Lower Antelope Canyon
4 / 6
One stop felt non-negotiable in Page: Lower Antelope Canyon. We joined a guided tour through the slot canyon on Navajo land for $80 per person. I walked up to the check-in desk fifteen minutes early for my reservation, only to learn I was actually 45 minutes late. Antelope Canyon sits on Navajo Nation land, which observes Daylight Saving Time. Arizona does not. So while I thought I was right on time, I was operating in the wrong time zone. Thankfully, they accommodated us and worked us into the next tour.
Lower Antelope Canyon
1 / 15
The time confusion in this region has been real. We’ve bounced between Utah, which does DST, Arizona, which doesn’t, and Navajo Nation, which does. Our phones grab whichever tower is closest, which may or may not match the time zone we’re physically standing in. Booking tours requires asking, “What time zone are you using?” followed immediately by Googling, “What time is it there right now?”
On the tour, our group of 13 worked our way down a few ladders and through some tight passages, but nothing extreme. Inside, the light shifts constantly. The sandstone walls twist and fold into smooth, flowing curves. Every few steps, the canyon narrows or bends just enough to completely change the way the sun filters in.
The guide pointed out familiar formations along the way. "That’s a Windows 10 background. That one’s Samsung Galaxy." I wasn’t expecting tech references in the middle of a canyon. Flash floods carved through Navajo sandstone over time, leaving ripples and grooves that look fluid even though they’re solid rock.
From there, we were off to our next campsite at Lees Ferry. On the map, Lees Ferry looks close to Page. In reality, the canyons decide otherwise. Twenty miles “as the crow flies” becomes a long loop around carved sandstone and sheer walls. The road to Lees Ferry wound through big canyon country. We were headed toward a first come, first served campground, so there was some quiet optimism involved. Fortunately, there was still a site waiting for us.
On the tour, our group of 13 worked our way down a few ladders and through some tight passages, but nothing extreme. Inside, the light shifts constantly. The sandstone walls twist and fold into smooth, flowing curves. Every few steps, the canyon narrows or bends just enough to completely change the way the sun filters in.
The guide pointed out familiar formations along the way. "That’s a Windows 10 background. That one’s Samsung Galaxy." I wasn’t expecting tech references in the middle of a canyon. Flash floods carved through Navajo sandstone over time, leaving ripples and grooves that look fluid even though they’re solid rock.
From there, we were off to our next campsite at Lees Ferry. On the map, Lees Ferry looks close to Page. In reality, the canyons decide otherwise. Twenty miles “as the crow flies” becomes a long loop around carved sandstone and sheer walls. The road to Lees Ferry wound through big canyon country. We were headed toward a first come, first served campground, so there was some quiet optimism involved. Fortunately, there was still a site waiting for us.