Upon arriving at the in check station we noticed lots of vehicles but no one in either office (typical of Navajos). We saw two vehicles take off down the dirt road and after waiting a little while, we decided to follow them down the road with the sign that said, "No unauthorized vehicles allowed beyond this point." Since Antelope Canyon is on the Navajo Reservation, we didn't really know what to expect.
The road was down a dry sand wash and we were afraid if we stopped we would get stuck in the deep sand or that we would be ambushed by Indians coming over the hill because we weren't an "authorized vehicle". We made it to the entrance of the canyon and it is amazing what is inside this little crack in the Earth and that this beautiful slot canyon was made by just water and wind.
We noticed that there were a few tour groups there and several other vehicles but couldn't see anyone we could pay our permit fee to, so we headed into this breath taking canyon. As we all oohed and awed over the walls we separated from one another.
Anita and I lagged behind the others taking pictures and all the sudden we had a Native American come up to us and ask how many people we were with and what vehicle we had come in. He then informed us that we needed to pay him $35 a person and leave right now before we got into trouble. We explained that we didn't have any money and would have to find our husbands who were way a head of us. He followed us through the canyon as we tried to slowly meander through trying take pictures and he kept pushing us telling us not to take pictures and that we needed to hurry before we got into trouble. I kept wondering what kind of trouble we would get into and just who was going to get us since no one was around. When we got to the other side, Garth and Rob had been approached by another Indian tour guide for money. They told him they would pay and then he said he didn't have his book so they had to wait. After we taking some pictures on the other side of the canyon, we lost both of our "tour guides".
Here are a few more pictures of this amazing place. The light is the best in the summer because the sun shines directly down into the canyon but even in winter it is was still beautiful.
Anita and Jip
Garth
When we got back to the other side, all the tours were gone - no one to pay our money to - so we headed back to the check in station. At the check in station we parked and waited but no one was around and no one asked for any money so we left and headed for Glenn Canyon Dam. Excited after the adventure we had had on the Navajo reservation and the awesomeness of Antelope Canyon, we couldn't wait to see what the rest of the day had in store.
The fountain out in front of the Glen Canyon Dam's visitor center was covered in ice and of course the boys couldn't leave it alone.
We headed across southern Utah to Zion's National Park and once again the landscape was covered in snow from the recent storm.
The boys made fun of Anita and I because we kept saying how beautiful it was and made Garth stop the van so we could take pictures or run back up the road to take pictures of frozen waterfalls. Winter had made this normally beautiful land, beautiful in a completely different way.
The winding road down into the park was slick, treacherous and slow going but we made it without incident and were awed by the beauty we encountered. After a quick stop at the visitor's center for some souvenirs and some hiking advice we headed into the park.
Even though it was late in the day we decided to hike up the narrows as far as we could go. Years ago our family had backpacked down the narrows, spending a night in the middle of it. By the time we reached the end we were dirty, wet and tired. This year hiking up was completely different, no packs to carry or streams to wade through. The waterfalls were frozen as they ran off the cliffs and the snow was so deep we didn't dare venture of the trail...
and it looked like a winter wonderland. There were very few people, other than the Indian ladies in their sandals and sarongs which we thought was really weird, and all you could hear was the Virgin River. As you can see the snow was plentiful and deep.
Since we were at the end of the canyon where the walls began to narrow, we wouldn't be seeing the sun on this hike. While it was cold, the walking warmed us with the exception for the occasionally hit from a snowball, heaven only knows where they would have been coming from. We had a great time hiking, talking and enjoying nature. It was hard to believe that we were in the same place that my family had backpacked out of years before. We finally got to the point were we couldn't go any further and had to turn around.
As we headed out of the park towards Springdale we had a great view of the sun setting on the snow covered cliffs of Zion's. I think this park is aptly named.
One more shot of this beautiful place before we went in search of our hotel, dinner and the famous Bumbleberry pie all in Springdale, Utah.
Here are a few more pictures of this amazing place. The light is the best in the summer because the sun shines directly down into the canyon but even in winter it is was still beautiful.
Anita and Jip
Garth
When we got back to the other side, all the tours were gone - no one to pay our money to - so we headed back to the check in station. At the check in station we parked and waited but no one was around and no one asked for any money so we left and headed for Glenn Canyon Dam. Excited after the adventure we had had on the Navajo reservation and the awesomeness of Antelope Canyon, we couldn't wait to see what the rest of the day had in store.
The fountain out in front of the Glen Canyon Dam's visitor center was covered in ice and of course the boys couldn't leave it alone.
We headed across southern Utah to Zion's National Park and once again the landscape was covered in snow from the recent storm.
The boys made fun of Anita and I because we kept saying how beautiful it was and made Garth stop the van so we could take pictures or run back up the road to take pictures of frozen waterfalls. Winter had made this normally beautiful land, beautiful in a completely different way.
The winding road down into the park was slick, treacherous and slow going but we made it without incident and were awed by the beauty we encountered. After a quick stop at the visitor's center for some souvenirs and some hiking advice we headed into the park.
Even though it was late in the day we decided to hike up the narrows as far as we could go. Years ago our family had backpacked down the narrows, spending a night in the middle of it. By the time we reached the end we were dirty, wet and tired. This year hiking up was completely different, no packs to carry or streams to wade through. The waterfalls were frozen as they ran off the cliffs and the snow was so deep we didn't dare venture of the trail...
and it looked like a winter wonderland. There were very few people, other than the Indian ladies in their sandals and sarongs which we thought was really weird, and all you could hear was the Virgin River. As you can see the snow was plentiful and deep.
Since we were at the end of the canyon where the walls began to narrow, we wouldn't be seeing the sun on this hike. While it was cold, the walking warmed us with the exception for the occasionally hit from a snowball, heaven only knows where they would have been coming from. We had a great time hiking, talking and enjoying nature. It was hard to believe that we were in the same place that my family had backpacked out of years before. We finally got to the point were we couldn't go any further and had to turn around.
As we headed out of the park towards Springdale we had a great view of the sun setting on the snow covered cliffs of Zion's. I think this park is aptly named.
One more shot of this beautiful place before we went in search of our hotel, dinner and the famous Bumbleberry pie all in Springdale, Utah.
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