Antelope Canyon in Arizona is probably the most famous, and most photographed slot canyon in the world! Located in Page, Arizona, this incredible slot canyon is known for its’ stunning orange sandstone walls and dramatic visual effect caused by direct sunlight. You’ve probably seen it a lot around social media.
Most people know the only one way to visit Antelope Canyon – getting a mandatory tour that will walk you through the 2 parts of the canyon, upper slot canyon and the lower slot canyon. You need to pay a fee, make a reservation beforehand and go with a group of people. There are also other tour groups at the same time, so you are really limited on time to explore, and only get a few chances to take a photo, as there’s a huge line of people.
But, there’s an alternative – you can KAYAK ANTELOPE CANYON! You can rent a kayak or even a jet ski, paddle through Lake Powell and do a short hike to see a portion of Antelope Canyon! The best part – you are going to avoid all the crowds, and have the Antelope Canyon all to yourself, as there are almost no people there! Walk at your own pace, take as many photos and videos as you need, and all without a guide! Moreover, you get to experience paddling through canyons of Lake Powell, which is equally amazing experience!
Are you ready to experience the most unforgettable adventure of a lifetime? If so, then kayaking Antelope Canyon is just what you need! In this guide , I will tell you exactly how to kayak and hike the Antelope Canyon, the pros and cons to kayaking the Antelope Canyon, best time to go and where to get your gear.
Get ready to be amazed as we take you on a journey through everything there is to know about kayaking Antelope Canyon. You won’t want to miss it!
Tour to Antelope Canyon vs Kayaking Antelope Canyon
Before diving into the How to kayak the Antelope Canyon, I feel I need to explain a bit a difference between a tour to Antelope Canyon and Kayaking to Antelope Canyon from Lake Powell. There are pros and cons to both of these options! But whichever option you choose, you’ll be amazed! Antelope Canyon is an icon place and must visit spot for any Arizona visitor, so you can’t really go wrong with any of these option.
Walking Tours to Antelope Canyon
The traditional tourist approach is to take a walking tour to view the magnificent sights of Antelope Canyon. Antelope Canyon is located on Indian land and is is protected by the Navajo Parks and only authorized tour companies can take visitors to the canyon. The main reason for that, is unfortunately, vandalism and safety. (There is a way to get into part of the canyon without a tour, which I will tell you about later!)
There are a couple of authorized tours (the most popular are Ken Tours and Antelope Canyon tours, see the whole list of tours here).
You need to sign up in advance for a specific time slot for a tour of the Antelope Canyon. There groups are usually 20-25 people. Besides your group, there also will be other tour groups. So here is a huge con – it will be super crowded, and you will probably feel rushed to go through and take your pictures quickly.
The pro – you will get unbeatable views of the Antelope Canyon! You will see these famous red formation and the light passing through them!
The cost of renting the kayak and the walking tour is relatively the same! Unless you decide to rent a jet ski (that what I did), which is usually pricier or if you bring your own kayak (then it’s free).
Kayaking to Antelope Canyon
Kayaking or renting a jet ski to get to Antelope Canyon takes the whole experience to a new level. Not only will you see the amazing Antelope Canyon, you also get to see the Lake Powell, and paddle through very narrow canyon slot in the water – which is an experience by itself!
To be honest, I was more amazed by this part of the experience – driving through the waters of Lake Powell in the narrow Slot Canyon, it is just something that no other tour offers!
Kayaking the Antelope Canyon is also far less crowded. Most of the time, we had the canyon all to ourselves. Kayaking is not a widely known way to see a canyon, so it will be drastically less people, which is a HUGE PLUS! You can walk around freely, and take as many photos and videos as you want!
The views in this part of the Antelope Canyon are little less impressive than the walking tour, but they are STILL INCREDIBLE! You will be impressed to say the least! Plus, as I mentioned above you will also kayak through the canyon, which is extremely impressive!
The con of the kayaking to the Antelope Canyon is that it is time consuming (1.5-2h one-way, can be wavy in some parts. On the way back you are going up the stream – so be prepared! So it is physically demanding. But the great way to avoid that – is renting a jet ski, if you can!
We did rent the jet ski, and it was an experience of a lifetime! It added the thrill to our tour, and gave us a plenty of time to explore both – the Lake Powell and the Antelope Canyon. Kayaking was awesome as well!
Disclaimer: when renting a jet ski, they advise that if you go into the Antelope Canyon part on a jet ski, the debris can potentially clog the motor at the area where you need to park the jet ski, before entering the Antelope canyon. Everything went well for us, and all other people that I saw using the jet ski, but keep that in mind, that you will be responsible if it does. If you don’t want to worry about it, it is best to rent a kayak.
From my experience, kayaking / or jet skiing to Antelope Canyon is far more fun and beautiful experience! There are so many pros to it over the walking tour – less crowds, explore at your own pace and get to kayak through the Lake Powell canyons!
Where is Antelope Canyon?
Antelope Canyon is a stunning slot canyon located in Arizona, near the Utah border. The closest city to Antelope Canyon is Page, Arizona.
Antelope Point Marina is where you are going to launch your kayak. You can rent your kayak/jet ski from there, but make sure to book it in advance! When we arrived early in the morning, all rentals were already sold out!
The Public boat ramp is close by, you will launch from there if you bring your own kayak, or if you rent from any other place in Page, then they will bring the kayak/ jet ski to you.
Best Time To Kayak Antelope Canyon
Summer, as well as Late Spring and Early Fall is the best time to be on a Lake Powell, because the days are warm. The lake does get warm as well. But keep in mind, that Summer is the busiest season, so if you’d like to avoid that, then it is better to visit in April, May or September, October. Also, mid-week it is far less crowded, than weekends which makes it easier to kayak to Antelope Canyon.
Important Information about Kayaking Antelope Canyon
- Kayaking to Antelope Canyon is around 3.5 miles one way (1.5 hours), so 7 miles(3-4 hours) round-trip.
- Rent your kayaks / jet ski in advance! They usually sell out – reserve here!
- If all the kayaks are sold out, you can still rent from multiple shops around Page and they usually bring kayaks to you.
- Hiking Antelope Canyon – you explore at your own pace. In 20 min the canyon starts to get Narrow, and you can choose how far to go. I spent 1 hour total exploring the Antelope Canyon.
- Bring enough water! It gets really hot in the canyon in the Summer. I went in June, and there was no breeze in the canyon and very hot!
- Budget the whole day for this adventure!
- Start early in the morning to avoid crowds and have enough time, since you need to return kayaks by 5 pm.
- Check the weather before going!
HOW TO KAYK ANTELOPE CANYON
Overview
- Drive to Antelope Point Marina and park there.
- Rent your kayaks or jet ski from Antelope Point Marina. Book here!
- Launch your kayak from the dock of Antelope Point Marina, the same place where you rent it.
- Paddle around 1h to reach canyon opening.
- Turn into the canyon, and paddle another 30-45 min – the best part!
- Park your kayak at the shallow beach.
- Hike about 20 min to reach the narrow part of Antelope Canyon.
- Explore!
- Return to your kayak.
- Paddle back another 1.5 hours to Antelope Point Marina and return your kayak!
- Celebrate your adventure with local Sangria 😁
Kayaking Antelope Canyon
1. Arrive and Rent a kayak
You are going to start at the Antelope Point Marina. There’s a large parking lot there. After parking your car, walk all the way down, you will see the kayak rental place at the end of the dock.
As I mentioned above, make sure to reserve your kayaks or jet ski in advance. When we arrived at 9am, everything was sold out for the day.
If they are sold out, you can rent kayaks/jet ski from other rental shops around the Page, AZ. They usually offer to bring the Kays to you for free. Try calling around and asking. You can try this rental shop.
You can also bring your own kayak. In that case you will launch from Antelope Point Public Boat Ramp (marked as “Antelope Point Launch Ramp” on GoogleMaps).
Make sure to bring everything you need with you for a day – enough water, some snacks, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen etc.
2. launch your kayak
The rental place will give you directions where to go, just ask. You will also see a lot of other kayaks/paddle board heading in the same direction.
Keep in mind, that Lake Powell is very popular for boats and jet skis, and you will be going through a wake zone, meaning they can go on full speed, causing some waves. It is very quiet in the morning, that’s why I recommend starting early – it will be much easier. Try keeping your kayak/paddle board along the wall.
3. Reach the Entrance to the Slot Canyon
After roughly 1 hour, you will reach a slot canyon opening on the left. It will be obvious – there’s a sign that says “5 mph No Wake Zone” Antelope Canyon. Turn left into the canyon.
4. Kayak through the canyon
That’s where the best part begins. It’s no wake zone, so kayaking is very easy and enjoyable. The views are unmatchable! The canyon will start to narrow – enjoy the incredible view! Kayaking though this narrow canyon is an amazing experience by itself!
After about 30 min, you will reach a shallow sand beach, with lots of other kayaks parked there.
5. Park your kayak
You will see lots of other people leaving the kayaks at the beach. Secure your kayak, and take all the valuables with you. Now you are going to explore the Antelope Canyon.
Note: If you came with a jet ski, that’s the part where they say that the debris from the shallow water can damage the engine. We saw other jet skis parking, so we still decided to take the risk and park at the beach. As I said, if you prefer not to worry about that, and about loosing your deposit, simply rent a kayak instead.
HIKING ANTELOPE CANYON
Now the hiking portion begins. Antelope Canyon is out-and-back trail, which means you can go as far as you’d like, and then return back the same way.
After about 20 min in the canyon starts to narrow, and that’s where it is starting to look very beautiful. The canyon is deep, and you go for several hours. I hiked for total 1 hour (round-trip), till the moment where the canyon gets so narrow that it’s hard to walk. The further you go, the less people there are.
We were completely alone at the last part of the hike, which is a great intimate experience in the canyon, which I’d choose all day long over a guided tour! We took all the time we needed to admire the beauty of the canyon, taking tons of pictures and videos without being disturbed.
Return Back
Once you’re done hiking, return to your kayak and head back to the marina. Keep in mind, that on the way back you’re going upstream, and usually the lake is more busy with boats and jet skis. More likely, the way back will be harder.
There are some awesome sandy beaches along the right shore, where you can park your kayak and take a break. Enjoy and swim in the lake, before going back!
The way back takes roughly 1.5-2h.
To sum up, Kayaking and Hiking the Antelope Canyon is an amazing experience! I prefer it over the crowded tours with a tour guide. We were able to enjoy the beautiful Antelope Canyon without any people around and as a bonus, we also explored the Lake Powell. Kayaking through the narrow walls of the slot canyon is an adventure by itself! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions! I’d also love to hear about your experience of kayaking/jet skiing to the Antelope Canyon!😊
Must Pack Items for Kayaking the Antelope Canyon
- Sunscreen is a must! Here’s my all time favorite sunscreen – seriously incredible, it doesn’t leave any residue, and no oily skin!
- Enough water for the whole day!
- Dry bag – if you are kayaking, your stuff might get wet. I recommend bringing the dry bag (I like this one from Amazon) to protect your phone and other stuff.
- Waterproof case for your phone is also a great idea. (I have this one from Amazon).
- Annual Park Pass if you have one! You will need it to enter the Recreational Area, otherwise it’s $30.
- Lunch/snacks! It is a long way, so you will need some fuel.
What to wear
- Comfortable Hiking Clothes – I love this set from Amazon, and have it in almost all colors.
- Waterproof hiking sandals – I wish I brought mine with me. You will definitely get wet while in the kayak, and you need them for the hiking portion of the trip, especially of you are going deep into the canyon. These ones are one of the best on the market.
- Hat and sunglasses!
- Swimsuit, if you plan on swimming in the lake!
- Waterproof Jacket if you are going on a cooler day.
Getting to Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon is located just near the small town Page, Az.
Antelope Canyon from Page, Az – 10 minutes
Phoenix to Antelope Canyon – 4 hrs
Las Vegas to Antelope Canyon – 4 hours
Kanab to Antelope Canyon – 1 hour
Grand Canyon to Antelope Canyon – 2 hours
FAQ
Yes, you can. Rent a kayak at Antelope Point Marina and kayak to see part of Antelope Canyon.
Yes, absolutely! If you prepare and kayak it the right way, it is absolutely worth it! You will definitely be impresses with the views!
Yes! You don’t need a guide to kayak to Antelope Canyon. You’re able to explore the canyone at your own pace, without the crowds of people around.
The best place to launch your kayak is from Antelope Point public launch ramp.
It is relatively hard. If you follow this guide closely, it will be much easier!
SHOP MY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS FOR THIS TRIP
Leave a Reply