Destination Detour: July 2012

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

The last couple of weeks I talked about fantastical places that were outside of the U.S. so this week I wanted to come a little closer to home and show you some sights you may not have realized are right in our own back yard.

Antelope Canyon is considered sacred ground to the Navajo Indians, This "slot" canyon is now one of the most visited and photographed locations in the United States Southwest. You could spend an entire day there and still not see everything.

The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní, which means "the place where water runs through rocks." Lower Antelope Canyon is Hazdistazí (advertised as "Hasdestwazi" by the Navajo Parks and Recreation Department), or "spiral rock arches." Both are located within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation

Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone mostly due to flash flooding. During monsoon season, rainwater runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways.

Over time the passageways are eroded away, making the corridors deeper and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic 'flowing' shapes in the rock. NOTE: Some of these images will be available as desktop and wallpaper images on the Real 2 Net site soon.

Flooding in the canyon still occurs with the most recent one being on October 30, 2006. It lasted 36 hours, and caused the Tribal Park Authorities to close Lower Antelope Canyon for five months.

(This next image is my favorite because it is shaped like a Heart)

Antelope Canyon is located near Lake Powell, North of Flagstaff Arizona just before the Utah border, and it's a short drive from either Phoenix or Las Vegas. Here is a map so you can see it's location more clearly.

View Larger Map

Nature has so many wonders to behold and enjoy. If man can come to a point of respect and revere nature for the awesome force that it is, I believe many things in our society would change. The Indians knew what they were doing, we should take a hint from them :-)

MORE INFORMATION ON ANTELOPE CANYON: