We decided to cap off our road trip with a visit to the infamous sculpted narrows of Antelope Canyon, a pride and joy of the Navajo Reservation and probably the most photographed slot canyon in the world. While equally beautiful slot canyons exist, they are relative secrets and do not have the same ease of access. I had been to Upper Antelope Canyon a few years back (one of my first few blog posts), so was keen to have a look at Lower Antelope Canyon. Thankfully they allow legitimate photographers to break away from the tour groups and take their time photographing the slot's shapes and colors, which makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
The Navajo Sandstone here is a particularly even coral pink hue with very little manganese or iron-oxide crust. It is also relatively soft here compared to elsewhere, which has no doubt contributed to some of the spectacular sculpting in this narrow slot. When sunlight is high overhead, it bounces off the faceted walls to filter out the different colors of light. The first bounce is usually a golden orange, which gives way to deep pinks, purples and blues the deeper it penetrates the slot. Cropping the bright sky out of the view allows abstracts of colors, curves and flowing lines to be photographed. No alteration to the photo is necessary as this filtered light is already saturated in vibrance. Like daydreaming at clouds, we saw mountain landscapes, waves, waterfalls, and human profiles.
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| Left wall looks like a profile of a woman |
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| The bottomless waterfall |
While I think Upper Antelope is slightly more photogenic, Lower Antelope is much more interesting with several ladders down dryfalls and a couple natural arches. Having the freedom to wander through at your own pace is a huge advantage.
We drove the scenic way home past Shiprock, which holds a commanding magnificence over the surrounding plain. We walked a short distance in the shade of the great dike wall. Amazing geology and a captivating place! A fitting end to an amazing trip. Thanks to my companion Sara.
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