Lifestyle and Leisure
Arizona's breathtaking canyons
In the latest instalment of her national park travels, Denise Kirtley writes about a breathtaking day out in two of Arizonas finest canyons
On my travels in the United States last year I came across a postcard that showed spectacular shafts of light filtering down from a canyon roof and illuminating the colourful sandstone stratas of its walls. The postcard contained a single place name: Antelope Canyon. My daughter Alise and I, intrigued by the postcard, were keen to insert it into our hiking itinerary especially as it turned out to be close to one of our planned routes. It lies not far from the town of Page along Route 89 on the border with Utah and Arizona at the head of Lake Powell dam on the Colorado river.
Antelope Canyon is what is known as a slot canyon, though it is also called the corkscrew. Viewed from above it looks like a slash in the rocks made by some a demented giant. It was, in fact, formed by centuries of flash floods rushing through the sandstone crevices eroding the rocks to cause the present canyons. The flood water created another nearby canyon, Canyon X, and both are on Navajo-Hopi Indian reservations. Visits, therefore, are only permissible on pre-booked tours with official guides. We decided to book with the only company that offers an all day Canyon X tour, which is limited to parties of six people. As the numbers are so limited and it was July, at the height of tourist season, we booked early and paid by phone well in advance.
At 7am Alise and I, both excited, found ourselves in a small and friendly family-run office in Page to check-in for our Canyon X tour. We discovered that it was to be a very exclusive adventure: just the two of us and our guide Dave. We had a lot of photographic gear: tripods, cameras and so on, and in addition Dave pointed out that we must carry what seemed like gallons of bottled water: which we were not allowed to accidentally leave behind! Dave then bumped along chucking us around in his giant 4x4 vehicle over seriously rough terrain to the start of Canyon X, accessible only beyond padlocked gates and secure fencing.
As we began the tour Dave warned us that visitors were not allowed to take anything from the canyon and leave everything just as we found it. We climbed down a gully of rocks and along a trail that led into a huge cavern. Dave was excellent at pointing out the ancient Navajo markings and explained how the Indians lived, and in some cases still do to this day. The exploration then became more challenging: we had to jump off ledges and let ourselves down into a very narrow canyon. Dave helpfully told us that if we saw a snake it would most probably be a rattler, but that we should not worry about the bigguns only take heed of the babies. It seems that they have yet to learn how to conserve their venom and are apt to let go all they have in their first bite. This was perfectly timed information from our guide as we were at this time crawling in darkness through a series of caves. Alise was on a high, though, as she loves snakes. I wont comment on my feelings at the same moment! However, almost immediately, as we turned the next tight corner, I froze, rooted to the spot. Light shafts were hitting the walls in front of us, and the different colours of the rock layers practically glowed it really was breathtaking. Dave broke the spell by urging us on. Apparently, we had only just begun to see the good stuff and there was so much more to see.
We followed on while he showed us various caverns of different sizes with wonderful colour bands and chiselled out forms, created by millions of years of water erosion.
It transpired that Dave was a flood chaser and he told us about some of his near misses, somewhat disturbing, given the jovial, excited tone he was using! We eventually emerged through a narrow crevice into a wider gully that led into a ravine in the bright sunshine. It was now 9.30am and very hot topping 100 degrees so we were glad of all the water we had with us. Here, all around us, lay Indian artefacts washed down by a flash flood. We were walking quite fast when our guide suddenly stopped in his tracks, with his finger to his lips.Dave pointed to the only big tree in the canyon. On the uppermost branches sat one of the biggest birds I had ever seen: a great horned owl the biggest owl in America. Our movement well mine in attempting to get my video camera out startled the bird into flight. It revealed a wind span of at least five feet. He circled overhead, then disappeared, leaving behind a few feathers we were not allowed to pick up: owls (and their feathers) are considered sacred to the Navajo. We trekked on in silent anticipation but after an hour and a half we had to retrace our steps. Without any warning Dave suddenly marched off. We realised that it was all the water we had been drinking in the dry canyon. Alone now, we were looking up to the top of the canyon when Alise shouted "freeze". I was in mid-step, but with the urgent tone of her voice I did freeze, managing to hold one leg up long enough for a snake to slide underneath and into the scrub, with my daughter in hot pursuit. Camera at the ready, she was kicking away the scrub and poking the twigs aside to get a clear shot of the snake. Dave, to my relief (and presumably his) returned and asked what Alise was doing. I replied that she was in a bush trying to photograph a snake The effect was instantaneous he leaped off the rock, passed me and was round the corner before I could turn 180 degrees. What seemed ages later, Dave and Alise, both laughing, returned engrossed in the snake pictures she had taken. I think Dave was actually impressed she had captured a picture of a gopher. Alise was ecstatic, I was drained. And after all this excitement we still had Antelope Canyon to go.
The drive back from Canyon X and over to Antelope was nearly as exciting as the walk. We traversed terrain that looked as if it was not meant to be crossed by wheeled vehicles. The final stretch to Antelope Canyon was spent skidding through thick, heavy red sand. Antelope Canyon was a different experience, for a start there were hordes of people. The groups are lead through at strict time slots, because the canyon is so narrow and relatively short. Everyone wanted to take photos, which is difficult as the tour only takes an hour. Thanks to Dave, we were able to weave in and out of the groups and spend enough time there to get those all-important pictures.
Despite the crowds, once in the canyon, the impact of the light rays as they illuminate the wall sides and shift according to the time of day is simply awe-inspiring. There were audible gasps of delight as visitors saw their first rainbow. They really are that spectacular. However, in the main summer season, it is definitely advisable to pre-book. They only allow limited numbers per day. Jeeps leave from various booking centres in Page. If you do just turn up at the Reserve's entrance, you will have to wait for an available seat one of the passing jeeps. Dave encouraged us to stay an extra day and walk along the Horseshoe rim, just outside Page and overlooking the Colorado river. So, days later, replete with swirling images of light beams, rainbows and fast-flowing waters, I was reflecting as we crossed the dam that held back Lake Powell on one side and looked down into the Horseshoe abyss on the other on the random postcard we had seen that had brought us here in the first place. Heading towards the purple hills in the distance, I felt content in the knowledge that we were driving towards our next adventure: the mighty Zion Natural Park.
Register for your FREE emigration starter pack
Subscribe to Emigrate America. Read more ...