Page, Arizona (Part 2, Lower Antelope Canyon)

Both Dan and I agree that the highlight of our visit to Page, Arizona was our tour of Antelope Canyon. Hiking is always high on our list, and we both look forward to exploring new trails wherever we go. The day we arrived in Page, we talked briefly to a ranger at the Glen Canyon Dam, looking for information on local hikes, and he mentioned the Antelope Canyon hikes (an “Upper” and a “Lower”), saying they were both really good, but his personal preference was Lower Antelope Canyon. With no more information than that, we put this hike on our list of things to do over the next four days. To say that we were unprepared for what awaited us doesn’t begin to describe our surprise, delight, and utter amazement we experienced on this tour. (And, a tour is really what it turned out to be, as opposed to a hike.)

Located within the Navajo Nation just east of Page, Antelope Canyon is what is known as a slot canyon, a narrow canyon formed by water rushing through rock. A slot canyon is significantly deeper than it is wide, and at times can feel like a cave, although the “roof” is always open. Also referred to as The Corkscrew, the Navajo name for Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí, and means “spiral rock arches”. When we arrived at the canyon Visitor Center, we were still completely unaware of what to expect. We looked out over the sprawling landscape, and it appeared that this “hike” or “tour” would be nothing more than a stroll across a wide and barren stretch of desert terrain. Little did we know that we were about to be totally blown away!

Our guide, Josh, led us to the entry, giving us information on the geography and legacy of the area. As we approached the first set of ladders leading down a narrow crack to the bottom of the canyon, it became quite clear that we were walking into something quite extraordinary. We were in a place unlike any other we could have imagined! It was impossible not to take a multitude of pictures, and what our eye didn’t pick up, the camera did. The colors, shadows, and shapes changed as the sun moved across the sky, with sunlight pouring in like a waterfall one minute, and dark figures appearing to jump out of the rocks another. We walked maybe a total of one mile, but it was the most visually amazing mile I’ve ever walked in my life! There really are no words to describe this once in a lifetime visual experience – I’ll just let the pictures tell the story!