The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní dóó Hazdistazí, which means “the place where water runs through rocks.” Upper Antelope is at about 4,000 feet elevation and the canyon walls rise 120 feet above the streambed. Located within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation.

Originally, private 4WD vehicles were allowed to drive to the Upper canyon, but now all visitors arrive by escorted jeep transport. It is now not possible to continue on foot, although for many people this may be a good thing – walking is very difficult, especially in the intense heat of summer – the 2 miles through deep shifting sand took over an hour. This is the section of Antelope Canyon that most people visited. It’s easy to get into as it has a flat sandy bottom.

When approaching the canyon, there is no obvious clue as to its location. The trail seems to end at the base of a red sandstone plateau about 65 feet high, but the sight of an Indian jeweler stall soon indicates its position – the canyon is a narrow curved slit in the cliffs only a few meters wide. Once inside the entrance, the temperature drops 20 degrees as you enter one of the most beautiful of all natural formations. The sunlight filtering down the curved sandstone walls makes magical, constantly changing patterns and shadows in many subtle shades of color. Some sections of the canyon are wide and bright, while others are narrower and more cave-like, with no light reaching the sandy floor. After only 500 feet or so, the canyon becomes suddenly much shallower near the top of the plateau. It may take only 3 minutes to walk through, but the canyon is well worth the arduous trek or expensive journey required to get there. Pictures taken here adorn camera shops and photographic manuals throughout the world, and usually there will be several people with tripods and light meters trying to compose the perfect shot, and grumbling when other people walk in front of their 2-minute exposure.