Narrow canyons carved into red sandstone, where light paints waves of orange and violet across the walls. It is one of the most photographed places in the American West. It lies on Navajo land near Page and can only be visited with a guide. There are three sections to choose from: Upper, Lower and the quieter Canyon X.
Antelope Canyon / Page
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Weather model data for the area shown. Rain in distant parts of the watershed can cancel tours even when the sun is shining over the canyon.
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Antelope Canyon is not one canyon but several separate slots in the same area, each with its own tour company and its own character. Choose a section first, then book a specific time.
Tours are booked directly with licensed companies, listed on the Navajo Nation Parks website. In season the best times sell out well in advance, especially the light-beam slots in Upper.
Rough 2026 prices: Lower about 80 USD including the Navajo fee (Ken's Tours, Dixie's). Upper usually 90–120 USD, more at the best times; the Navajo fee is sometimes added separately. Canyon X: 47 USD per adult plus a 15 USD fee. Tipping the guide is customary. The America the Beautiful national parks pass is not valid here, because this is a Navajo tribal park, not a national park.
Navajo Nation Parks — licensed guides ↗Arizona does not use daylight saving time, but the Navajo Nation does. From mid-March to early November there is a one-hour difference between Page and Navajo land, and your phone may switch to "Navajo time" on its own.
Many visitors arrive an hour early or an hour late because of this. When booking, ask which clock the tour time uses: Arizona or Navajo. Taadidiin Tours (Canyon X) uses Arizona time, the same as Phoenix.
Taadidiin Tours — tour rules ↗You go in practically empty-handed: a phone or camera in your hand and nothing else. Bags, backpacks, waist packs and camera bags are usually banned. So are tripods, monopods and selfie sticks.
Wear comfortable closed shoes, as there is sand and uneven rock in the canyon. Leave water in the car or carry it in your hand if the company allows it. Arrive 30 minutes before the start.
Navajo Nation Parks — Lake Powell Tribal Park ↗Slot canyons were carved by water, and water is still the biggest danger here. A storm tens of kilometres away can fill the canyon within minutes. In 1997 a flash flood in Lower Antelope killed 11 tourists.
That is why tours are cancelled when rain threatens, even if the sun is shining over Page. This happens most often during the monsoon season, roughly July to September. Leave some slack in your plan for another time slot.
National Weather Service — forecast ↗The light beams in Upper appear only in the warmer part of the year and only in the middle of the day, so that is when it is busiest and most expensive. Early morning tours are the calmest in every section.
In winter there are fewer people and the light is softer, while the colours of the walls are still beautiful. In summer Page can be over 35 °C, although it is cooler in the canyon itself, as the sun barely reaches the floor.
When to visit the American West →Page is the base, with hotels, restaurants and gas stations. All three sections are a few to around fifteen minutes' drive from town. You drive your own car to the company office or the canyon parking lot; the operator tells you exactly where the tour starts.
Nearby you will also find Horseshoe Bend, the famous bend of the Colorado River, best at sunrise or sunset, as well as Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell.
Page and Horseshoe Bend on the route map →Light beams and no stairs: Upper. The most striking shapes and a lower price: Lower. Fewer people: Canyon X.
Ideally well ahead, directly with a licensed company. Check whether the price includes the 15 USD Navajo fee.
Ask whether the time is Arizona or Navajo time, and check which one your phone is showing.
No bags, tripods or selfie sticks. A phone or camera in your hand and comfortable shoes.
It is a few minutes from Page. It looks best at sunrise or sunset, when the canyon does not dazzle you.
Times refer to standard guided tours, including the ride from the meeting point. Companies also offer longer and more expensive options.
The canyon is usually reached by off-road vehicle along a sandy wash. There is a time limit inside the canyon. For the light beams, book a slot around midday in the summer season.
List of licensed companies ↗Both companies use the same route and differ mainly in start times. It is not suitable for wheelchairs or for people who struggle in tight spaces.
Dixie's Lower Antelope ↗ Ken's Tours ↗Standard tour price according to the company: 47 USD per adult plus a 15 USD Navajo fee per person aged 8 and over. No bags at all, not even small ones. There are no lockers.
Taadidiin Tours — Canyon X ↗On my trip — as an option. On the Chicago & the American West route we spend two nights in Page, so a visit to Antelope is easy to fit in. I do not put it in the programme as a fixed item, because tickets are not always available on the spot. It has varied over the years, sometimes with odd lotteries for places. Tickets are not included in the trip price: everyone who wants to go pays for their own. If the group wants to go, I am happy to arrange it, and when Upper and Lower are sold out there is plenty of time for Canyon X. If you are planning on your own, Antelope is easy to add to a stay in Page.