Antelope Canyon is very popular and beautiful, and unfortunately this means it attracts large crowds of people wanting to see it for themselves.
Visitors are led through the valley quickly in a strict one-way line, and often find it difficult to pause or take photos without people or a selfie stick.
Fortunately, there are still several ways to escape the worst of the hordes of tourists, but you have to be a bit flexible and plan everything properly.
Even then, there are no guarantees, as it is one of the most famous places in Arizona and the USA. Everyone has it on their bucket list.
Here are 6 tips for avoiding crowds at Antelope Canyon!
You often have to wait in line like this in the main canyons
• Tip #1: Visit the less touristy section
Antelope is actually more than one valley. It is a complete complex with a range of different sections, each of which is visited through different tours.
By far the most popular section is Upper Antelope ValleyBut this is mainly due to sunlight. The canyon itself is nothing special in my opinion, and was actually my least favorite tour we did.
Lower Antelope Valley It was a slightly better experience, but it is also very popular and crowded.
There are much fewer tourists Antelope Canyon XAnd 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 to take photos.
Last but not least, there are a group of other impressive slot canyons in the same sewer system, which are less known to tourists, although they are 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 it, so it tends to be the quieter and more underrated parts of Antelope Canyon.
• Tip #2: Go in the off season
Antelope Canyon’s peak season is April to October, and demand is especially high during spring break (mid-March to mid-April) and summer (June to August).
Low season is mainly winter time: from November to March. The weather is cooler, there are fewer tourists, and the prices are lower.
This is a good time to go if you want to avoid the crowds. You’ll be competing with far fewer people for photos, and the lighting is still beautiful.
The colors are incredible
The lower part of the canyon can look best in the winter months because it has a wide roof that gets a lot of ambient light from the sun. I’d try to pick a sunny day if I could, because it’s still available.
Likewise, the Antelope Canyon
I personally wouldn’t bother with the upper canyon in the winter months, as the narrow ceiling makes it very dim at that time of year.
empty
crowded
• Tip #3: Avoid weekends and public holidays
The crowds are always worse on the weekends, so go on a weekday if you can. These ones are much less crazy.
The same goes for holidays: try to avoid Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, etc. Everyone travels at those times, so the canyons are guaranteed to be packed.
Upper Canyon has nice sunshine, but the tour is a bit too rushed for my taste.
• Tip #4: Go early or late in the day
The busiest time in the canyons is midday. Most tourists go there between 10am and 1pm simply because they find it convenient.
You can get a better experience by doing the first tour of the day (7 or 8 a.m.), or going in the late afternoon. The last tours of the day are usually around 4pm.
There’s usually no point in going during peak hours, anyway. With the exception of Upper Canyon, which is best visited in the middle of the day to see the sun’s rays, all of the other canyons look as good or better in the early morning or late afternoon, and are less crowded then.
The lower canyon looks its best outside peak hours because there is not a lot of light and contrast within the canyon. We went there in the afternoon and some areas were beautiful, but others were too bright.
Once again, the Antelope Canyon We went there in the afternoon and it still looked amazing.
Simply put, there’s no need to go into the canyons during peak hours, and you’ll usually have a better experience if you don’t.
Narrow gorge in lower Antelope Valley
• Tip #5: Stay close to your mentor
This is just a simple tip, but I will share it in case it helps you.
At the beginning of your tour, the company will provide a short brief and then they will contact you and everyone else in your group to follow them to the entrance to Antelope Canyon.
If you are quick when they call you, and stick close to your guide, it could mean getting a spot directly behind your guide in the valley, rather than 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 companies sometimes offer photography tours where you are part of a smaller group that spends more time in the valley than on regular tours.
This is something to consider if you don’t mind paying extra for a more exclusive experience. It’s mainly geared towards professional photographers who use tripods and the like.
Unfortunately, as of 2025, they will not currently be offering any photography tours of the Upper or Lower Antelope Valley, which is unfortunate. They only have regular tours now.
Stay tuned, hopefully they start offering these products again.
Antelope X is a great, less crowded alternative canyon
More slot canyon guides
Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoy these tips on how to avoid crowds in Antelope Canyon.
Don’t forget to check out my other canyon guides in Arizona before your road trip!
