Antelope Canyon Question/Little Wildhorse Canyon
 

I am planning a trip to Southern Utah for 2011. I have done Little Wildhorse Canyon previously and plan on doing it again this time(will have other family members with me). How does it compare to Antelope Canyon? I imagine the photography to be better in Antelope(perhaps). I am trying to make up my mind if I want to to both of them. I am sure I would enjoy them both, but I think others in my party might just want to do one. Of course, LWH is free, but cost isn't the primary concern here. I also hope to get a permit for "The Wave" for one of my days there.

We are starting in Green River and seeing Goblin Valley/Lil Wildhorse, have a picnic in Cap Reef, see Calf Creek Falls on the first day. Second day would be Bryce. Third and Fourth days would be Page area. Probably also would see Rainbow Bridge and Horseshoe Bend.

Hi - you gave me some great advice about our upcoming trip to southern Utah next month and, as a result, we're planning to visit Little Wildhorse Canyon when we go to Goblin Valley. Since I haven't been there yet, I can't compare them, but we did go to Antelope Canyon three years ago when we were in Page, and It was VERY cool. We took the Antelope Canyon Tours Photographer's Tour, which we thought was great. The timing was right - they leave at 11:30 AM, getting into the canyon just a little before noon, when the light is best. With this tour, you get two hours in the canyon for unhurried photography - the other commercial tours seem to only give 50 minutes. While we were there, a couple of other groups came in, and left again - they seemed to be fairly hurried along by their tour guides, which made me really glad we chose the longer tour. We just waited for them to move along, and get out of our way. I could see why the light really is best at noon - it was spectacular for the first hour or so of our visit, with the amazing focused beams of light you may have seen pictures of - by the time we left, it was getting much darker in the canyon, and the colors were fading - I could see that visits earlier or later in the day wouldn't be nearly as good.

We booked our tour through the John Wesley Powell Museum, they represent several Antelope Canyon Tour Companies, and you can compare their times and services. Any tour booked through that website pays a small commission to the museum, with no extra charge to the customer, so it's a good way to support the museum. Here's their website:
http://reservations.powellmuseum.org/CanyonTours

While you're in Page, I hope you plan to take the short hike to the Horseshoe Bend overlook of the Colorado River - an incredible view! We also really enjoyed the half-day raft trip we took on the Colorado River from the base of the Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry - very scenic, & fun.

We do plan on doing Horseshoe Bend. We rafted The GC a couple of years ago, so probably won't do the river raft. I hope to hear from you, after your trip next month, in order to compare the two. I suspect that Antelope is prettier, but you might enjoy Lil Wildhorse in a different way, because you are on your own with no guide. I like www.toddshikingguide.com. He doesn't mention Antelope, but he does rater LW with 5 stars. He only give a few hikes a 5.

I went to Antelope Canyon without a photo-tour.

I drove into the parking lot and paid. Then a truck drove about 6 of us to the Canyon. I brought a tripod and a plastic bag to keep the dust away from the camera during the ride. Our guide was a Navajo student who knew quite a bit. He pointed out some good photo spots.

There were a few other tours there about the same time as us. We were there about an hour, were not rushed at all at all. Go when the sun is high in the sky.

The odd time somebody got in the way of your photo they immediately moved when they realized it. There was one person who managed to get in the way a few times and others "urged" her to move out of the way. Which she did.

Before going to the Canyon I stopped at "The Best Dam View" and took the 3/4 mile hot hike to Horseshoe Bend. No fence, screen or barrier. Just straight down.

Amazing view. I was afraid to walk to the end so I lied down on my stomach and crawled. Had to.

You can see my photos at:
www.travelwalks.com

Select 2007 trip to Bryce, Zion, Page, GC and Sedona.

Antelope Canyon probably isn't mentioned in a hiking guide because it's not a hike. It's a small, level canyon. It's more like a leisurely walk.

Forgot to mention. Try to arrange to go to Bryce Point for sunrise. Amazing. Any hike down into the hoodoos will give you a good feel for the place.

One of a kind.

Yeah, Myer

Matter of fact I went back and looked at a lot of your comments and pics just yesterday. A couple of days will be very similar to your trip. I know what you mean about that feeling of crawling to the edge of a huge dropoff like HB.
I just can't make up my mind if I want to hike two slot canyons, that appear to be somewhat similar. Did the horse trail on the peek-a-boo have any dropoffs? My parents think they want to do that. I am up for it, but not sure how they will feel being on a mule or horse with cliffs next to them. My wife and daughter say there isn't a chance of them getting on a horse at all. My daughter goes on trips with my parents about every year, but this is going to be the first major trip that we have all been on together in several years. My parents are pretty well traveled but have never seen any of southern UT. If I get lucky and get a permit to "the wave", then I will have seen pretty much everything in UT that I have on my bucket list. My parents are going to be there a couple of weeks and we will just meet them for 5 days worth. I haven't been to North Rim of GC, but hope to hike it rim to rim in a couple of years. My parents don't really hike much and they are somewhat out of shape(age 67). They say they are determined to see Delicate Arch up close and I think they should be able to take their time and do that along with a few of the hikes with us. They intend on doing Navajo loop, but I can't talk them into Calf Creek Falls or The Wave. However, with them not being on the list for a permit for the wave, it will increase my chances. I think I have about a 15% chance in May, which is the best month to see it, but the worst month as far as your chance on the lottery.


I had forgotten just how good your photos of Bryce were. Is Bryce Point and Sunrise Point the same spot? Isn't there a good spot for sunrise that is close to the lodge. I may even do a sunrise on both mornings we are there. What about sunset? I hear it isn't as good. I hope to do a night sky ranger program one night there. I am trying to get everything all organized so I can make reservations next month and my dad will need to at Zion and the North Rim of GC. I think they start taking reservations for the next year about mid-april.

Don't look at Antelope Canyon as a hike (is that one of the similar canyons?). It's a leisurely walk thru a small, level canyon. While in there you don't get the feel of a canyon. If it wasn't for the amazing sight of the light bouncing around nobody would go for the workout. Still, don't miss it!!!!

Peek-a-boo doesn't have any drop-offs. There are no two foot wide parts with a cliff up on one side and a cliff down on the other. None of that stuff.

It gets quite long as you start by doing the "down" portion of Navajo Loop, then cut off that trail, hike Peek-a-boo, and then come back up either Queens Garden or the up side of Navajo Loop. It added a bit a scenery but really Navajo Loop down and Queens Garden back up are like 80% of the scenery. A few interesting things but is it worth it?

I didn't see any horses on the Peek-a-boo trail but you have to look down to make sure you don't step in anything. Signs telling you that when you encounter horses to stop on the lower side of the trail.

The problems you encouter in Bryce aren't difficulty but elevation. Not enough to get sick but you've got to take it easy.

If you haven't been to a slot canyon I would take the couple of hours and go to Willis Creek (about 25 miles from Bryce). The drive (dirt road) from Canonville to Willis Creek is harder than the hike. And it's neat. You begin to enter slots within 5 minutes of leaving the car. Also, there are a couple of "large" (6 ft) waterfalls.

Delicate Arch felt a bit long "going" (up hill) and shorter coming back (down hill). There's nothing difficult and it's not really a narrow trail so they can stop and rest as many people do. There's one part where you walk on a very, very large rock up hill. But that's about it. Remember, while not as high as Bryce it's still at about 6500 feet. Just enough to make you wonder why you're tired. Make stops and drink water. Also, time it to get there about an hour before sunset. One of those views you remember. I made a second hike back to the Arch as it was cloudy the day we got there and went. Worth it!!!

Lower Calf Creek Falls is quite long (about 2.5 miles each way). Pretty level but the trail is sandy so you're lifting your feet and that's tiring. Also, it was 95 degrees the day we went and there's little shade.

I don't know what parents plan on doing the day you go but there are picnic tables beside the parking lot. Also, Devil's Garden Escalante isn't very far.

Essentially, the Lodge is between Sunset Point (the start/end of Navajo Loop) and Sunrise Point (The start/end of Queens Garden).

So if somebody drives their car to one and hikes back up the other you take a nice leisurely walk along the rim (a nice wide flat trail) for about a half mile to get your car.

Bryce Point is less than a 10 minute drive from the Lodge. No sunrise view like Bryce Point (my sunrise photos)!!!

Since you're at the top of a canyon (as opposed to Zion) it just gets darker as the sun sets. It was nice at Sunset Point but not like watching the sun go down and shine of Delicate Arch in Arches or Cathedral Rock in Sedona.

My photos pretty much show what I saw.

Forgot to mention. If you're staying at the lodge in Bryce you wouldn't drive to Sunset or Sunrise point to hike. It about 1/4 mile to each and the lodge is less than 100 yards from the rim. Maybe less.

I just reread what you wrote.

The reason many people go down one side of Navajo Loop and then hook on to Queen's Garden to go up is that Navajo Loop is supposedly steeper so going up Queen's Garden would be easier. I don't remember much of a difference though.

I'm not sure which is more scenic with different rock formations.

My daughter and I went to Arches several years ago. I will not be with my parents on that portion of their trip. I feel bad not including it for our portion of the trip for my wife, since she hasn't seen it. I imgagine my parents will take a scenic drive somewhere while we are calf creek. Maybe Hells Backbone. They will be in a 4 wheel drive, but they wouldn't want to get into anything very hairy at all. Perhaps even Grovsner Arch as you did. Devils Garden is something that I have mentioned to them and they certainly might do that. Maybe Kodachrome, or the petrified forest state park. I doubt that we will get the permit to The Wave, so maybe I should just totally forget it and stop trying to plan around it. Go ahead and include an extra day somewhere or just 1 day in Arches. Our daughter is having major back sugery this year, so I am a little unsure on what to expect from her next year. She is 16 and is very good athlete and fairly tough(scoliocis). She even placed in 3 events this past year at State track meet as a freshman. But, still very hard to know. This is something that we have been dealing with for 4 years now, but finally has to be dealt with. We are going to Yosemite in May and she is having the surgery in June. Hopefully, this will be her year for recovery as yours was last year. So, my whole point to my rambling is that it is a little hard for me to plan this, not knowing everything. Perhaps I should tone it down and plan less.

If your parents will have been to Arches NP I wouldn't bother with Grosvenor Arch. It's nice if you haven't seen arches but no way is it worth a 10 mile bouncy drive on a dirt road.

I stopped in Kodachrome park because I went right by it and it also isn't much.

I thought Willis Creek is a very neat set of slot canyons. However, the 10 mile dirt road ride is a bit hairyer than going to Grosvenor Arch.

Actually, they're very close to each other. Going south from Canonville going left at the fork goes to Kodachrome park and Grosvenor Arch. Going right at the fork goes to Willis Creek. A very easy nice walk in several slots but the drive is a bit hilly and curvy for a dirt road. Careful.

If your wife hasn't been to Arches I think you should work with what you have. If you have a day then that's what you plan. The Windows section has some great very easy, walkable arches (Double, Turret, North & South).

Balanced Rock is just off the side of the road. Too many people get out of their car, stand there and look and then leave. You can walk around and right up to it. Worth it.

Then a slow hike up to Delicate Arch in time to spend the last hour before sunset there. I would allow at least an hour to an hour and a half for your parents to get there. I don't know why I'm being so protective of them. They're only a year older than me. But I'm in reasonable shape and work at it.

You'll be passing right by Goblin Valley so I'm sure you'll stop there for an hour or so. Fun stop.

Kids have amazing powers of recovery. Have her work at going into surgery with her muscles in the best shape they can be in. It makes for a faster and easier recovery. I'm sure she'll be fine.

Well your Willis Creek sounds interesting. May end up doing that one. Two of my very favorite spots in Arches were Balanced Rock and Double Arch. I think Double might be my all time favorite arch.

Take a look at my 2008 photos. There are some good shots of Willis Creek. The hardest part is finding the place as there's no sign.

At the Canonville visitors center they told us that there's a register box at the parking lot and if we go down a small hill and thru a little creek we've gone too far and should back up a few yards (which we did).

The dirt road drive is a bit hilly and curvy but once parked you're in the slots within a couple of minutes. A very easy and short hike.

You can go thru as many slots as you want until you decide to turn back.

I'd like to get an opinion from somebody else who'se been there but....

spiro,

I came across this link to Willis Creek photos.

http://www.zionnational-park.com/ima...case-a_jpg.htm

Take a look.

That looks like a great hike, Myer. Is it far from the main road to the trailhead? And then it's a 4 mile round trip hike?

Has anyone visited the Peek-a-Boo and Spooky slot canyons? We were considering visiting those on a trip next spring (April).

spiro - I think Antelope is worth a stop. We went mid-day and saw the huge beams of light filtering through - very neat sight.

Our itinerary is tentatively Moab to Las Vegas. We've seen and hiked Zion and Bryce 2x, so we're looking for new hikes/experiences. We've never been to Capitol Reef before, and the Goblins look so cool, so we definitely want to include those stops on our trip.

The hardest part about Willis Creek is the drive there.

From the Cannonville visitors center you drive south. There's a fork in the road. The left side goes to Kodachrime State Park (nothing as far as I'm concerned) and Grosvenor Arch (neat unless you've been to Arches NP). The right side goes to Willis Creek. I think it's about 10 miles (maybe a bit less but they'll tell you at the visitors center) on a dirt road. There's no sign at the parking lot. At the visitors center they told us that there's a register box in the parking lot and if you go down a little hill and cross a creek (Willis?) you've just gone too far. We backup up 25 yards. The parking lot is on the right side.

Within a couple of minutes of leaving the parking lot you're in the first slot. It's not a round trip hike. You go thru as many slots (the slots alternate with ordinary open trail) as you like and then turn around and come back.

There are a couple of very small water falls along the way. There's a little creek (I guess Willis Creek) that most likely gets quite a bit higher if it's raining at one of the feeders. We walked along the side of the Creek and kept jumping over when it meandered to our side.

It's an easy, level walk. When we were there it was cloudy and had drizzled a bit earlier so we didn't see any sun. I wonder what it looks like when the sun is high in the sky.

Goblin Valley State Park is cute. A fun place to climb around. I guess more fun if with kids.

Capitol Reef is not one of my favorite places. Some nice hikes but none of that spectacular scenery like in the other parks. Nice view from the top of the Chimney Rock hike.

Just east of Boulder there's the Calf Creek Picnic Area. The Lower Calf Creek Falls hike is quite scenic. Then the Falls at the end are spectacular. About 2 1/2 miles each way on a sandy, shadeless, but easy trail. The Falls are in a wooded area and people swim in the water below the Falls.

Just east of Lower Calf Creek Falls you've got Devil's Garden Escalante. About 10 miles on a dirt road to the south. It's a grown up Goblin Valley. Similar but the rock structures are a bit larger.

Back to Moab. Several miles east of Moab on Rt 128 there's the Fisher Towers hike. Very scenic. We turned a corner and there were several rock climbers about 900 feet above us. One of them was scaling the Corkscrew and was standing at the top with his arms spread. I yelled for him to turn towards me. He turned and called down his email address.

When I got back I sent him the photos.