Antelope Canyon logistical questions (hiking boots, eating, driving)

Has anyone done this as a day trip from Scottsdale/Phoenix?

Looks like it's a 4.5 trip each way, so I'm wondering what places you might have

stopped for breakfast/dinner, etc. Tentative plans are to wake up at the crack

of dawn with enough water bottles, drive through Flagstaff, grab brunch

somewhere, make it to Upper Antelope by noon or 1pm, photos for an hour, then

hit Lower Antelope for another hour, then catch Horseshoe Bend on the way back

to dinner at Flagstaff (Brix or Cottage Plage) on the way back. What do you

guys do for lunch in the Page area?

Hopefully, we'll have enough energy for hitting a Sedona trail the day after :-)

 

Also, would hiking boots help in Lower Antelope or are sneakers ok?

Would focal lengths longer than 70mm be useful? I'm planning on bringing a

Sigma 17-70 and 10-20 w/ a tripod but avoiding any lens changes inside the

canyon sounds like a good idea w/ all the dust...

 

Thanks in advance.

-Eating should not be a problem, unless you want a nice sit down place.

 

-there is a strip mall ~3 miles away from Antelope, where you can find Subway, and I think, a Chinese Restaurant.

 

-No boots are needed.

 

-You may want to spend at least two hours, more if possible, in each canyon.

 

-I used 5D/24-105: 95% of shots are at 24 mm and rest are <50mm (I bought a Sigma 12-24 for this trip and never used it). You may need a longer lens if you are going to shot a particuarr rock.

 

-You may want to shot Horseshoe between the upper and lower tour, i.e. 11A-1PM to avoid shadow on either side. It's about ~3 miles away and you may do it with your lunch.

Driving 5 hours (each way) to shoot for 3 hours? You are setting yourself up for a grueling long day. The lower Antelope takes at least 2-4 hours to see and shoot. The upper can be seen in 20-60 minutes. Horse shoe bend is sweet at sun set. The bend itself is about an hour's hike off the main road.

 

 

Page, AZ is a blooming small city. It has a Walmart, chain food and hotels and every cuisine from good Mexican to Seattle style espresso.

 

 

 

 

You should always wear sturdy hiking boots when walking on any unlevel surfaces. Sneakers are made for wood or concrete, not rock and dirt.

I have to disagree with Steve. Horseshoe Bend is not an hour's hike from the car park. In fact, it's well under a mile, and shouldn't take you more than about 15 minutes one way. As far as doing both canyons in one day, thats a toughy. I prefer morning light in lower. I'd suggest being in lower from 10-1(Utah time), then head directly over to upper, and leave Horseshoe bend for near/after sunset, pray for some nice clouds.

My experience a couple of weeks ago was a 15 minute hike from the parking area to the Horseshoe overlook. Walking fast could cut that almost in half... I was told about an hour by a friend and was pleasantly surprised. As for the best time- so much depends on what's going on atmosphere-wise. If it's a cloudless day the sky is several stops brighter than the subject. If you like Mexican food Alphonso's (in front of the Safeway supermarket) was much better than I expected. As for boots- not necessary in my opinion. There are metal ladders in LA that are really smooth- watch your step! I used the 24-105 most of the time but wanted to change to a wider lens on occasion and longer too but I never did. Just depends on what kind of shots you like to get- floor to ceiling or close-up detail. The 24-105 is the best compromise I think.

Footwear is an individual matter. If you already have comfortable walking shoes that are suitable for rough terrain, they should be OK if you are used to walking around in rough off road conditions. Low "gaiters" (cuffs) can help keep dirt and sand and stuff out if you have lower cut shoes/boots. If not, you'd probably want to look for a shoe or boot that's designed for rough terrain walking, not running or standing, or court sports (like basketball or tennis). If you aren't carrying a heavy load, then a higher boot may not be needed for ankle support. You don't need a water resistant/waterproof boot for the desert southwest and you won't need insulation. You don't need a heavyish mountaineering or backpacking boot if you aren't carrying a heavy load.

 

Get properly fit, preferably at a store with experienced outdoors hikers and walkers, neither too tight nor too loose and have the right socks for the shoe and weather. Don't go by size without trying them on and walking around a bit in the store, with socks like the ones you'd be wearing. Don't wait to get them at the last minute.

WOW!

 

Great Lakes offers a morning and evening flight from Page to Phoenix everyday. The town of Page is microscopic. The express shuttle will take you anywhere you wish to go.

 

It simply isn't a day trip from Scottsdale in a car in my opinion.

We normally hike so we're all set for gear...we were just wondering what we could minimize.

Looks like it'll be a long day...get up at 5am, leave by 6am, drive 4.5hrs and snack on the way, hit upper antelope, then lower antelope (minimal light beams in lower), then horseshoe bend on the way back w/ a long day of rest on Monday after getting home close to midnight :-)

Did you folks reserve the tours to upper antelope in advance? There's only one photographers tour at 11:30 and that seems to tie you up until 2pm.

With all due respects JD. They lost "microscopic" after Lowes and Wally-mart opened. Last time I was there (in 2005) , Page had chain hotels, fast food, bars, photolabs, supermarkets etc. Even a small hospital. "Microscopic" is a crossroad with 4 buildings.

 

Speaking of which. My last time through Kayenta, on my way to Monument Valley was a shocker. The former crossroad with 4 bldgs, now has a strip mall and a Mickey-D's. Im glad I got to see the SW in the 60-70's before many of the developers arrived.

 

As for the discrepancy in travel time to the "bend". I'm an old geezer guy, and I travel heavy with tripod, and multiple camera bags.

It's definitely not the little southwestern town in the desert that I picture. I'm going to have to take pics of the place :-)

If you have the Monday free as well, why on earth don't you make it a two day relatively civilised trip? There are cheap hotels and places to eat in Page. You'd get a dawn over Wahweap as well.

When time is a factor, I'd skip Upper and try to get --- at least --- 2 hours in Lower.

Last time I was there I used nothing but the 50mm on my Mamiya 7II (25mm equiv. on a 35mm camera)

We are down to 5000 residents. Page has had a Wal-Mart for almost 2 decades. Our growth rate is -.3%. I can drive across town in less then 2 minutes.

 

I think it still rates as microscopic.

 

 

And there is no Lowes in town. I wish.