Antelope Canyon is as famous as it is beautiful, and unfortunately that means it draws huge crowds of people wanting to see it for themselves.
Visitors are guided through the slot canyon quickly in a strict, one-way line, and you’ll often find it difficult to pause or take photos without people or selfie sticks in them.
Thankfully there are still a few ways to escape the worst tourist hordes, but you have to be a bit flexible and plan everything right.
Even then, there are no guarantees, because it’s one of the most iconic places in Arizona and the USA. Everyone has it on their bucket list.
Here are 6 tips for avoiding the crowds at Antelope Canyon!
Oftentimes you have to wait in line like this in the main canyons
• Tip #1: Visit A Less Touristy Section
Antelope is actually more than one canyon. It’s an entire complex with a bunch of different sections, and each of these are visited by different tours.
By far the most popular section is the Upper Antelope Canyon, but that’s mainly because of the sunbeams. The canyon itself is not that special in my opinion, and it was actually my least favorite tour we did.
Lower Antelope Canyon was a slightly better experience, but it’s very popular and crowded as well.
There are far less tourists at Antelope Canyon X, and I’d say the scenery is at least as good as the main canyons. Since it’s a longer tour, you also have more time and opportunities for photos.
Last, but not least, there are a bunch of other nice slot canyons in the same drainage system, and these are even less known to tourists, although they’re stunning:
Unfortunately, just like the main canyon, these alternate sections are all on Navajo tribal land, so you can’t visit them without a guided tour.
However, most people still don’t know about them, so they tend to be the most quiet and underrated parts of Antelope Canyon.
• Tip #2: Go In The Low Season
The peak season for Antelope Canyon is April through October, and demand is especially high during spring break (mid-March to mid-April) and summer (June to August).
The low season is basically winter time: November through March. It’s colder, there are less tourists, and prices are lower.
This is a good time to go if you want to avoid crowds. You’ll be fighting a lot less people for photos, and the lighting is still nice.
The colors are just incredible
The Lower Canyon can actually look better in the winter months because it has a wide ceiling that gets plenty of ambient light from the sun. I’d try to choose a sunny day though if you can, because it’s still a slot.
Similarly, Antelope Canyon X features both deep and shallow sections, making it beautiful and photogenic under a wide range of lighting conditions.
Personally, I wouldn’t bother with the Upper Canyon in the winter months, because the narrow ceiling just makes it too dim at that time of year.
• Tip #3: Avoid Weekends & Holidays
The crowds are always worst on the weekend, so go on a weekday if you can. Those are a lot less crazy.
The same is true for holidays: try to avoid Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, etc. Everyone’s traveling at those times, so the canyons are guaranteed to be packed.
Upper Canyon has nice sunbeams, but the tour is too rushed for my taste.
• Tip #4: Go Early Or Late In The Day
The busiest time at the canyons is in the middle of the day. Most tourists go there between 10 AM and 1 PM simply because they find that convenient.
You can get a better experience by taking the first tour of the day (7 or 8 AM), or going late in the afternoon. The last tours of the day are usually around 4 PM.
There’s usually no advantage of going during peak hours, anyway. With the exception of the Upper Canyon, which is best visited in the middle of the day to see the sunbeams, all the other canyons look just as good or better in the early morning or late afternoon, and they’re less crowded then.
The Lower Canyon actually looks best outside of peak hours because then there’s not too much light and contrast inside the canyon. We went there around noon and some areas were nice, but others were too bright.
Again, Antelope Canyon X shines at any time of day, no pun intended. We went there in the afternoon and it still looked great.
Simply put, there’s no need to go to the canyons during peak hours, and you’ll usually have a better experience if you don’t.
Narrow passage in the Lower Antelope Canyon
• Tip #5: Stay Near Your Guide
This one’s just a minor tip, but I’ll share it in case it helps you.
At the start of your tour, the company will give a short briefing and then they’ll call you and everyone else in your group to follow them to the entrance of Antelope Canyon.
If you’re quick when they call you, and stick close to your tour guide, that may mean getting a spot right behind your guide in the canyon, instead of being at the back of the group.
Try to stay at the front of your group so you can see things first
• Tip #6: Book A Photography Tour
Some of the companies have occasionally offered photography tours where you’re in a smaller group that spends more time in the canyon than the normal tours.
That’s something to look into if you don’t mind paying extra for a more exclusive experience. They’re mainly geared toward professional photographers with tripods and such.
Unfortunately, as of 2026, they’re not currently offering any photography tours for Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon, which is a shame. They only have the normal tours now.
Keep an eye out, and hopefully they might start offering these again.
Antelope X is a great alternative canyon that’s less crowded
More Slot Canyon Guides
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed these tips for how to avoid the crowds at Antelope Canyon.
Don’t forget to check out my other slot canyon guides for Arizona before your road trip!
See Also
Discussion about this post