June 23, 2018 - Page, Arizona

We drove from Marble Canyon to Page, AZ.  It was a nice drive, up through some big rocks.  Here is an overlook, looking soutwest, with Vermillion Cliffs in the background.
   
 
   

We arrived in Page around 3PM or so.  We had wanted to go to Rainbow Bridge National Monument but you have to take a boat to see that and there is only one boat trip a day, which we were too late for.  So we decided to go see Upper Antelope Canyon.  I had seen Lower Antelope Canyon on my Green River flight back in 2014, but wanted Lynnette to see Antelope Canyon.  So we headed straight for Upper Antelope Canyon.  My understanding was that the Upper canyon was better.

I wasn't sure if we would be able to go on a tour without reservations but we were able to get on the 4PM tour.  But, it was $60 apiece!  Cash.  I swallowed hard, and forked over the $120.  I don't remember Lower canyon being so expensive.

You walked a short distance to the Lower canyon entrance and then went down some stairs.  At this canyon, they shutted you to the entrance in the back of a pickup truck, along a very sandy and bumpy dry river bed.  Here is a shot looking back at towards the facility area.

   
 
Looking forward.
 
Here is an informative article on the differences between Upper and Lower Canyon.  I have been to both now and it is right on the mark, but said much better than I could.  Link
   

I had been to Lower Antelope Canyon four years ago and enjoyed it greatly. On that visit, the guide set my Canon Digital Rebel camera up and I got great pictures.  Link.

The Upper canyon was very crowded. I asked the guide to set up my camera and he did, but the pictures were nowhere near as good as from Lower canyon four years ago. The guide did take multiple pictures of Lynnette and I at certain spots. He was knowledgeable, articulate and knew all the best spots. That said, the pictures were not nearly as good as from the Lower canyon.

   
 
   
The canyon was crowded from start to finish.
   
The canyon was crowded from start to finish.
   
 Can you find the wolf's head on the left side?
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Exiting at Upper Antelope Canyon.  We hung out for five minutes or so, then walked quickly back through the whole thing to the entrance where the shuttles were.
   
All the shuttles waiting for us as we emerged.  The ride back was ridiculous, going very fast over all the bumps. There were prominent signs in the truck bed, saying it was OK to tip the guide, but no one in our truck gave anything.  I felt $60 was way, way too much for this tour. $30 would have been pushing it. Go to Lower Antelope Canyon if you have the choice. Maybe the Upper would be good at 10:30AM when they have the light shafts, but I'm sure that is stupid crowded.  Maybe it was because this was my second time in Antelope Canyon, but the magic just wasn't there for me.
   
I splurged on the hotel room in Page, figuring it would be nice after a week on the Colorado River.  It was!  The room even had a big tub in the bedroom area!
   
 
   
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