Antelope Canyon

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Day 16 - August 20, 2006

We went for a tour of Slot Canyon (renamed Antelope Canyon by the Indians). You can only visit this canyon if taken by one of the five approved tour companies. Woody, our tour guide from Overland Canyon Tours, owned exclusive rights with the Navajo Indians about twenty years ago. After seven years, he gave it up. (I think he regrets his decision now.) Woody definitely knows a lot about the area.

Page is one of the towns built by the Bureau of Land Management. They come in and build the town before building the dam. They build “one of every church they can think of” (Woody’s words), along with an elementary school, high school, recreational facilities, and housing. Overland Canyon Tours, on Navajo St., is located where a long line of bars stood before the town was built in 1957. The only original bar still standing is the Windy Mesa. President Eisenhower broke ground for the dam, and Ladybird Johnson dedicated it on 9/22/66. (It was easy for me to remember this date since it's my birthday). Lake Powell was created, it is an oasis in the desert. Literally. Wahweap (it could have been called Wannaweep) Campground and Marina is really nice.

Back to Slot Canyon. It is surprisingly narrow. You see pictures of this canyon all the time, but it always looks bigger (kind of like the space shuttle and space station shots you see on TV - they’re really tiny). You can easily hit your head on one of the outcroppings of rock. It was very beautiful. We definitely recommend taking this tour in a small group like ours was (only 8 people) rather than with one of the large tours (50+ people).

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Photos

Light Beam in Antelope Canyon
At certain times of the day, sunlight filters through the openings of the canyon to create these beams

Woody, Our Tour Guide
Woody not only knows a lot about the area's history, but also the flora and fauna

Slot Canyon Photographers
Michelle and Krysten were both captivated by the beauty of Antelope Canyon

Slot Canyon Climbers
Where Robert goes, Austin follows. Not always a good idea