Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ

After leaving Monument Valley we wandered south on US160 to stay in Kayenta, AZ, for a few days to visit and hike the three ancient ruins of the Navajo National Monument. (I can't find the CD with those pictures #%* :-((   Take you time to walk and feel the raw nature of these areas.

It's kind of around your elbow, but after Tuba City, turn north toward Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam at Page, AZ. I'll discuss the Lake and Dam in the next post. If you want to see Zion NP, Bryce NP, or the Grand Canyon's North Rim, this is the route to follow. We continued north on US89 to Page.

You know when you arrive in Page because they have the only Wal-Mart for about 100 miles or more. It's open and busy 24/7 to serve the locals, RVers, hikers and other tourists.

Plan ahead to arrange a Navajo tour into Antelope Canyon. Yes. they take tourists all day long, but the choice time to visit the canyon is an hour each side of noon (Remember, the Navajo don't follow the white man's Daylight Saving Time, so be sure you are on Navajo time when scheduling a jeep tour.)

 The entrance to Antelope Canyon.

Like Monument Valley, pictures don't show the depth and richness of the coloring of the places like Antelope Canyon. This is a "slot" canyon formed by the water run-off from the mesa above. The canyon is about 50-feet deep and runs about 1/2 mile into the mesa. There are several slot canyons in the area and each offers unique rock formations. Each is worth a visit. Some require more strenuous hiking than others; the tour hdqtr will provide up-to-date info and weather (They don't take you if rain is forecast.)

These shots are from near the entrance and the "slot" is wider and lets in more light.

The width of the "slot" varies from 3- to 12-feet. Think of how long, in thousands of years, Mother Nature took to carve these wondrous contours.

 No flash was used in these shots. That is the natural light around mid-day.






At high noon the sunlight shines nearly straight down into the "slot," Providing great scenic pics with sunbeam. The winds carries grit from above, which results in beautiful photo effects. (Plan to bring a plastic bag to cover your camera when not shooting, the grit gets into the lens and shutters.)
Google is giving me a hard time - it rotates some of the saved pics 90d from vertical????????????????

 As you walk deeper into the slot, the light and shadow create illusions of motion in the sculpted rock as if water still flowed.







 I'm frustrated that I can't add the pics oriented correctly. I hope you can click on link and enlarge and rotate to enjoy. I'm more frustrated, I just checked -- you can't click and enlarge these pics:-((

There is much to see in the Page area. Plan on a few days here. It is an interesting little town and many neat shops and restaurants. Enjoy your visit.