The Eternal Sculptor: How Flash Floods Continuously Reshape Upper Antelope Canyon

Stepping into the cool, shadowed mouth of the slot canyon brings immediate relief from the relentless desert sun. Only then do my eyes adjust to the sandy, winding path ahead, allowing Upper Antelope Canyon to reveal itself.

Light streams into the canyon from above at varying angles, while Navajo tour guides assist visitors in posing for the perfectly illuminated shots. For a quarter of a mile, I join other visitors weaving between the towering walls of Navajo sandstone, moving through pockets of darkness and light as the jagged canyon shifts between shades of burnt umber, rust, and pumpkin.

Located on Navajo Nation land a few miles south of Page, Arizona, Antelope Canyon is one of the most photographed slot canyons in the world. Thousands of visitors flock to Upper Antelope Canyon daily during peak season, with nearby Lower Antelope Canyon also regularly selling out its tours. Visitors must book with one of the half-dozen tour operators approved by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation, as a 90-minute excursion costs over $100 per person.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

A GRAND OPENING: Tourists enter the slot canyon. During peak season, as many as 3,500 visitors come through the canyon per day.

After bouncing through the sand in vans and trucks to reach the entrance, visitors spend roughly half an hour between the sandstone walls before hiking nearly a mile back to their cars, often reviewing their new photos on their phones during the drive back to Page. Even those who have not walked through the canyon or seen it on social media will likely recognize its iconic orange slopes, as a photo of Upper Antelope Canyon serves as a default desktop wallpaper on Microsoft Windows computers worldwide.

Antelope Canyon was formed millions of years ago and possesses a storied, sacred history that predates modern technology. For the Navajo people, the upper canyon is known as Tsé bighánílíní, meaning ‘the place where water runs through rocks.’ It is continuously carved and recarved by monsoon flash floods rushing through narrow passageways, where turbulent whirlpools cut deep spirals into the walls and shift the fragile sandstone. Consequently, the landscape is perpetually changing. As I departed, I realized something spectacular: my next visit might look entirely different from this one.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

SAND CASTLE: Tourists visit Upper Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona. It is the primary attraction of Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

A PEEK INTO THE PAST: The canyon was formed by the erosion of sandstone. Flash floods are forever carving and recarving the site.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

SHOWSTOPPER: Tourists from Italy and the United States stop to admire the view and take selfies. The canyon is one of the most photographed locations in the Southwest.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

TRIBAL BLESSING: Navajo guide Tomai Bitsoie plays “Kokopelli” on a traditional flute as tourists exit the canyon. The piece is a blessing for peace and joy.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

TRAFFIC-STOPPER: Vehicles transporting tourists are lined up outside the canyon, which can be visited only through guided tours by tribal members.

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