What is Lower Antelope Canyon like on a road trip? — featuring Hilton&Jenn DC

In this video: Lower Antelope Canyon, the Colorado River and Lake Powell- (Road trip Day 4)

Hilton&Jenn DC · 8 years ago

How long does a Lower Antelope Canyon tour take?

The video doesn't specify the exact duration, but the family completed their tour and were back discussing it by the 5:34-minute mark of the video, suggesting a tour length of roughly 1–2 hours plus travel time.

What this video answers

  • How long does a Lower Antelope Canyon tour take?
  • Is Lower Antelope Canyon better in the morning or afternoon?
  • Can you swim in the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry?
  • Do you need a boat to enjoy Lake Powell?
  • What time does the sunset occur in Page, Arizona?
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At a glance

Length
16 min
Channel
Hilton&Jenn DC
Video from
Sep 2018
Rating
⭐⭐ Great video · 2/2
Best for
Road-trippers who want to maximize scenic Arizona stops in one day without professional gear or backcountry experience.
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A Full Day of Northern Arizona's Best: Lower Antelope Canyon, Colorado River & Lake Powell

Day 4 of this road trip showcases one of the Southwest's most photogenic slot canyons alongside two of its most iconic water features. The video follows a family driving from Hurricane, Utah to Page, Arizona early in the morning to catch a 10:30 a.m. tour of Lower Antelope Canyon, then pivoting to add a Colorado River swim at Lee's Ferry and an afternoon at Lake Powell before dinner. It's a solid itinerary for travelers who want to experience the dramatic geology and recreation that make this corner of Arizona unforgettable.

This day suits anyone drawn to narrow canyon walls, natural light photography, and water-based cooling off in the desert heat. Whether you're a serious photographer chasing that perfect shaft of light or simply want to see the famous red-rock formations without committing to a multi-day backpacking trip, the stops here offer a manageable, single-day alternative.

Key Moments

Highlights from This Page, Arizona Adventure

  • Lower Antelope Canyon tour: walking through narrow slot canyon walls with the famous ambient light the location is known for
  • Colorado River swim at Lee's Ferry: a quick, cold dip in the Grand Canyon region at mile one of the river, about 15 minutes from Page
  • Lake Powell swimming area: a scenic pebble-beach swim with a 3/4-mile walk from the parking area and views from the Glen Canyon Dam overlook
  • Tour group photo accumulation: the family took over 1,000 photos combined across all five people during the canyon tour alone
  • Casual Mexican dinner: carne asada, flautas, and pork dishes at a local restaurant to cap the day before an early sunrise wake-up
Featured image for the guide to Lower Antelope Canyon, the Colorado River and Lake Powell- (Road trip Day 4) by Hilton&Jenn DC

What to Know Before You Book a Lower Antelope Canyon Tour

  • Strict gear restrictions: No purses, backpacks, tripods, gimbals, or selfie sticks are allowed on the Lower Antelope Canyon tour; only professional cameras, cellphones, and water bottles are permitted, with hefty fines for violations
  • Tour operator: The video used Canyons Tours for their Lower Antelope Canyon experience
  • Temperature underground: Despite the desert heat above, the canyon itself stays pleasantly cool once you descend
  • Physical demands: The tour involves walking through the canyon; one family member noted it felt shorter than expected and became somewhat repetitive by the end
  • Light conditions: The video crew hoped for dramatic shafts of light but noted the morning was overcast, meaning natural lighting may vary depending on weather and time of day
  • Lee's Ferry water: The Colorado River at Lee's Ferry is extremely cold; plan for brief swims and bring towels
  • Lake Powell beach access: The public swimming area requires a short walk and features a pebble beach, so water shoes are recommended

Common Questions About This Page-Area Road Trip Itinerary

How long does a Lower Antelope Canyon tour take?

The video doesn't specify the exact duration, but the family completed their tour and were back discussing it by the 5:34-minute mark of the video, suggesting a tour length of roughly 1–2 hours plus travel time.

Is Lower Antelope Canyon better in the morning or afternoon?

The family booked a 10:30 a.m. tour hoping to capture the famous light shafts, though they noted the overcast conditions that morning affected visibility. The best light typically occurs midday, but weather conditions play a major role.

Can you swim in the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry?

Yes. The video shows three family members taking a quick swim at Lee's Ferry, which is located at mile one of the Colorado River about 15 minutes from Page. The water is very cold, so be prepared for that shock.

Do you need a boat to enjoy Lake Powell?

The family notes that a boat is the best way to experience Lake Powell fully, but you can also swim at the designated public beach area. They walked 3/4 of a mile to access the pebble beach and had an enjoyable swim without watercraft.

What time does the sunset occur in Page, Arizona?

The family had expected to catch sunset at Horseshoe Bend around 9 p.m. based on their home time zone, but discovered the actual sunset in Arizona is much earlier—around 7 p.m.—causing them to miss it. Plan your timing accordingly if sunset views matter to your itinerary.

A still from the video Lower Antelope Canyon, the Colorado River and Lake Powell- (Road trip Day 4) by Hilton&Jenn DC
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Key Terms

Slot canyon
A narrow canyon carved by water with high, close rock walls often used for hiking and photography.
Lee's Ferry
A historic river access point on the Colorado River near Page, Arizona, used for swimming, boating, and launching river trips through the Grand Canyon.
Lake Powell
A large reservoir on the Colorado River between Utah and Arizona, popular for boating, swimming, and scenic views.
Glen Canyon Dam Overlook
A viewpoint near Page that offers panoramic views of the dam and surrounding landscape.

Sources: Slot canyon · Lee's Ferry · Lake Powell · Glen Canyon Dam Overlook — definitions cross-referenced with Wikipedia

Justin’s Take

This video is genuinely helpful because it shows what a realistic, full-day itinerary looks like in Page without overselling the experience. The family's honest feedback—calling parts of the canyon tour "a little monotonous" by the end, despite loving it overall—gives you permission to enjoy it at your own pace rather than chasing perfection. What stands out most is their willingness to adapt on the fly, adding Lee's Ferry when they realized it was close by, proving that a good road trip balances must-see spots with spontaneous exploration. I'd recommend watching this before booking your own Page-area trip.

Great video · 2 out of 2

Justin
Justin

Years on the front lines of helicopter tour coordination — not as a travel blogger, but as the person responsible for making every guest experience go right. Managed 2,000+ cruise guests weekly as Shore Excursions staff aboard the Pride of America in Hawaii Personally coordinated with helicopter tour operators to confirm age, weight, and safety requirements.

Video by Hilton&Jenn DC on YouTube. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe to their channel and show your support for the great video.

Description

On Day 4 of our road trip we drove from Hurricane, UT to Page, AZ. We went on a tour of Lower Antelope Canyon and were blown away by the beauty around us. We took about a million pictures that we're excited to share with you! After the tour we decided to add going to the Colorado River to our day and drove out to Lee's Ferry. Hilton, Fua, and Emilee braved the cold and had a quick dip. We then headed back to Page and went to swim in Lake Powell. We all cooled off and again enjoyed the beautiful scenery there and at Glen Canyon Dam Overlook. We ended our day with amazing Mexican food and tried to get to bed early so we can get up with the sun to go see Horseshoe Bend!

Look for more of our adventure on Day 5 when we wake up with the sun for Horseshoe Bend, stand on four different states at one time at Four Corners Monument and witness the amazing architecture at Mesa Verde-coming soon!!

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Video transcript for “Lower Antelope Canyon, the Colorado River and Lake Powell- (Road trip Day 4)” Accessibility

A full written transcript of this video, provided for accessibility. Select any timestamp to jump the video to that moment.

[Music]

[Music] she's gonna tell us what she's doing what I'm doing I'm driving to Page Arizona we have a tour of lower antelope this morning at 10:30 so it's about

7:45 and we're driving to Paige we have to be there bike ten there's the top along the road we think it's 65 like up waiting for us we haven't got to get yet so let's keep it that way keep taking your taking you out so are we gonna do in Page Arizona today party said we're

going on the tour of lower Antelope so those pictures you see with the lights the shafts of light coming down that's what we're hoping for but it's pretty overcast this morning so we'll see we'll see how it is and then we're gonna spend the rest of the day at Lake House my main is the plan

and horseshoe van oh yes go to Horseshoe Bend - I don't know when maybe this afternoon it's not supposed to be a hundred it's always supposed to be 98 so we have Horseshoe Bend in Lake Powell this afternoon so we're not cramming as much into one day today as a lot but for us it's a relaxing activity

[Music] [Music] and Arizona that's what we did in two hours we went

over and back and to lower antelope area

and we were reading online and found out there's a bunch of stuff that we can't take on the tour you're not allowed to take any purses or backpacks and you can't have like stabilizers no tripods no Gimbels gimbal selfie sticks the only thing that you can bring is a professional camera

which you only have to use it on your hand cellphone and a bottle water so basically if it's not you or a camera it's gonna cost a hefty fine [Music]

all right we're done with a turn Laura antelope right down there we did we use cans tours tours and well I think what's great what do you guys think it was really fun and I think that like I thought that when you'd get down there and be a lot hotter but it actually was pretty cool down there yeah it was very

nice it was a nice walk the walls are beautiful and you can take a lot of really good pictures although granted by the end you are a little bored of seeing the same walls it's it's beautiful about a little monotonous yeah well what do you think it was exactly what I was it

was more than that I was a lot shorter at some point I was like man this should go like it's still your pictures already we probably have over a thousand pictures amongst the five of us just me but it was awesome highly recommended I think it's worth every penny and it was a great experience I'm so glad we did it

how is it really good the under a little box for sure but not for you though so good power the fries delicious mmm of the lift and of course because we are in close to you Tom Idaho I guess Arizona - we knew talks about is doesn't they have

crisis we've had an addition to our plans we're gonna go check out the Colorado River so we're driving about 15 minutes from each so we will be in the Grand Canyon at the Colorado River and then we'll and maybe swimming like [Music]

[Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]

are you gonna be a balancing rock [Music]

[Applause] [Music] Papi's alright which is when and swimming the Colorado

River it was enough mile one which is Lee's ferry there is an area there to consume they're really quick that water was super cold let's get the line in the way

oh yeah I got it [Music]

we are at Lake Powell the swimming areas little ways down the road about 4 miles from the gate we came in to have to walk about 3/4 of a mile to get down reach go check it out and hopefully have that speed and also by the time we get to the car we're done swimming will be dry yeah

[Music]

[Music] look at this parking spot kissing this

impressive [Music] [Music]

I'm back from swimming and it's a little after 8 o'clock so I think we're gonna go get some dinner and probably call it a night we missed the sunset we were trying to go for sunset to Horseshoe Bend but I thought it was a 9 p.m. like in Portland it's not over here is actually a 7 like normal times we're

gonna get up super early for sunrise which is at what time five five twelve is the sunrise so quick review of Lake Powell we forgot to do that I think it was a good if you just want to get in and swim it's perfect so if you have a boat that's the best way to do lake bow and it's pretty much like a pebble beach

and you have to have probably water shoes and all that no jumping rocks for Hilton and the kids there was nothing to jump off of but we just got and swam around and that was fun and I think if you enjoy doing that then Lake Powell is perfect so we're off to dinner as soon as the kids finish showering we're y'all

just forget a shower after swimming and then we'll be off but that might be it for the end of this video and lest we find something interesting for dinner so we'll see maybe we'll see you tomorrow see you tomorrow I got a carne asada which has refried beans you gonna go wakka moly

steak and rice you don't really know these kind of pepper is it's a green one believes that Wow as a kid here's the 30s when you guys are got right Wow I'll be or at least be careful when you do oh my god

branch arrow stay creature yes thank you well would you get I gots me I have pork coming with us it is it so good I have basically the same thing as Emily it's good it's good stuff the pork is a nice thing like crunchy they really are not

like crunchy crunch ability it's good I'm just good that was good perfect I got a twist on it but did you get a Flautas okay I think I'm gonna try to steal someone filter the steak [Music]

[Applause] [Music]

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