Aside from Austin visits, it had been quite some time since a GIRLS TRIP! With Sara living in Phoenix, we decided to meet there and drive to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Zion National Park. The top was down on the jeep and we were soaking up the sun on our five-hour drive through cactus deserts and clay-covered mountains. The drive was a BEAUT! Eventually we reached Flagstaff which was a nice change of scenery (thousands of pine trees) and a drastic temperature drop. Almost chilly enough to put the top back on!
I highly suggest making reservations for Antelope Canyon. First you must decide between the upper or lower canyons. From my experience, the upper canyon tours were booked further in advance and I was under the impression this tour was made for individuals with professional camera equipment. I have not personally seen the upper canyons but you can book through this link! We decided on the lower canyon with Dixie Ellis. Sara used them previously and had a great experience. The other option is Ken’s Tour which is essentially the same thing.
Pay close attention to the time zones! Arizona does not partake in daylight savings time, therefore, even though Arizona and Utah are both mountain time, they were an hour apart. With Antelope Canyon so close to the Utah border, our cell phones started picking up their towers which made the time incorrect. This can be confusing!
Depending on the season, there are peak times for the best lighting. Book ahead of time! Our tour unfortunately was not within that window but the views were still stunning. The canyon is narrow and for a majority of the time you are walking single file. Our guide went above and beyond helping us take photos and showing us the good spots. Below are a few of the shots I took with my IPHONE!
Sweating our butts off!
Our tour took approximately an hour and a half to complete and I was under the impression we were moving slow. Our guide suggested not taking a million photos in the beginning because there are better photo opportunities farther in! You’re so blown away by the initial views that it’s hard to resist not snapping a few. We were definitely satisfied with our tour and guide with Dixie Ellis. To exit the canyons, you have to climb a couple ladders and when you look back (photo below) it’s like the canyons do not exist.
Horseshoe Bend was our next stop and not far from Antelope Canyon. If visiting Zion, these two spots are definitely worth the detour.