The Antelope Canyons are located in Northern Arizona, a few miles Southeast of the town of Page, Arizona.
Driving distances from major cities and tourist destinations are as follows:
Los Angeles, California – 9 hours
Phoenix, Arizona – 4.5 hours
Las Vegas, Nevada – 4.5 hours
Flagstaff, Arizona – 2.5 hours
Sedona, Arizona – 3 hours
St. George, Utah – 2.5 hours
Zion National Park, Utah – 2 hours
Grand Canyon South Rim – 2.5 hours
Grand Canyon North Rim – 2.5 hours
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah – 3 hours
Moab, Utah – 5 hours
Monument Valley, Utah – 2 hours
Note that the times given reflect driving directly, with minimal stops. This rarely happens since most of these drives are very scenic, and you will be stopping to take pictures, guaranteed! For planning purposes, it’s a good idea to pad these figures by 20-30%.
Upon arrival in Page, AZ, you will be required to take a guided tour to Antelope Canyon. You cannot simply drive up to the canyon’s entrance and walk in at will. Well before making the trip to Page, AZ, you should do some research on which section of Antelope Canyon you wish to tour, and make a reservation. Depending on which tour company you book with, you will be required to check in anywhere from 30-60 minutes prior to your Antelope Canyon tour.
If you opt to visit Upper Antelope Canyon, there are 4 tour companies in all that tour this branch of Antelope Canyon: 2 that depart from the town of Page, AZ, and 2 that depart from near the Tribal Park Entrance on US98. If you choose to go to Lower Antelope Canyon, there are 2 companies that manage this section of the slot canyon, both located on the North side of US98 near the defunct Navajo Generating Station. Tour both Lower & Upper Antelope Canyons
If you would like to add an Antelope Canyon waterside boat tour onto your slot canyon tour(s), these depart from Antelope Point Marina, just a short distance down US98 from the Lower Antelope Canyon tour entrance.
If you are staying someplace like Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon South Rim, or Las Vegas, and aren’t keen on doing all that driving, guided tours from these areas to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are available by bus, van, or fixed-wing airplane.
258 Responses
Is the canyon still over crowded from tour groups? I have not been to antelope in years and I am shocked at the pics I see online of the crowds!
Is there any day or time that is not so crowded? I live in Scottsdale and can go anytime of the year.
Hi Chris,
Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon are the most popular segments of Antelope Canyon for tourists, so they are busy during peak travel season (March through October). If you wish to avoid the crowds, your options are to a. visit during the off-season, which runs between November and February, with the exception of holiday periods, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Martin Luther King and Presidents’ Day; or b. visit one of the alternate slot canyons in Page, AZ, that are just as beautiful as Upper and Lower Antelope, but less crowded. For more information on these, check out Antelope Canyon Alternative Tours.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Are you open in December
Hi Terrie,
If you’re referring to the Antelope Canyons, yes, they are open year-round, even on the holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc.
The only instance in which they would not be open is if hazardous weather conditions such as heavy rain or snow or abnormally strong winds occurred.
If you have any other questions about Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, or other attractions in the Southwest US, please contact us directly at reservations@antelopecanyon.az
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Maybe I’m over-thinking this but I’ve been reading about flash floods, lightening, and other natural disasters online. Yes, I realize that the most tragic loss of lives happened in 1997. There have been a lot of changes as far as safety protocols since then. Do you offer tours to smaller canyons like Deer Canyon? I’ve heard that the experience and photography is just as amazing as any other canyons in the area. I haven’t booked anything yet. I’m (possibly) flying with Contour Airlines from Phoenix to Page in late Aug. and flying back the next day. I need to catch a flight home the next day. My time is limited because I’m at a conference in Phoenix that ends on Aug. 25th. I only have Mon., Aug. 26th to do one tour of one of the canyons. Any thoughts?
Hi Gail,
Your concerns about flash flooding are justified, especially considering that you’re traveling during Arizona’s monsoon season.
Since it is located below ground, Lower Antelope Canyon, as in the 1997 incident, tends to bear the brunt of most flash flood damage by virtue of gravity. In such instances, other slot canyons located above ground, such as Upper Antelope, Antelope Canyon X, Secret Antelope Canyon, etc., are able to remain open to tours.
In the event your tour is cancelled due to flash flooding or unsafe weather conditions, your tickets would be refunded.
Another way you can lessen the chance of encountering flash flood conditions is to take your tour in the morning. The majority of monsoon storm activity tends to occur in the afternoon.
Regarding Deer Canyon, that slot canyon is managed by Ligai Si’Anii Tours. It is more difficult in comparison to Lower Antelope, so be sure you are able to handle its physical challenges before committing to it. For more information, visit http://www.hikingslotcanyons.com or phone 928-640-2594.
Hope that helps. Please contact us directly if we can be of further assistance at reservations@antelopecanyon.az
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
Hello Alley,
We’re going to purchase 8:15 am Upper Antelope tour online. Where and when should we go for check-in?
Hi Tuan,
The 8.15 am Upper Antelope Canyon tour is conducted by Chief Tsosie’s Antelope Slot Canyon Tour.
They depart from their storefront in downtown Page, AZ, 55 S. Lake Powell Boulevard. You will receive detailed instructions on the location and the time you are expected to check in (usually 45 minutes prior to departure) by email after booking the tour.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
“For more information on getting the most out of your vacation to Page, AZ, visit our partner site, http://www.HorseshoeBend.com!”
Hi,
I have a group of people in total 13 who like to go to the Upper and Lower Antelope on 22nd June. Since we will be staying in Clear Sky Resort on 21st and plan to drive to Upper Antelope. Do you think you can arrange a tour for my group in 13?
Regards,
Billy
Hi Billy,
It takes approximately 3 hours to drive from the Clear Sky Resort in Grand Canyon Junction, AZ, to Page, AZ.
The key to making both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon tours work on the same day is having at least a 60-90 minute “buffer” between the CONCLUSION of one tour, and the CHECK-IN time for the other.
For example, the 11.45 AM Lower Antelope Canyon tour (check-in 11.00 AM) would conclude at around 1.15 PM. That would give you approximately 45 minutes to travel to the 2.30 PM Upper Antelope Canyon tour, which would require check-in at 2.00 PM. Another option would be to take the 10.20 AM Upper Antelope Cayon Tour (check-in 9.40-9.50 am), which would conclude at 11.50 AM, then take the 2.15 PM Lower Antelope Canyon tour, which requires that you check-in at 1.30 PM. The latter option gives you a bit more time between tours, during which you could grab a bite to eat, freshen up a bit, or do a little shopping.
Both tours can be booked on our website, and side-by-side availability compared, here: AntelopeCanyon.AZ: Book Upper & Lower Antelope Canyon Tours
Due to the size of your group, and the fact that your vacation is in less than 2 weeks’ time, you should make reservations ASAP.
Hope that helps. Please contact us at reservations@antelopecanyon.az if you have further questions.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂
If we can purchase tickets online, why do we need tour guide?
Hi Jessica,
The Antelope Canyons are on Navajo Indian Tribal Lands, therefore, access to all of them requires an escorted tour. When you purchase tour tickets online, this includes the services of a Navajo guide.
Hope that helps.
Good luck and safe travels,
Alley 🙂