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I've heard about one of two ways to see this area and not sure which is most accurate.

1. You have to hire your own guide ahead of time, plus pay the required Navajo fees before arriving, or...

2. Arrive at the trailhead, pay your fees and they will assign an on-the-spot guide to take you into to the slot.

Its a long way to drive just to get there...I would prefer to know what to expect before committing to the long haul.

Both are true. Although "hire your own guide" is kind of misleading... You sign up for a group tour - and there are as many as 10 groups touring the canyon at a time (like this: http://www.hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=101070). When I went, we made advance reservations with Antelope Canyon tours in Page. They have a store front in a strip mall, where you board these "monster trucks" for a white-knuckle ride into the wash. (http://www.hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=101066) Our tour guide was Navajo, she'd obviously done this a lot (like four or five times a day, every day, for years). But, she was nice, all of the guides were helpful, whoever they worked for, and I managed to get a few shots without other tourists in them mostly because that's what the guides are good at (http://www.hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=101069).

However, when we drove up to the mouth of the canyon, there was a vendor there who you could sign up with on the spot and get into the slot canyon. I think that in the high tourist season you may have a wait without reservations, but with the number of people going in and out of that place, I'd imagine you'd get in eventually. Also, many people did walk-ups at the storefront in Page.

Overall, crowded and expensive, but it was priceless to be able to drag my mom (who has mobility issues) through a gorgeous slot canyon.

I understand that this is an answer to a question that you did not ask, but I'd suggest 'Canyon X' over Antelope.

All places are regulated to charge the same price too, whether you get the tour in town or at the canyon. If you're coming during the "on season" I'd say to book in advance.
I also second the Canyon X experience.

Then Canyon X it is. Booked my trip for May. Thanks for the input.

Rick Vincent wrote:Then Canyon X it is. Booked my trip for May. Thanks for the input.

You won't be sorry.

If you do end up doing Antelope, do the lower one. When I was there, I had a tri-pod and they gave me a photo pass and I walked around by myself for 3 hrs. Seemed way less crowded than upper, and a lot more fun of a canyon to hike in.

If we haven't had enough slots after Canyon X, then I could see us stopping by lower Antelope. Kind of nice that our group will have X all to ourselves.

The big weekend is almost here. I am pumped up for Cardiac Canyon and Canyon X this Saturday. Weather looks good for the weekend. Lee at Overland Tours says its been windy and cold. Will see how things shape up. I'm sure to bring back plenty of photos to share on HAZ.