Road Trip 2019: reaffirm faith through nature

Road Trip:  July 9th

First stop of the day:  Antelope Canyon. It was an early morning reservation with Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours.  You must make reservations for these tours. We made ours several months ago.  They do not accept payment at the time of the reservation, however, they hold your spot and guarantee admission, weather permitting.

There are the upper canyon and the lower canyon tours.  We have only done the upper canyon (reserve here), twice.  Both canyons possess equal beauty but are structurally different.  The upper canyon is widest at the bottom and narrow at the top, creating the magnificent lighting you see in my photos.  Note that my photos have not been retouched, they are filter and flash free. The upper canyon is a simple .25 mile stroll, which is an in and out.  The lower canyon is shaped as a “V”, narrow at the bottom and wider at the top, making it brighter.   In addition, the lower canyon is a one way hike, but involves  physical strength to navigate ladders and heights, making this canyon less crowded.

Arrive 30 minutes early to check in.  You will then be loaded onto jeeps and SUV’s to take the trip out to Antelope Canyon, about 15 minutes.  You could never find these canyons on your own, they do not appear on any map, google earth, nor are the GPS coordinates anywhere.  You have to just know where they are.

Vanessa was our Navajo guide. Each and every one of the tour guides are wonderful.  They are knowledgeable of the canyons history.  The owners of the tour companies are related to the canyons founder.  You are not permitted into the canyons without a guide.  You are not allowed to bring anything in but a camera and water bottle.  No backpacks, camera holders or bags, no water bottle holders or fanny packs.  The canyon is narrow and the last thing they want is anyone marring the surface of the canyon walls with clumsy bags.

The tears well up as I enter Antelope Canyon.  There is an energy in this canyon that I don’t feel any other place, except Sedona.  It’s overwhelming beauty brings me closer to nature and confirms what I already know to be true about energy and spirituality.  It was the best blessing to have shared this with Tammy and Tom.

Antelope Canyon is considered by many to be one of the Eight Wonders of the World. Carved from Navajo sandstone over the course of thousands of years, the canyon holds a sense of wonder from its narrow passages that allow enough space for small groups to pass through and for rays of light to shine from above.

How was Antelope Canyon discovered?  Who discovered Antelope Canyon?  

In 1931, Sue Tsosie discovered the slot canyon while herding sheep as a young Diné girl.  She lost her sheep and went searching, she found them laying in the cool canyon.  Sue Tsosie is still alive, about 98 years old, and lives on the reservations that encompasses Antelope Canyon.  Today, her daughter Carolene operates and watches over the canyon tours.  Prong-horned antelope herds roamed the area at the time of the canyon’s discovery, hence the name.

Thanks for reading and following our journey.

xo Nancy and Todd