Canyon is believed to have got its name from the herds of pronghorns, that once grazed along the canyon’s rim during the winter months. The two canyons, Upper Antelope or Crack and Lower Antelope or the Corkscrew names are associated with local Navajo stories who thought pronghorns were antelopes. Actually the antelopes once lived in Africa, Asia and some parts of Europe and not in America.
Antelope Canyon was formed by the erosion of Navajo Sandstone due to flash flooding and other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, deepening the corridors and smoothing hard edges to form characteristic “flowing” shapes.
Landmark: Lower Antelope Canyon
Sculptor: Nature ❤️
Nickname: The Corkscrew
Navajo Name: ‘Hasdez’ twazi’, which means “the spiral role arches”
Interesting Facts: The narrow corridors (slot canyons) were formed by the erosion of Navajo Sandstone due to flash flooding and other sub-aerial processes
Distance: 1.1 mile from the parking to the slot canyon (out & back)
Reservation Area: Yes, Navajo Lands
Guided Tours: Mandatory and the guides are Navajo natives and are knowledgeable about their terrains Caution: Corridors are narrow and you have to maneuver carefully and can cause claustrophobic.
Pets: No pets allowed
City: Le Chee near Page
State: Arizona
Country: USA
Lower Antelope Canyon is about 3,704 feet in elevation and the canyon walls are about 120 feet above the stream bed. This canyon is more narrow to walk through, as it’s shaped like a “V”, so if you are claustrophobic this area is not for you. It goes into the slot canyon and have to maneuver through closely on stairs, which is harder to walk through.
This area is also located within the Le Chee Chapter of the Navajo Nation, near Page, Arizona. Even following the installation of stairways, it is a more difficult hike than Upper Antelope. It is longer and narrower in places, and even footing is not available in all areas. Five flights of stairs of varying widths are currently available to aid in descent and ascent. At the end, the climb out requires flights of stairs. Additionally, sand continually falls from the crack above and can make the stairs slippery.
Having said all the above, we feel like we got to include this too. This place is amazing and please do visit. It is expensive with the guided tour but you can only visit here through the guided tours. It takes about 1 and one half hour to complete and you walk about 1.1 mile from the office buildings. There are two Lower antelope canyon tours run by the Navajo families, Kens and Dixies. We went with Dixies.
The narrow corridors in the canyon were formed by the erosion of Navajo sandstone due to the flash floods and subaerial processes. The guides don’t allow you to take the video and photos you could do as much as the time allows you to do.
Landmark: Upper Antelope Canyon
Sculptor: Nature ❤️
Nickname: The Crack
Navajo Name: Tsé bighánílíní, which means ‘the place where water runs through rocks’
Interesting Facts: Sandstone sculptures carved out by flood waters and one of the most photographed destinations in the Southwest.
Distance: 0.9 mile from the trailhead and back (out & back)
Reservation Area: Yes, Navajo Lands
Guided Tours: Mandatory and the guides are Navajo natives and are knowledgeable about their terrains Caution: Corridors are narrow and you have to maneuver carefully and can cause claustrophobic.
Pets: No pets allowed
City: Le Chee near Page
State: Arizona
Country: USA
We took a break at Big Lake Trading Post before we headed out to the Upper Antelope Canyon. Unlike the Lower Antelope where we walked to the slot canyon, here we had to ride the jeep to reach the Upper Canyon slot canyon. The jeep ride was about 15 minutes covering about 3 miles to the north entrance of the slot canyon.
Upper Antelope Canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní, which means ‘the place where water runs through rocks’ by the Navajo People in that specific area. It is the most frequently visited by tourists because its entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing; and because beams of direct sunlight radiating down from openings at the top of the canyon are much more common all year round that make the inside canyon very colorful. Beams occur most often in the summer, as they require the sun to be high in the sky at midday. Light beams start to peek into the canyon on March 20 and disappear by October 20.