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2015 Bucket List Road Trip

Day 4: Antelope Canyon

By Ashleigh Cropper

October 14^th, 2015

Page, AZ: Antelope Canyon

Let me tell you the real reason for this bucket list trip. It all started July of 2010. I will NEVER forget this. I was visiting Bryce Canyon. Ian and I had just gotten married and I was cashing in part of his promise to visit the UT national parks literally 2 weeks after we arrived at our new home. I was at the Bryce Canyon visitor’s center looking through all these post cards and saw one of this slot canyon that was the most beautiful and awe inspiring place I have ever seen. I stared a good long while at it and thought this place must be close since it’s at the visitor’s center. Ha! No! It was the one and only Antelope Canyon. I told Ian that before we moved out of UT we had to go there. It was my #1 place I MUST visit. Sadly, we left UT without going, but luckily we were still just a state away. I was never ever going to get on that road or plane, or whatever, to Oregon without going to Antelope Canyon. That is how crazy I was about this place.
That was my #1 spot to visit on this road trip. I had #2’s and #3’s but Antelope was at the top. For 5 years I had been promised we would go and I was not about to let a single thing get in the way of that.
And here we are! Antelope Canyon! It was NOTHING and EVERYTHING I had hoped for. Strange how that is sometimes. I thought, “Oh just walk in, wander through the canyon at your own speed and soak it all in.” Nope! Don’t be fooled my friends, this place was more expensive than entering Disneyland. Dead serious here. There is a lower and then an upper part of Antelope Canyon. Both owned by two different Navajo families (yes it is on Navajo land so not only do pay for the tour, you also pay for being on their land.) But, it’s worth it. I have so much to say about this adventure but I will let you drool over these pictures.

We just happened to catch a tour when the light was peaking into the slot canyon. It is a rare thing to see and people come far and wide to capture that above image: a light beam. To be in the slot canyons when the sun is perfectly overhead and beams of light shine through, UGH makes me breathless. The glistening sand just adds to the entire experience and looks like specs of glitter.

The canyons are full of golds, reds, yellows, purples and the light plays so many games on your sight. I loved weaving through the slots and not knowing what you will see around the corner.

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The opening of the upper slot canyon is to the left. Big trucks drive you into the opening and yes, you do have to follow the tour guide. The lower slot canyon, which was actually my favorite (less crowds, more personal, wandering is allowed) leads you right out to the photographer that is coming out of that crack!
So, if you ever happen to be near Page, or even 1,000 miles away from Page, I would tell you this…GO NOW! It is worth it! Disneyland is man made, this is all natural. Pictures will never capture the feelings you will experience when you are inside such a magnificent place.