Explore Antelope Canyon X: Smaller Crowds & Photography Tours

Antelope Canyon X is a section of the world-famous wash on the Navajo Nation near Page, Arizona.

You can visit several parts of the canyon with Navajo guides, to check out and photograph the beautiful sandstone walls, which have been carved away over time by water and wind.

Key Info on Antelope Canyon X

You have to go with a guide on a tour.
Fewer people are allowed into Antelope X daily, compared to other parts of the slot canyon.
Photography tours are allowed here, unlike other parts of the canyon.
Cardiac Canyon is adjacent, and operated by the same family.

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Antelope Canyon X Tours

Taadidiin Tours is the only company offering tours to Antelope Canyon X and Cardiac Canyon. They specialize in smaller groups, and allow fewer people into the canyon each day compared to Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon.

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Antelope X Tour Basics

90 minutes
Good for all ages
Location: 12 miles on Highway 98E from Page, AZ
Navajo guides lead you through 2 slot canyons
No ladders involved, but expect uneven sandy pathways

Photography Tour

Photography tours are canceled and unavailable in most parts of Antelope Canyon … but …. they’re still offered at Antelope Canyon X!

They’re slightly more expensive, but lengthy: 3 hours. That allows photographers to find and shoot different locations in different light, as the sun moves across the sky during the day.

People who book photography tours can bring a tripod and camera bag.

The Experience in the Slot Canyon

Your guide will take you to two different spots in the slot canyon.

Hike Difficulty

There’s a 200-foot staircase to get into Canyon X, but there are no ladders involved. It’s a semi-steep walk down into the canyon.

The ground is rugged and uneven in spots inside the canyon, but most people will have no problem on the tour.

The X at Antelope X

There are really two X’s you’ll see on your tour. The first is an X pattern in the rocks above the area people used to enter. It took me a minute, but I spotted it!

The second X appears while you’re inside the slot canyon. In one spot, if you look straight up, the sandstone cliffs close in and form the shape of an X in the sky above.

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The Light Beams

Parts of Antelope Canyon are known to photography enthusiasts for light beams that shine down, illuminating the dust in the canyon.

These are only visible when the sun is high in the sky during the summer months.

Photographers say the beams are best six weeks before and after the summer solstice.

Usually, the beams are visible in a couple parts of Antelope Canyon X by mid-May. They last through August.

PRO TIP: For your best chances of seeing (and photographing) the beams, book a midday tour in the summer

I’ve never quite hit it right with my timing, but we came close once in Lower Antelope Canyon:

How to Get to Antelope X

Antelope Canyon is a desert wash, which empties into Lake Powell in Page, AZ.

The entrance to Antelope Canyon X is on the southern end of the canyon, about 12 miles east of town on Highway 98.

You’ll check-in at the office, and be driven down to the entrance of Antelope Canyon X in a van.

Phoenix to Page

It’s about a 4.5-hour drive north, from Phoenix to Page, AZ. Visitors can begin a road trip in Phoenix and Scottsdale, before going to Sedona, then Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon while winding their way up to Page.

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Las Vegas to Page

Page is the same distance to both Phoenix and Las Vegas. The drive is 4.5 hours, and around 275 miles. Visitors can drive from Vegas through St. George, Utah, and Zion National Park on their way to Page.

You can also book a day trip tour from Vegas to Antelope X:

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Fly into Page, AZ

Page has a small airport with one commercial airline. Contour Airlines flies a plane back and forth to PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor a couple of times each day. It’s a quick 30-45 minute flight each way.

Jared Dillingham taking a Contour Airlines flight from Page to Phoenix

Best Time to Visit Antelope Canyon X

Antelope Canyon is open year-round, so the best time to visit depends on your preferences.

Tour guides tell me: they see their smallest crowds in the winter (December and January).

Summers are hot, but the temperature stays a bit cooler in the canyon. Plus, with the sun rising higher in the sky, it helps to illuminate more of the canyon walls.

A winter visit will be cooler, but still enjoyable. The Page area sees light snow a few times a year, which might stick around for a day or two before melting off.

A winter visit comes with a weather “wild card.” If you’re driving from Utah, the roads get rough in winter storms at higher elevations. The same is true in the Flagstaff area if you’re going north through Arizona to Page.

Most days, Antelope Canyon operates without any weather-related impacts.

Storm Warnings

It’s important to note : monsoon storms during the summer, and other weather systems during other times of the year, could impact your visit to any part of Antelope Canyon.

If there’s a threat of a flash flood in the canyon, tours will be canceled. Customers will be given a refund or can be rebooked on another tour after the weather clears.

Closures & Cancelations

Tours of Canyon X typically don’t operate on a few select dates during the year. These will be reflected on the booking calendar.

Tours of Cardiac Canyon and the special photography tours don’t usually operate on holidays.

Visit Cardiac Canyon & Antelope X in One Day

Cardiac Canyon is another section of Antelope Canyon operated by Taadidiin. It only recently opened to the public, and the tour experience here is truly unique.

Only a handful of people are taken into Cardiac Canyon each day, and the tour lasts around 6 hours!

This part of the canyon gained its nickname from the steep entrance you’ll have to descend and then climb back up. This one is recommended for visitors who have some hiking experience and are in decent shape.

Two guides will lead you down, show you around, and then leave you to explore the canyon on your own. They say past visitors have brought books to read, taken naps, and done yoga inside.

This stretch of the canyon is 2.5 miles. Afterwards, you can opt to visit Antelope Canyon X, too.

Where to Stay Near Antelope Canyon

Page is home to a growing number of hotel and rental options! You can plug your dates into this interactive map (powered by Booking, VRBO, and other trusted names) to see rates and availability for your trip:

We’ve stayed at the Hyatt Place in Page many times, because of the big rooms, friendly staff, and great restaurant on site!

Antelope X vs Upper & Lower Antelope Canyon

Other parts of Antelope Canyon are operated a bit differently, by different Navajo families. Both Upper and Lower Antelope will be more crowded than Antelope Canyon X, but still offer beautiful experiences.

Upper Antelope Canyon

Upper Antelope Canyon is slightly closer to Page, and is mostly an A-shaped portion of the canyon. The walls are tighter at the top, meaning less light gets through. It creates moodier, darker photos.

Tours of Upper Antelope involve riding in a jeep from Page out to the location. There are no ladders involved at Upper Antelope

Lower Antelope Canyon

Lower Antelope is closest to the end of the canyon, where it runs into Lake Powell.

The canyon is V-shaped here, allowing a lot of light in from above. This creates brighter, orangey walls inside.

Walking up steps inside Lower Antelope Canyon

Important for visitors: tours of Lower Antelope will involve ladders to get you down into the canyon, and to help get you up into different levels.

Two companies offer tours of Lower Antelope Canyon: Dixie’s and Ken’s Tours. Dixie and Ken are siblings, and their family has operated the tours here for decades.

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FAQs About Antelope Canyon X

Let’s go over a few frequently-asked-questions about Antelope Canyon X:

How much does it cost to visit Antelope Canyon?

Different parts of Antelope Canyon will cost different amounts, ranging from about $50 per adult to $100+.

Costs are lower for children, and you might find discounts in different parts of Antelope Canyon in January.

Can you visit Antelope Canyon X without a tour?

No, all sections of Antelope Canyon are part of the Navajo Nation and privately owned and operated.

You’ll need to book a tour with a guide to take you through Antelope X and the others.

Why is it called Antelope Canyon X?

There’s an “X” in the rock pattern on a sandstone wall above an entrance to the canyon, which gave it its name.

How long is an Antelope X tour?

The tour will take about 90 minutes for each group.

Is Antelope X good for kids or seniors?

There’s a 200-foot staircase to get into this part of the canyon, but there are no ladders involved, so it’s great for people of all ages.

Unfortunately, if you have mobility challenges or use a walker or wheelchair, they advise against taking this tour.

Do you need a reservation, or can you walk in?

I’d recommend making a reservation for your preferred timeslot in advance, but if you arrive without a reservation they’ll do their best to accommodate you.

What can you bring on a tour?

Water and a cell phone are allowed. There are no bags allowed.

Are dogs or pets allowed on tours?

No animals are allowed into Antelope Canyon X. The list of banned items includes:

Drones
Video recording
Strollers
Smoking
Bags of any size
Tripods (unless on the photography tour)

What else is there to see in Page?

The list is endless, and I have a whole blog on my favorite things to do in Page.

I have separate posts on more of my favorite sites:

Wrap: Is Antelope Canyon X Worth It?

When people ask me which part of Antelope Canyon they should visit, my answer is always: as many parts as you have time for!

You’ll learn something new and different on each tour, and the light will hit the curvy sandstone walls differently in each spot.

I love Antelope Canyon X because they truly deliver something different. You won’t feel crowded on the tours, since far fewer people are allowed in this part of the canyon each day.

As is the case with all parts of Antelope Canyon, the guides are all friendly and knowledgeable, and you’ll walk away with a better appreciation for the land, the people, and the culture … along with amazing photos!