Last updated: 01-13-2026
Later in the article, we’ll have more information about Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and self-driving tours, including accommodation, dining recommendations, and other nearby attractions.
In addition, we have also compiled "Various Ways to Get to Antelope Canyon from Las Vegas " for reference!
Table of Contents
Introduction to Antelope Canyon
The Antelope Canyon Scenic Area is collectively known as Antelope Canyon. It is located in Arizona in the southwestern United States. There are several slot canyons in the scenic area open to tourists. The most famous ones areUpper Antelope CanyonEnglish is Upper Antelope Canyon.Lower Antelope CanyonEnglish is Lower Antelope Canyon.
In recent years (starting around 2021), other slot canyons have emerged in the same area, such as Canyon X (Antelope Canyon X) 和 Secret Canyon, there are single-day bus or small plane tours departing from Las Vegas.
Because Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons were opened to tourists as early as 1983, these two attractions were noticed earlier. Upper Antelope Canyon is famous for the light beam that tourists may see at noon (as shown below); while Antelope Canyon only became widely known and regular tour groups began to be organized around 2016.
In addition, nearbyHorseshoe Bend – The English name is Horseshoe BendAll single-day and multi-day bus and small plane tours to Antelope Canyon will stop at Horseshoe Bend, which is only about a 15-minute drive away and a must-see for self-driving tourists. Antelope Canyon has become particularly popular in recent years. Due to the terrain, all slot canyons in the Antelope Canyon area have a limited number of visitors per day, and entry must be in batches.
What is the difference between the upper antelope and the lower antelope?
Average temperature and best time to visit Antelope Canyon
The average annual temperature in the Antelope Valley
The above chart shows "Celsius" and "Fahrenheit" as well as "average monthly maximum and minimum temperatures"
- The Antelope Canyon area has a desert climate and usually has plenty of sunshine, which is helpful for touring the various Antelope Canyon parks; the air is relatively dry, so you should pay attention to moisturizing.
- summer:It's hot and dry, so drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen.
- winter:It is not usually very cold, but snow and ground cover are possible from December to January.
Best month to visit
- Light beams in Upper Antelope CanyonIt is available between March and October, and the end of March to the beginning of April, and the end of September to the beginning of October are slightly off-season, but there are still a lot of people.
- During the summer vacation, Upper and Lower Antelopes are usually fully booked every day and tickets are hard to come by, so try to book in advance.
- Overall,Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Antelope Canyon.Although summer has longer sunshine hours, it is usually the busiest time of the year and the weather is hotter.
Best time to visit
- Everyone is hereUpper Antelope CanyonWhat you want to see most is probably the special mysterious beam of light.To see the light beam in Upper Antelope Canyon, you should enter the park around noon (approximately 11am-1pm).
- AndLower Antelope CanyonThe interior is quite spacious, and you can see the beautiful scenery inside as long as there is daylight.So basically all opening hours are good times.
In order to take good photos, it relies on good lighting. Therefore, it's important to choose the time of the day that the there's most sufficient amount of natural lighting from the sun.
Antelope Canyon area time difference
When visiting the Antelope Canyon area, most tour groups and self-driving tours depart from Las Vegas. This is mainly because self-driving tours require you to pay attention to time differences to avoid missing the time to enter the Antelope Canyon.
Antelope Valley Tickets (Classification, Ticketing Method)
Information on joining a one-day tour to Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon tours, charters and reservations
More information on Antelope Canyon's topography and history
If you are interested in learning more, please click here
Antelope Canyon belongs to the Navajo Nation.NavajoAntelope Canyon, located in the National Park of the Southern California Indigenous Peoples, is one of the world's most famous slot canyons. According to Navajo history, Antelope Canyon was once home to pronghorn antelope, hence its name. Its unique topography is the result of tens of thousands of years of natural erosion through flooding and weathering.
The entire Antelope Canyon scenic area is managed by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Service and is an Indian reservation. Tours must be led by a local guide from the management station at the Upper Antelope entrance, taking a jeep converted from a truck, which is more interesting. For Lower Antelope, tours must be led by a local guide and the group must queue up on foot to enter the park.
If you are interested, please refer toWikipedia – Antelope Canyon page
One of the important reasons why Antelope Canyon has become so popular is that in 2014, the world's most expensive photograph was created in Upper Antelope Canyon. The work of Australian photographer Peter Lik, named "Phantom", was sold for $650 million. Please refer to the picture below.
Because this mysterious light beam (pictured below) is unique to Upper Antelope and is the reason so many tourists flock to the area, tickets are incredibly hard to come by, especially during the summer months, when they often sell out. Without booking weeks or even a month in advance, you'll likely miss out on a visit. Therefore, self-driving travelers are advised to plan ahead and reserve tickets before your departure.
If you are considering joining a one-day bus tour departing from Las Vegas, since the tour operator usually reserves some tickets, you have a better chance of booking them within a week of departure (but it is recommended to book at least 1 to 2 weeks in advance).
The one-day bus and small plane tours are limited to visiting only one slot canyon. If you wish to visit more than one slot canyon within the Antelope Canyon area, you must drive yourself and it is recommended that you stay overnight in the nearby town of Page.
In fact, we think that every slot canyon mentioned above that is open to tourists has its own unique features, personality and is very beautiful, so there is no need to chase after just one slot canyon; of course, you can have different priorities, and if you can't go to your first choice, you can go to others and you will never be disappointed.
Upper Antelope Canyon Photos:Phantom
Image credits: Peter Lik
Upper Antelope Canyon video tour
Entrance procedures for Upper Antelope Canyon, Lower Antelope Canyon, and X Antelope Canyon
Upper Antelope Canyon
Upper Antelope Canyon check-in location and parking facilities
Check-in facilities at Upper Antelope Canyon are relatively basic, with a waiting area and free parking outside. You should generally arrive 30-45 minutes before your confirmed entry time. After completing the check-in procedures, you can wait in the waiting area for a jeep transfer to the Upper Antelope Canyon entrance. If you're traveling with a group, your tour guide will arrange check-in procedures.
Upper Antelope Canyon reporting location, please click here to view Google Map
Jeep tour to and from the Upper Antelope Canyon entrance
The distance between the check-in location and Antelope Canyon is less than 10 minutes, and the road conditions are not suitable for ordinary vehicles. All tourists, whether driving by themselves or with a group, must take the jeep provided by the park. The ticket price already includes the round-trip fare.
Visit Upper Antelope Canyon
From the entrance, you can walk directly into the Upper Antelope Canyon on flat ground. The local Indian guide will lead you throughout the tour. After the tour, you will take a jeep back to the reporting location.
Lower Antelope Canyon
Lower Antelope Canyon Check-in Location and Parking Facilities
Check-in facilities at Lower Antelope Canyon are well-equipped, with an indoor waiting area and ample free parking outside. You should arrive 30-45 minutes before your confirmed entry time. After completing the check-in procedures, you can wait in the waiting area before entering the canyon.
Click here to view the Google Map of Lower Antelope Canyon reporting location
Enter Lower Antelope Canyontour
From the waiting area, you can walk directly to the entrance, where you'll be led by a local Indian guide. To enter Lower Antelope Canyon, you'll first need to climb down a flight of stairs (as shown below), with additional steps to climb along the way. After your tour, you'll walk back to your reporting location via the exit.
Antelope Canyon X
Note: The name of Antelope Canyon comes from the "X-shaped" sky that you see when you look up at the entrance (as shown in the picture above).
X Antelope Canyon Check-in Location and Parking Facilities
Check-in facilities at Antelope Canyon include a waiting area and free parking. You should generally arrive 30 minutes before your confirmed entry time. After completing check-in procedures, you can wait in the waiting area for a shuttle bus to and from the Antelope Canyon entrance. If you're traveling with a group, your tour guide will arrange this.
X Antelope Valley reporting location, please click here to view the Google Map
Take a shuttle bus to and from the Antelope Canyon entrance
The distance between the check-in location and Antelope Canyon is less than 10 minutes, and the road conditions are not suitable for ordinary vehicles. All tourists, whether driving by themselves or with a group, must take the shuttle bus provided by the park. The round-trip fare is included in the ticket price.
Visit Antelope Canyon
The local Indian guide will wait for the group at the shuttle bus drop-off point and then lead the group throughout the entire journey. You will walk downhill to the entrance of Antelope Canyon (as shown below). After the tour, you will return to the original route and take the shuttle bus to the reporting location.
Introduction to Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe BendLocated next to the small town of Page on the border of Arizona and Utah, the river bend is located on Highway 89, only a 15-20 minute drive from Antelope Canyon. Its unique scenery attracts many tourists who go to Antelope Canyon to visit it.
The formation of Horseshoe Bend was formed by the water of the Colorado River over the years, which scoured the landform into a small U-shaped section. Standing on Horseshoe Bend and overlooking the entire river is a breathtaking view!
Opening hours:Every day from sunrise to sunset
Entrance parking lot location:Click here to view Google Map
How to visit Horseshoe Bay?
Whether you're traveling with a tour group or driving to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend is a must-see. All visitors must get off at the parking lot and then hike to and from the Horseshoe Bend viewpoint.
Horseshoe Bay Pay and Parking Facilities
There is no entrance fee to Horseshoe Bend, only parking fees are charged.
For general vehicles, a parking fee of $10 is charged per entry. If you are traveling with a tour group, don't worry, the group will arrange it.
There are ample parking spaces in the parking lot.
Walk to Horseshoe Bay Viewpoint
After getting off the bus at the parking lot, all visitors must hike to and from Horseshoe Bend Viewpoint, a distance of approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) round trip. The outbound walk is slightly downhill and takes about 10-15 minutes, making it a relatively easy hike. The return walk is the opposite, taking 15-20 minutes, but also not too strenuous.
It is recommended that each person bring a bottle of drinking water to replenish water along the way; it is best to prepare for sun protection, such as applying sunscreen in advance, wearing long-sleeved clothes, and wearing a hat.
If you need a break along the way, there are several rest shelters along the way.
Horseshoe Bend Viewpoint
There are safety fences along some of the cliffs at the Horseshoe Bay Viewing Point.
Please pay special attention to your own safety and try to watch and take pictures at the cliff edge within the safety fence. In fact, the best viewing angle is within the safety fence, and there is no need to wander outside the fence.
Self-driving tour related information
If you want to travel by car to Antelope Valley or Horseshoe Bay, the following information may be helpful.
Self-driving tour
Since a one-day drive from Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon is quite tight, we recommend a two-day itinerary. Click here to view the suggested itinerary:Two-Day Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon Itinerary .
*For a complete multi-day tour, please see the article for itinerary reference: Multi-day tour around Las Vegas for 2-4 days
Stay
Driving to Antelope Canyon usually involves staying overnight nearby. The closest town to the Antelope Canyon is Page. The popularity of the Antelope Canyon has also boosted business opportunities in this town, with several new three-star hotels being built.
The following are the hotels we recommend (options with good quality and relatively reasonable prices):-
food
Honestly, there aren't many good Chinese restaurants in Page. However, if you're looking for Chinese food, consider Starlite Chinese & American and Mandarin Gourmet. There's a Walmart in town for food and groceries. There are also various fast food restaurants and American-style restaurants. Hotels in the area generally provide breakfast, so you'll likely only need to plan for lunch and dinner.
Attractions nearby
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- Glen Canyon Dam Since you're driving yourself, you shouldn't be pressed for time like on a day-long tour. You might consider stopping directly at Glen Canyon Dam near Page. This visit, which only takes 15-20 minutes, is ideal for taking photos outside. You can also join a guided tour, where you'll be escorted to the dam and take an elevator down to the base.
Source: National Park Official Website - Lake Powell
Nearby Lake Powell is a beautiful man-made lake. Most tour groups, often short of time, simply pass by without stopping. However, Lake Powell offers a variety of excellent boat tours. Because the lake is relatively calm, the boats are surprisingly stable. In good weather, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the canyons. Besides boat tours, you can also rent jet skis, kayaks, and other activities for independent water exploration. For more information, please visit the official Lake Powell website: https://www.lakepowell.com/
- Glen Canyon Dam Since you're driving yourself, you shouldn't be pressed for time like on a day-long tour. You might consider stopping directly at Glen Canyon Dam near Page. This visit, which only takes 15-20 minutes, is ideal for taking photos outside. You can also join a guided tour, where you'll be escorted to the dam and take an elevator down to the base.
Extra Tips
If you're looking for a different way to experience Horseshoe Bay, consider helicopter tours. While these are often not possible with regular tour groups due to time constraints, they're definitely worth considering if you're traveling by car.
There are two main products. One is a helicopter tour of Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, and Green Dam, which takes about 10-12 minutes and costs US$191 per person. For more information, please refer to: [Page Town] Horseshoe Bay Helicopter Air Tour;
The other one is longer, including a landing on a small hill, and is about 30-35 minutes in total. It costs USD 291 per person. For more information, please refer to: [Page Town] Horseshoe Bay helicopter, including hill landing . 
This station provides one-day bus tours from Las Vegas to different surrounding attractions, please click the product below to view and book!
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