Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon was formed by the erosion of Navajo Sandstone Over time the passageways eroded away, deepening the corridors and smoothing hard edges to form characteristic "flowing" shapes. ==Tourism and sightseeing==

Photography within the canyons is difficult due to the wide exposure range (often 10 EV or more) made by light reflecting off the canyon walls. Lower Antelope Canyon Even following the installation of stairways, it is a more difficult hike than Upper Antelope. It is longer and narrower in places, and even footing is not available in all areas. Five flights of stairs of varying widths are currently available to aid in descent and ascent. At the end, the climb out requires flights of stairs. Additionally, sand continually falls from the crack above and can make the stairs slippery. Flooded Antelope Canyon Below the Lower Canyon described above, the canyon floor descends beneath the water, making it accessible by kayak, paddleboard and small motor boats. Depending on water levels kayakers can paddle about 1 to 2 miles into the canyon (as of 2024), then beach their kayak and explore by foot. == Flash flooding ==

Antelope Canyon is visited exclusively through guided tours, in part because rains during monsoon season can quickly flood it. Rain does not have to fall on or near the Antelope Canyon slots for flash floods to whip through; rain falling dozens of miles away can funnel into them with little notice. On August 12, 1997, eleven tourists, including seven from France, one from the United Kingdom, one from Sweden and two from the United States, were killed in Lower Antelope Canyon by a flash flood. Some of them were rescued and some had to wait for the flood waters to recede. There were reports that a woman and her nine-year-old son were injured as they were washed away downstream, but no fatalities were reported. ==References==