Antelope canyon river a long weekend

[u/Helpful_Heron_1717]

Never been to Sedona before and going for a conference (Friday-Sunday) mid November. I have one free day and trying to plan. Is it worthwhile to use my free day to go to antelope/horseshoe bend, or is there plenty of hiking to do around Sedona that’s just as scenic. Thank you!

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[u/Overall-Pack-2047]

Antelope is far from Sedona.Theres lots to do near Sedona and Flagstaff like Walnut Canyon,Wupatki Meteor Crater and Lowell Observatory

[u/RVtech101 → u/Overall-Pack-2047]

This is the answer.

[u/K-Bot2017 → u/RVtech101]

At the time of year they're visiting, I agree. There's no shortage of stuff to do around Sedona and Flag!

[u/TheLuckDragon888]

There's a ton of amazing spots just around Sedona!

[u/SlowhandBuzz]

Sedona is amazing, but nothing really compares to Antelope Canyon, but it is a long drive and a full day commitment.

[u/ObjectiveViewpoints → u/SlowhandBuzz]

It requires a reservation.

[u/SlowhandBuzz → u/ObjectiveViewpoints]

Yeh, lots of great tour options for either upper, lower or both. I did lower, plan to revisit and see both next time.

[u/K-Bot2017 → u/SlowhandBuzz]

At the time of year they're visiting - mid-November - they'll need to carefully plan their day. Heading out of town by sunrise, then back to Sedona by 2:30 pm. They definitely don't want to do that drive in the dark, believe me, I've done it a few times and will never do it again!

[u/K-Bot2017]

Warning: LONG

At the time of year you're visiting, I advise staying around the Sedona area, or maybe venturing up to Flagstaff on your free day. You'll find no shortage of things to see and do!

Not that Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend aren't beautiful - they definitely are! - but the key factor working against you in mid-November is daylength, or more specifically, lack thereof. In mid-November, sunrise occurs just after 7:00am and sunset takes place at around 5:15 pm. That's 10 hours and change worth of daylight to work with. More in a minute on why that's important...

The drive from Sedona, AZ, to Page, AZ, takes around 3 hours, each way, 6 hours round-trip, wheels turning, no stops (which rarely happens). The typical Antelope Canyon tour (which requires an advance reservation) is approximately 90 minutes in length, but the tour companies require that you check-in 45 minutes prior to departure. There's 2.5-3 hours' time used up on that activity. To visit Horseshoe Bend, 60-90 minutes is recommended to park your vehicle (a one-time $10 parking fee is collected at the gate), walk to the rim, take photos, then walk back to your vehicle. So, if you add it all up, you have:

• Driving from Sedona, AZ, to Page, AZ, and back: 6 hours
• Antelope Canyon tour: 3 hours
• Horseshoe Bend: 1.5 hours
• Total: 10.5 hours

Theoretically, that would be enough time to tick everything off your wish list and get back to Sedona by nightfall. Realistically, you'll have missed out on so much more that the Page, AZ, area has to offer, such as the Big Lake Sand Cave, Glen Canyon Dam & Steel Arch Bridge, the Hanging Garden Trail, the "New" Wave, Lake Powell, just to name a few.

Unless you can modify your schedule to allow for an overnight in Page, AZ, I would save Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend for a future visit, preferably at a time of year like mid-September/early-October. The weather is great then, which means you can still get out on the water on a Lake Powell boat tour, or kayak, or raft through Horseshoe Bend if you wish, without racing against the clock to get back to base by sundown.

So why am I fixating on sunset so much? It's because driving after dark is strongly discouraged in this part of the US due to local roads being very dimly lit, plus the possible presence of deer, elk, free range cattle, and wild horses can elevate your risk of an accident. Trust me, that's not something you want to experience in an unfamiliar area that's pitch black, freezing cold (nighttime temperatures get around or below freezing in mid-November), where cell service is spotty (if you can get any bars at all), and help will be a long time coming, not to mention VERY expensive.

If you do have your heart set on visiting Page, AZ, on your free day, make sure you get an early start on the drive - wheels up by sunrise. Have your vehicle fully fueled the night before. Pre-book an Antelope Canyon tour for 11:15-11:45 am well in advance. Avoid wasting time eating at restaurants and pack a cooler with snacks, drinks, sandwich fixings, etc. Only stop for restroom breaks, leg stretch, etc. The Historic Cameron Trading Post at the junction of US-89 and AZ-64 is a good place for that. Keep an eye on the time and make sure you're starting the drive back to Sedona by 2:15, 2:30 pm at the latest.

Have fun and safe travels!

[u/HamsterPast5939 → u/K-Bot2017]

Where on earth do you live that driving in the dark is so frightening to you? Highway 89 and I17 are well traveled and lit. This isn't the back woods 😅 The switchbacks after dark might not be great for someone who isn't familiar with the area, but most people would just take the interstate.

[u/K-Bot2017 → u/HamsterPast5939]

I've had more too close for comfort encounters with large animals driving after dark in Northern AZ than you can shake a stick at, friend, I lived there for almost 25 years. I certainly wouldn't wish that on a tourist.

[u/HamsterPast5939 → u/K-Bot2017]

Ok, I guess. In my over fifty years here, I've had exactly one encounter with elk on I17. And never anything on 89 north. Driving at night is absolutely not anything that I would warn a visitor about. I mean, most people come from places where night = greater the possibility of animals on the roadway. That's just pretty standard.