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There are dozens of national parks in the US, each with a compelling reason to visit. The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is in Page, Arizona, but I like to visit the nearby Antelope Canyon.
You may have seen photos of the canyon on social media, but they aren't as good as they could be. It is a wonderful place to visit with the entire family. There are a few important tips for your family trip.
The canyon was closed to the public in 1997 to prevent vandals from damaging the land. The only way to get into the canyon is with a tour company.
Ken's Tours had the most convenient tours. Our guide was knowledgeable about both the canyon and the land we were in. I'm thankful I was able to see it with my family.
The canyon is gorgeous. People travel from far away to take photos. Our guide did a great job showing us the history of the canyon and helping us get amazing pictures to take home.
The light beam photos you can take in the upper canyon are different from the ones you can take in the lower canyon.
There are stairs that go down one side and up the other to get into the canyon.
Lower Antelope Canyon is cheaper to visit because it is less accessible. A tour to the lower canyon was $40 per adult, not including a tax and permit fee.
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There are tours for adults and children in Upper Antelope Canyon. We paid $212.40 for our family of five people. The Upper Canyon would have cost us more than $350.
The cost of a photo tour is $150 per person.
You will need to descend a steep staircase to get to Lower Antelope Canyon and then take a slightly less steep set of stairs to get out of the canyon. If you have mobility issues or prefer to avoid heights, Upper Antelope Canyon is a good place to stay.
It might be difficult to visit the Lower Canyon with a baby or toddler. My husband carried our 14-month-old son down the steps, which made me relax a lot. The baby could be carried in a carrier. Adults should be able to help older children go up and down the stairs.
It might be hard to find tour availability at times because of the popularity of the canyon. In the Page area, there are slot canyons that are open to the public. Both of these offer the same experience, but they don't have the crowds of the group tours. One of the authorized tour operators that offer private tours of a slot canyon is Horseshoe Bend Slot Canyon Tours.
It's about four hours from Phoenix to Page, Arizona, where the canyon is located. You can fly to Page from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), which is two hours away, if you prefer to fly. There is one daily flight that starts at $90 one-way.
We stayed at the Courtyard Page at Lake Powell for a single night as we were on our way to Arizona. You can get a Category 5 Marriott property from 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for $126. Home2Suites is a new property that starts at 21,000 Honors points per night.
The sand can blow into your eyes and mouth when it's very windy in the area above the canyon. To protect yourself from the sand, you should bring sunglasses, a scarf, and a mask. The wind will follow you into the canyon and make you more comfortable. All visitors and residents of the Navajo Nation are required to wear a COVID-19 mask.
Points are used to stay in national parks.
The weather in the Arizona desert is not great during the summer. It's best to visit in the spring or fall. The average temperature in these months is in the 80s, but it beats triple-digit highs in Arizona in the summer.
The canyon is a great place to visit during the winter. The temperature range from 40 to 60 degrees is less appealing to some travelers.
Depending on the tour you choose, it can take from one to three hours. Each group was given 30 minutes to travel through the canyon and not hold up any of the others.
The Page/Lake Powell area has a lot of water activities to choose from. The area can experience freezing temperatures in the winter, so be warned. You can kayak from Lake Powell and get to parts of the canyon.
There is a very popular spot called Horsehoe bend. The Colorado River can be seen from the rim as it winds through the sandstone. You could kayak around it. Visitors can do that with the help of Kayak HorseshoeBend. Kayak Horseshoe Bend is open from March to October for kayak and stand up paddle board rentals. 38 miles from downtown Page is the location of the office. Most river rafting expeditions start at Lee's Ferry.
You can take a helicopter tour that leaves from Page Airport. The Grand Canyon has been visited by aerial tours for more than 90 years.
The Grand Canyon is more than two hours away from Page and Antelope Canyon. The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is managed by the National Park Service. There are various guided tours in this area.
Zion National Park is a two hour drive west across the border in Utah while Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is a two hour drive east in Arizona.
If you're planning on taking a family vacation, you'll love Antelope Canyon. You will have the chance to experience the Native history of the U.S. through an authorized Navajo Parks and Recreation guide.
It is wheelchair-friendly in Upper Antelope Canyon. The canyon is more expensive because of the better photos you can take there. There are steep stairs that you should consider before booking Lower Antelope Canyon.
Regardless of which canyon you choose to tour, you and your family are sure to have fun.
Additional reporting was done by the person.
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