Antelope Canyon X Guided Tour Page

Antelope Canyon X, the quiet slot canyon

Antelope Canyon X lies on Navajo land about 13 km east of Page, a short drive from the more famous upper and lower canyons. It was opened to visitors much more recently, and for that reason it is still the calmest of the three, with fewer groups on the trail and more time to stop for photos. Like its neighbours, it was carved over thousands of years by flash floods rushing through soft Navajo sandstone, leaving smooth, curving walls.

The canyon is formed by two passages: a narrower one with high, tight walls and a wider section where light bounces from wall to wall in shades of orange, red and gold. An Antelope Canyon X tour is ideal if you have already seen the other canyons, if you prefer to avoid crowds in high season, or if you want to photograph the sandstone without a constant flow of visitors behind you.

The famous X shape and the light inside

The canyon owes its name to the place where two slot passages cut across each other. Standing at the crossing and looking up, you see the narrow openings in the rock meet in a clear X against the sky, a view that makes Canyon X one of the most photographed spots on Navajo land. Your guide shows you exactly where to stand and how to frame the shot with your phone or camera.

Inside, the walls rise in waves and folds, and when the sun is high, thin beams of light sometimes reach the sandy floor, especially from late spring to early autumn around midday. In the morning and late afternoon the colours are deeper and softer. The walk down into the canyon follows a sandy path, and the return climbs back up, so plan about one hour in total and wear sturdy shoes.

Navajo land and your licensed guide

Canyon X, like all of Antelope Canyon, lies within the Navajo Nation, and access is respectfully restricted to tours with licensed guides. The canyons have deep meaning for the Diné, the Navajo people, and the guided system keeps visitors safe, because guides follow the weather closely and close the canyon whenever a flash flood is possible, even when the sky above Page looks clear.

Your guide shares how the sandstone formed from ancient dunes, how water shapes the canyon after every storm and how local families care for this land. Listen to the instructions, stay on the path and avoid touching or climbing the walls, which are fragile and easily marked. Visiting with a guide also means stories and photo tips you would never find alone, and you leave with a deeper respect for this landscape.

Page, Highway 98 and the best time to visit Canyon X

The Canyon X check-in is at milepost 308 on Highway 98, about 15 minutes by car east of central Page. There is parking on site, and the drive passes through open desert with views of red mesas. Page itself is the best base for the area, with hotels and restaurants within easy reach of Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend and the Glen Canyon Dam overlook.

The best time to visit Antelope Canyon X is from March to October, when the light is strongest, with late morning departures for the brightest colours and earlier slots for cooler temperatures in summer. Winter brings fewer visitors and crisp, clear days. Many travellers book Canyon X in the morning and Horseshoe Bend at sunset, which fits comfortably into one day in Page.