Jun 6 – Upper Antelope Canyon

Upper Antelope Canyon is on everybody's must see list. To get to there you must book a tour because it is on Navajo land and they want to make money off of it.

What a racket. I must say it was a disappointment. The canyon itself is amazing but they pack way to many people in too short a time through it.

We booked the prime time 10:30 am tour because that is the one where you get the sunbeams down onto the canyon floor. What a zoo. Just from this company there were at least 50 people and there are several other companies that run tours.

To get to the canyon they take you from town in the back of 4 wheel drive pickup trucks.

While we were waiting one of the guys did a hoop dance for us. He was actually pretty good.

Then we pile into the trucks, 12 to each one, and head out for the 20 minute ride to the mouth of the slot canyon. Part of the ride is on the highway but about 1/2 is down a very sandy, bumpy wash.

We all lifted off of our seats many times and were very thankful for the padding. Each of the trucks seems to take their own path down the wide wash.

In we go.

It’s a shame but I really don’t remember much about the walk through the canyon. My only memory will be these pictures. The whole tour consisted waiting for the group ahead of you at the prime picture spots, taking your picture and moving on. There was absolutely no time to linger.

We just walked through with our heads and camera pointed upwards.

I actually managed to get an empty picture of the floor and then one with only Jennie.

The classic sunbeam spot.

Having the sun directly overhead was great for the sunbeams but it sure made it tough to get the right exposure for everything else.

People and cameras everywhere all straining to get “the” shot.

It was also very dusty as you can see from the sunbeams showing up. Most of it was from people walking but some was from when the guides throw a shovel of dirt up on a ledge so everyone could get the classic shot of the sand falling down. Neither of us got a good exposure shot of that one. I wish I had brought a lens cloth though.

We got sore necks after a while.

 

A very busy place.

I may go back and crop or erase the people from some of the pictures but I am too tired right now.

And then you are out the other end.

There is no exit here. We have to work our way back to through the crowd in the canyon to the entrance and we weren’t supposed to stop along the way. In total we were in the canyon about an hour, although it felt much shorter.

Back in town, to reward ourselves, we had some BBQ for a lunch.

Look who had the large meal. We did have leftovers.

There is another tour of Lower Antelope Canyon that is supposed to be a lot less busy. I had thought we might do it afterwards but on the way back from the canyon I saw it’s parking lot. It looked quite full so we decided we had had enough of the crowds and went home.