What does Antelope Canyon in Arizona look like from above? — featuring Micah

In this video: Tour of Antelope Canyon, Arizona | Google Earth Pro

Micah · 8 years ago

Is Antelope Canyon safe to explore on my own?

The video does not detail safety requirements or whether exploration must be guided. Consult the official Antelope Canyon website (antelopecanyon.az) before planning your visit to understand current access rules and necessary precautions.

What this video answers

  • Is Antelope Canyon safe to explore on my own?
  • How long does a typical visit take?
  • What's the difference between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon?
  • Is Canyon X (Mark Cave) suitable if I dislike enclosed spaces?
  • When is the best time to visit for photography?
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At a glance

Length
9 min
Channel
Micah
Video from
Aug 2018
Rating
⭐⭐ Great video · 2/2
Best for
Southwest travelers planning a trip to Arizona; photographers scouting canyon formations; armchair explorers curious about desert geology.
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What to Expect When Exploring Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Antelope Canyon is a striking natural wonder carved into Arizona's desert landscape, where wind and water have sculpted towering sandstone walls into smooth, flowing formations over millennia. The video uses Google Earth Pro's 360-degree views to guide you through multiple sections of this vast canyon system, spanning an 80-mile area dotted with narrow slot canyons, natural arches, and colorful rock formations. This is ideal for armchair travelers wanting to scout the region before visiting, photographers planning a trip, or anyone curious about Southwest geology without needing to commit to a full ground tour.

The region sits at the intersection of Arizona and Utah, characterized by arid high desert terrain that once hosted flowing rivers—the very water that carved these dramatic cuts. The video shows why Antelope Canyon draws explorers: the interplay of light filtering through narrow passages, unexpected rock formations, and the sheer scale of the landscape make it a photographer's and nature lover's destination worth planning ahead for.

Key Moments

Key Sights Within the Antelope Canyon Area

  • Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon slots — narrow, winding passages with smooth sandstone walls and dramatic light shafts filtering from above
  • Canyon X (or Mark Cave) — a more subterranean slot canyon offering a darker, cave-like experience for those who enjoy semi-underground formations
  • Rainbow Bridge — a massive natural rock arch a couple of miles from the main canyon, formed by water erosion leaving only the stone arch standing
  • Navajo Bridge — a historic walking bridge spanning a canyon with striking views of green water and dramatic Wild West scenery
  • The Wave — an otherworldly rock formation that resembles a frozen wave, with layered striations and a narrow ledge perspective that challenges your sense of space
  • Toroweap (Totals)—red rock formations with white mineral stripes just over the Utah border, creating an apocalyptic, otherworldly landscape
Featured image for the guide to Tour of Antelope Canyon, Arizona | Google Earth Pro by Micah

Important Details Before Planning Your Visit

  • Extreme desert climate — the region is described as harsh and dry; water once flowed through these canyons but no longer does, so come prepared for arid conditions
  • Photography opportunity — the formations, especially those with overhead light filtering through, are renowned for striking photographs; plan time and bring appropriate camera gear
  • Claustrophobia consideration — some slots like Canyon X are tight and underground; if you're uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, opt for the more open upper canyon areas
  • Multiple access points — the canyon system has various sections (316 area, Upper, Lower, Canyon X) scattered across the region; you won't see everything in one day
  • Use Google Earth Pro — the video demonstrates how this free tool lets you scout 360-degree views of the canyon before booking, helping you decide which sections appeal to you
  • Nearby formations — Rainbow Bridge and Navajo Bridge are a couple of miles away; plan a loop if you're visiting multiple sites

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Antelope Canyon

Is Antelope Canyon safe to explore on my own?

The video does not detail safety requirements or whether exploration must be guided. Consult the official Antelope Canyon website (antelopecanyon.az) before planning your visit to understand current access rules and necessary precautions.

How long does a typical visit take?

The video does not specify a tour duration. However, given that multiple distinct areas (Upper Canyon, Lower Canyon, Canyon X, Rainbow Bridge, Navajo Bridge, and The Wave) are scattered across an 80-mile region, plan for at least a full day if you want to see more than one section.

What's the difference between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon?

According to the video, both feature narrow slots with smooth sandstone walls carved by ancient water flow. Lower Antelope Canyon appears very similar in beauty but is described separately, suggesting different access routes or slightly different canyon characteristics; the video does not detail specific distinctions between the two.

Is Canyon X (Mark Cave) suitable if I dislike enclosed spaces?

The presenter expresses discomfort with cave-like environments and notes that Canyon X feels "super dark" and "more underground" compared to the open-air slots. If you prefer natural light and open passages, stick to Upper Antelope Canyon instead.

When is the best time to visit for photography?

The video highlights how light filtering through narrow overhead passages creates stunning visual effects, particularly in the main canyon slots. Visit during midday hours when sunlight is strongest, though the video does not specify exact times or seasonal recommendations.

A still from the video Tour of Antelope Canyon, Arizona | Google Earth Pro by Micah
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Key Terms

Slot canyon
A narrow canyon carved by water erosion through rock, with steep sandstone walls close together overhead.
Sandstone
A sedimentary rock formed from compressed sand grains, which erodes smoothly and creates the flowing formations seen throughout Antelope Canyon.
Natural arch
A bridge-like rock formation created when water or wind erodes the center of a rock formation while leaving the outer arch standing.
Water erosion
The gradual carving and smoothing of rock surfaces by flowing water over thousands or millions of years.
360-degree view
A panoramic image or video that shows the entire landscape in all directions from a single point.

Sources: Slot canyon · Sandstone · Natural arch · Water erosion · 360-degree view — definitions cross-referenced with Wikipedia

Justin’s Take

This video is genuinely helpful for pre-trip scouting because it takes you through the major formations and landmarks as they actually appear on the ground, giving you a realistic sense of scale, light, and terrain. The presenter's honest reactions—especially his discomfort in the darker canyon—help you self-assess whether certain sections suit your preferences.

What stands out most is how the video uses 360-degree imagery to show you not just the rocks but the human perspective within them: a person walking through, someone sitting on a ledge, the actual lighting and shadow play. If you're planning a Southwest trip or scouting Antelope Canyon before booking, this gives you far more useful information than static photos alone. I'd recommend it without hesitation for anyone seriously considering a visit.

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 Micah on YouTube. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe to their channel and show your support for the great video.

Description

Antelope canyon is a beautiful gem in the middle of a harsh desert/mountain climate in Arizona.
Here's the official site - https://antelopecanyon.az/

Google Earth Pro - https://www.google.com/earth/download...

Here's all the links to my other platforms and things you can do to support my channel (for free) - https://linkkle.com/micahdjohns

Video transcript for “Tour of Antelope Canyon, Arizona | Google Earth Pro” Accessibility

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

welcome back to another video we're gonna explore another interesting place in the worth so I'm glad you're here today we're gonna be looking at Antelope Canyon in Arizona so come on down here to this desert wasteland we're gonna check out some really cool 360s so I'm just show you our view here this

is these are some rivers right in here they just cut through just massive expanses of canyons I'm gonna take my ruler tool and just kind of get an idea like this is an 80-mile you know why it's worth area here that the massive I mean there's a ton more over here but my gosh massive massive area so

there's been some really cool he's this isn't just a version this happens here that we're gonna see in these 360s so with the wind in the water that used to flip through these canyons because it doesn't anymore his supersuit too dry here as made these really really cool-looking cuts in its case and this is a specific

area work it's gonna be looking at we're gonna be looking at 316 area two so let's check this out [Music] okay I'm gonna step back and just let just blows really quick you can see this tuckus I think it says sandstone this is really cool this reminds me kind of uh

what somebody would James Franco 127 hours or something like that where he gets his hand stuck in a rock and he can't get out of it I don't I forgot what it is but if this kind of looks similar to what he was climbing it and you look up just a simple a lot of lights falls through here he's super

amazing place let's go let's go get some mom you see straight down the street here this is lower Antelope Canyon and you know it kind of looks similar but the beauty and how these rocks have just been cut over time is amazing okay let's go check out another here I think is the mark cave or sort of a little more

subterranean Hey look at this look at this the lady right here she's just taking a walk through this Wow looks like it's super dark in here compared to the other ones we saw it's a lot more under the ground very cool if you like caves but you don't want to feel like you're completely underground this would

probably be pretty sweet I don't like being the case at all I want to get crushed by or feel like I'm claustrophobic setting I want to do that plus it gets 360 as well this is another one of the good ones just gives you an example you can see this guy right here and this massive sweeping cut I mean

this and they take for some really cool photography to come out here and Arizona so you know it's time it's not like a place of everybody's trying to go really neat I wonder how hot it is here alright let's see what else let's go to our next through 16

and so I'm gonna have to check this whenever we zoom out but this looks like it was in the middle of a little state year so that's kind of interesting once again super cool I mean just picture this and ceilings I don't understand how this got placed here because this is definitely not where it should be it's

in the middle of the street but you know there's things like that in Google yeah I can't explain that be honest with you and I'm not sure about this town but as you can tell from the green patches they definitely water their grass they're not getting away with it any other any other way in fact

doesn't look like any of the residential spaces all human have grass but a lot of them don't interesting any out let's go check this out um there's another 360 called Rainbow Bridge around here that's the location what is that a rainbow bridge and it's kind of you know up the road a little bit a couple of miles away

I think it's just the formation of it is the arch massive rock arch it's not too big but that's definitely something to come check out pretty cool rock formation and you just got to think about what the water would have done to actually make this and had to cut through that center piece there and just

leave nothing but the rest is around here so that's pretty rare let's check out so there's a bridge over a canyon that look pretty sweet so the old Navajo bridge so I don't know at what point in time it was a you know used by the Navajos or was about up just called a door what I don't imagine I mean maybe

Native Americans built the bridge across the canyon oh no that would be crazy look how green this water is disgusting [Music] but I look super Wild West out here this is a really cool I guess this is just a walking bridge it doesn't look like it's uh I guess maybe it is big enough for a

card but I can't confirmed at all and it looks like the cars to go across over there maybe the walk inside all right let's pop out of this let's see we're gonna look at two more things so bear with me here look how cool he is see that bridge and see it looks oh it's a 3d to run up there very cool

[Music] this is called the wave so I'm sure you get to all these places in one day but I would definitely go see this and whether I just it's rock but it looks like a wave very very cool and perspective it is a person over here just hanging out enjoying it you see all the layers of

the rock that's super interesting it just looks like it's a base in here that we're kind of sitting in the cameras and I were sitting on the edge of the Shelf kind of wow that will make you lose your perspective of what's the what the where the floor is the bunch of three sixes here we have you check it eyes at the

wave coyote buttes and there's one more thing I wanted to show you outside of you taking a peek at this mountain area that's cool how that wave formation is just nestled in there edge that mountain pocket very cool let's go over here and look at the totals this is County Utah just guess oh

right over the border I forget out west which dates our border to which I know my job is terribly but this is just rabbits you this is oh just gorgeous the Red Rock with these white stripes now is really cool I don't know how I got like that but Marius looks like straight-up apocalyptic ash just

fell over half of this really neat so I guess they're called totes so because these rock formations right here that's awesome to want to go out west so that but anyways that's the last 360 guys I definitely go check this place out don't forget to download employer pro is free you just follow the link in the

description and you can get that thanks for watching this I appreciate it I'm going banging out some more videos so like comment subscribe and have a good one

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