Retired1

Hi all. After going on a GC 5 day raft trip, we spend the night somewhere (unimportant to this story!) and then we drive on to GC south rim for 1 night at El Tovar. After the one night at El Tovar, we have reservations in Sedona for the next 3 nights. We need a somewhat easy ride and time of it (as in not 10 consecutive twisty winding hours spent in a car!), so that's why I picked Sedona for the next stop. It looked like a pretty and short-ish drive with easy stops along the way.
But now I am wondering, when we leave the GC, would it be possible for us to make a detour to go see Antelope Canyon (if the weather looks co-operative) and then continue on that same day to Sedona without it being too hard of a whole day in the car and having to rush and not enjoy the ride? I had marked Antelope off my list since we had to modify this trip due to health concerns, but I really want to see this place and so does my husband. We would need to do the "easier" of the Antelope tours.
Thanks very much for any opinions.

emalloy

Where are you starting your trip from? If it's Lee's Ferry, a time at Antelope Canyon before you go makes sense as it is only a short drive from Lee's Ferry. Upper Antelope canyon is really a walk and fairly flat, but only worth the time if it is sunny.

Where/how do you get out of the canyon after the raft trip?

Why aren't you spending the night after the raft trip at the south rim?

Retired1

Sigh...was so hoping for just an answer this time, the question being the one about the viability of leaving the South Rim and going to Antelope before going on to Sedona.
Never mind. Here is the ENTIRE sob story:
We fly into the canyon from McCarran,therefore we spend 2 nights in Vegas to position ourselves near the airport which is where the trips starts. We raft for a few days, and are boated out to Lake Mead. We are then bussed back to McCarran Airport very late in the afternoon. I then rent a car, and drive a few hours to Kingman, AZ just to position ourselves closer to the next day's drive to GC south rim. FWIW, we are doing it this way so that we don't have to drive exhausted a long time only to get to the GC AT 10 at night.

emalloy

Sigh....It takes a couple of hours to get to Antelope. If there isn't a line of people waiting for a tour, you can do the tour in an hour. Then it will be about a 3 hour drive down to Sedona. No guarantee even if you have a reservation that you'll get in when you arrive. If that sounds too exhausting then skip it, head east on 64, stop at the lovely view points, head south on 89, stop in at Wupatki ruin and Sunset crater then amble down Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona.

MikePinTucson

2 1/2 hours to get to Antelope without stops. Figure 2+ hours there (you would want the easier upper Antelope). Then 3 hours to Sedona. We have done Antelope Canyon as a day trip from Sedona, and it is just too much driving for what you see. It would be just about as bad (long) from the south rim of the GCNP.

emalloy has the better idea. Leave the GCNP, have lunch at the Cameron Trading Post (Navajo taco), then see Wupatki and Sunset Crater on the way to Sedona.

Retired1

You guys are both the best. I'll skip Antelope and hope for a return visit someday, and do the suggested emalloy stops.
Many many thanks!