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| Southwest Road Trip /Antelope Canyon Navajo Tribal Park. Antelope Canyon drains from the south into Lake Powell. There are two separate canyons - upper and lower (we visited the upper portion of the canyon). They each contain slots carved into swirling Navajo Sandstone. The slot portions of the canyon are so narrow in places that a person can stretch out his/her arms and touch both sides. The vertical canyon walls twist and turn. The Navajo name for the upper canyon is Tse Bighanilini (the place where water runs through rocks). Long ago, herds of pronghorn antelope roamed freely in Antelope Canyon, which explains the canyon's english name. Entering a place like Antelope is like entering a cathedral. You have to pause before going in, to be in the right frame of mind and to prepare for protection and respect. You leave there with an uplifted feeling of what Mother Nature has to offer, and to be in harmony with something greater than ourselves. It was a spritual experience. The only downside - the place can get crowded. Better to get there for the 7:30am tour. Antelope Canyon runs and sometimes floods after rains. It is reported that 13 hikers lost their lives in 1997 when the canyon suddenly flooded from heavy rains. The canyons are only accessible with Navajo guides since the incident. Cost runs around $40 per person that includes transportation from and to lodging. |
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