PAGE, ARIZONA

April – May, 2019

Why Page?  How about slot canyons like The Wave or Antelope Canyon?  How about Horseshoe Bend National Monument?  To just say “take a look at our pictures” wouldn’t do justice to these unbelievable natural phenomenas.

A slot canyon is a narrow canyon formed by the wear of water rushing through rock, and it is significantly deeper than it is wide.  Some slot canyons can measure less than 3 feet across at the top but drop more than 100 feet to their floor.  It’s particularly dangerous to be in a slot canyon when it rains – flash floods often occur and drownings are not unusual!  Slot canyon tours are not conducted when it rains…imagine that.

The Wave is the most sought-after slot canyon hike in the US.  Perhaps it’s because of the the patterns formed in the sandstone or the fragility of the formations.  Perhaps it’s because a permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is required, and from a daily lottery drawing of over 100 applicants, only 20 permits are granted (as of May 9th, BLM has proposed an increase in permits to 96 per day).  We talked with other RVers who had been trying to win the lottery for a number of years, and they were staying in Kanab until they obtained their permit.  Is it the mystique about the place or is it just that cool?  Regardless, it is considered the premier photographic destination in the US Southwest.  I have to admit being jealous of the photographer who had the chance to take this picture of The Wave.

We thought about entering the lottery, but we didn’t want to give up our mornings hanging around waiting for the BLM drawing, and we decided to tour Antelope Canyon instead.   Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon on Navajo land east of Page, and it includes two separate scenic sections, referred to individually as “Upper Antelope Canyon” or “The Crack”; and “Lower Antelope Canyon” or “The Corkscrew.”  Tours are conducted by a member of the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.  Some friends in Tucson recommended we tour the lower canyon.  They said the upper canyon was best only with the right midday lighting; the lower canyon was exceptional every day tours are conducted.

We pulled into the parking lot and immediately noticed the flat colorless topography.  We met our guide, and as we took a short walk along a dusty flat slickrock gray bland trail we started wondering if this whole slot canyon thing was over-rated. What did we get ourselves into?

OK, OK – give it a chance.  From a metal landing we took a series of stairs to an 8-story descent into the canyon.  Think being immersed into the earth and the darkness being shattered by sunlight exposing amazing colors, amazing designs swirling around you 360, and being overwhelmed by what to look at, or where to look.  Up, down, forward and back is ablaze.  The tour was over far too quickly.  Check it out…

 

Pretty Cool, Huh?

Six miles south of Antelope Canyon is the Horseshoe Bend overlook.  After paying the fee and parking our car we started off on a 3/4 mile hike to a lookout point.  It’s not a very difficult hike but it is up and down through a lot of sand.  The Colorado River meanders along a horseshoe-shaped path around an eye-level butte before continuing its course 130 miles south to the Grand Canyon and flowing eventually into the Gulf of California.  Not only beautiful, but the 1,000-foot drop from the overlook to the Colorado River below makes the view breathtaking.

Mother Nature’s artistry is infinite, and she continually finds ways to make alterations to her canvas.  Some of those ways are subtle; some rendered with such force that we can only hope she will show more temperance the next time around.  What we saw in Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend will be different the next day…will be different the next day…will be different the next day.  We found ourselves wondering what our grandkids and their grandkids will see should they take the opportunity to stop in Page, Arizona on their own journeys.  May they see the canvas Mother Nature puts before them to be every bit as wonderful as the one we experienced.

Barbara and Brian