Antelope Canyon & Page, Arizona: A Day of Surprises
As I mentioned in my last post, just figuring out when to get to Antelope Canyon turned out to be a logistical puzzle worthy of its own chapter. Microsoft Copilot said Page, Arizona—where Antelope Canyon is located—was an hour behind Colorado and Utah. Bing said it was the same time. Google said one hour behind. Ultimately, I decided to err on the side of caution, and go by what Bing and Apple Maps was suggesting time-wise.
When we finally arrived, my phone and Andrea’s phone showed times one hour apart—even though we were at the same place. So while my car clock remained the only constant, we were left scratching our heads as to what time it really was.
After we parked and went up to the window of a small building, I declared, “I’m here to check in for the 10:45 tour.” The employee very nonchalantly said, “Great—but you’re an hour early.”
“Well, better an hour early than an hour late,” I told Andrea. “Let’s go get breakfast in town.”
The Subway Rip-Off in Page, Arizona
So we drove to a Subway restaurant in the middle of Page. That turned into its own unforgettable experience.
Not because of the ambiance. Or even the food. But the bill somehow cost nearly $40.
Ever spend that much for two sandwiches (one of them only six inches) and a drink at Subway? I know we are at least 10 years beyond the famous $5 foot-longs, but still, it gave me sticker shock. When the cashier told me the total, I asked her to itemize each of the three items placed in front of her. My 12” Meatball Marinara was $14, Andrea’s 6” Grilled Chicken Avocado was also $14 (though the posted menu said $12), and a bottle of Celsius Orange Sparkling drink was $5. Add in a small fountain drink they forgot to remove (but I didn’t realize until inspecting the receipt long afterward), plus a whopping 11% sales tax, and voilà—$39.92.
When I questioned it, the employee quickly said, “It’s because this is a tourist place.”
“Whatever,” I said. I wasn’t going to squabble over a few dollars. But I was thinking more along the lines of, “bullsh*t—this fast food restaurant is part of a strip mall in the middle of a real town, not an airport or some island.”
That experience reminded me of the rocky relationship I’ve had with Subway. The time in West Wendover, Nevada, when an employee took 20 minutes to make two sandwiches. Or the time in Cleveland, Ohio, when a mumbling employee took 40 minutes to make one for an elderly man I had to translate the mumbling for—and then mine. Or, worst of all, in Antigua, Guatemala, where using my debit card there (my last transaction in the country, and the only time I used plastic there because I had run out of cash) led to the employee skimming it and—weeks later—draining hundreds of dollars from my account (reimbursed by my bank, which took the loss).
Needless to say, I’ll think twice before visiting an unfamiliar Subway again. I may even boycott the entire chain apart from the one in Fort Collins that I know is decent. At the very least, I should check the reviews beforehand. If I did for this one in Page, I would have noticed it garnered a terrible two-star rating and hundreds of complaints about rudeness and price gouging.
Redemption at Upper Antelope Canyon
If the morning started with confusion and overpriced sandwiches, it soon turned around.
When we got back to Antelope Canyon, I saw that the posted prices were $140.85/person for tours with Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours. But days before, I had booked ours online for $128/person, saving a total of $26—effectively offsetting the Subway debacle.
We did the 10:45 a.m. Upper Antelope Canyon tour, since Copilot said midday lighting was best for photography.
Our Navajo guide was outstanding—friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. He knew all the best photo spots and even showed everyone how to set the optimal iPhone filter (Vivid Warm) to use for the glowing orange sandstone. Many times, he’d take our phones and snap photos for us, framing them perfectly so we could be in them too. Several of the photos in this post were actually taken by him.
Andrea had dreamed of visiting Antelope Canyon for years after seeing it on Instagram. I, on the other hand, hadn’t heard of it until she told me about it. Only later did I realize that some of the iconic Windows 7 desktop wallpapers I’d admired years ago were actually taken here.
Upper Antelope Canyon is the more famous of the two slot canyons because of its light beams, easy access (flat sandy floor instead of steep ladders), and wider chambers that photograph beautifully. At various points—all pointed out by our guide—you could see silhouettes of a candle, a woman, or horseheads. Or even Jaws (the shark).
Lower Antelope Canyon, while less crowded and cheaper, is narrower, deeper, and requires climbing metal staircases—more of an adventure, but not ideal for everyone. Still, it would make for a good reason to return to the area sometime in the future.
Stories from the Canyon
Our guide shared fascinating (and sometimes sobering) stories.
He pointed out vandalism—someone (naturally, a teenage boy) had carved their name into the canyon wall years ago. Then there was the infamous National Geographic incident, when photographers bored holes in the canyon walls to mount cameras for filming a flash flood. The flood washed away their equipment, and the Navajo Nation was so angered by the ill-considered act that they banned National Geographic from Antelope Canyon for life.
Flash floods remain a real risk here. One had swept through just weeks before our visit, leaving behind twisted tree roots wedged into crevices. We were lucky to have perfect weather.
As for the canyon’s discovery—our guide said it was first found by a young Navajo girl in the 1930s while herding sheep. According to legend, she followed an antelope into a narrow crack in the earth and emerged into this hidden world of light and stone. She still lives nearby, now elderly, but the canyon remains sacred to her people.
Antelope Canyon truly felt magical—every curve and shadow, every shimmer of reflected light, felt like walking through nature’s cathedral.
Lunch with a View: Sunset 89
After the tour, I asked Microsoft Copilot for a restaurant with great views in Page. This time, I checked the reviews first.
We ended up at Sunset 89, a modern restaurant perched above the Colorado River leading towards Lake Powell. It was nearly empty when we arrived—quiet, airy, and relaxing.
The waitress was incredibly friendly. When I asked for a nonalcoholic beer and she said they didn’t have any, she suggested a house-made mocktail with lime, berries, and mint. It sounded so refreshing I ordered it immediately.
Andrea had a beer, and we shared a massive basket of sweet potato fries—crispy and golden, more than enough for two.
We lingered on the back patio, soaking in the lake views and the perfect late-summer weather.
At one point, I asked, “Sorry, I know this is a dumb question, but what time is it?”
She laughed and said, “Not a dumb question at all!” She explained that Arizona doesn’t observe daylight savings, but the Navajo Nation does—so everyone gets confused, and the phones don’t help either.
When the bill came, I was pleasantly surprised. The mocktail and fries were something like only $6 each. The whole tab before tipping was about $20. After the Subway fiasco, it felt like poetic justice. I left her a 30% tip.
Horseshoe Bend
In the afternoon, we drove north to Horseshoe Bend, another highlight of Page. It’s an easy ¾-mile hike from the parking lot ($10 parking fee, implemented since 2019). The red sandstone terrain was soft underfoot, and the air pleasantly cool under the overcast sky.
When we reached the viewpoint, the panorama stopped us in our tracks. The Colorado River made a dramatic 270-degree curve below us, shimmering turquoise against the copper cliffs—a natural masterpiece shaped over millions of years.
There must have been a hundred people there, some as spellbound as we were. We lingered here for a while to take photos. I scampered up several rocks.
As we headed back to the car, Andrea pointed toward a blue triangular vehicle and said, “Oh—I thought that was a garbage container.” I looked over and burst out laughing—it was a Tesla Cybertruck, vinyl-wrapped in blue. She wasn’t the first to make that comparison.
Onward to Kayenta
From there, we continued south toward Kayenta, where we’d spend the night. The drive was dark and desolate, and we were the only ones on the road. Or so I thought—at one point, we suddenly encountered a large, shadowy creature crossing the road after a bend. It was a horse! Luckily, I was driving cautiously and not speeding, otherwise we could have easily hit it.
The next morning, we’d venture back through Monument Valley, capping off a day trip full of surprises—some frustrating, many beautiful, and all unforgettable.
There are 2 comments.
We are planning a trip to Antelope canyon too in 2026! This has been good info.
You will love Antelope Canyon! Just don't go to the Subways in Page (the two that are there are owned by the same person, apparently) and book your tour tickets online in advance.