"A" is for Antelope Canyon on Navaho Nation Land

"Antelope Canyon" pastel and watercolor ©Mary Montague Sikes

Although my theme for the A to Z Blog Challenge is mostly National Parks, my choice for "A" is Antelope Canyon which is on Navaho Nation Land and is not a National Park.

In 2012, we were visiting Sedona, Arizona and having breakfast in a little restaurant there. The couple seated next to us was talking with the waitress about Antelope Canyon, their destination for the day. We had never heard of the slot canyons, located near Page, Arizona, but they sounded fascinating. Although it was a 3-hour trip, we decided to go there the next day.

The drive from Sedona to Page was beautiful. We stopped along the way for lunch at a restaurant operated by the Navaho. At the entrance to Lower Antelope Canyon, we paid the fee and waited for the next guide to take us down. Although information says the tour is easy, it actually requires climbing up and down ladders at several points. Also, it might be difficult for someone heavy to pass through several very narrow passages in the canyon. As an artist, I loved it. The colors are glorious and surreal.

The canyon gained its name because long ago pronghorn goats roamed there. Now it can be dangerous when flash flooding sends water rushing through the tight passageways. A few years ago, a group of tourists died in the Lower Canyon during an unexpected flash flood.

We did not have time to go to the Upper Antelope Canyon two years ago. Hopefully, we can return someday and discover what we missed there.