Ultimate Day Trip From Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon Itinerary

Did you know you can take a day trip from Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon? Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon is only about a 2-hour drive, so even though it’ll be a full day of driving and exploring, you can visit this iconic slot canyon on a day trip from Flagstaff.

hiking in antelope canyon in page arizona

In this day trip from Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon itinerary, I’ll share what to expect along the drive, what to pack, how to spend one day in Antelope Canyon, tour options, and more!

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Ultimate Day Trip From Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon Itinerary

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Driving From Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon

The drive time from Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon is roughly 2 hours.

From Flagstaff, hop on Highway 89. Take that for about 80 miles before turning right just past the Sinclair gas station. Continue on Coppermine Road for the final 50 miles or so – it’s mostly wide-open, desolate land – until you reach the town of Page.

Once you arrive in the tiny town of Page, Arizona, the driving directions will vary depending on whether you’re taking a walking tour, kayaking into the canyon, visiting Horseshoe Bend, etc. Everything is pretty close together, but we’ll dive into all of that soon!

Fuel options are limited between Flagstaff and Page. I’d recommend filling your tank before you leave Flagstaff. For emergencies, fill up at the Sinclair gas station near Willow Springs (around the halfway point of the road trip).

If you’d prefer not to drive, there are tours available (like this one!) that will take you from Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon! How convenient is that?!

What to Bring on Your Day Trip From Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon

kayaking on lake powell to antelope canyon

For Kayaking

Sturdy water sandals. A pair of sturdy water sandals has two uses: paddle sandals and hiking sandals. You’ll need both to kayak to Antelope Canyon and explore it on foot, so why not just have one pair that does it all?
Quick-drying clothes. I’d recommend wearing a bathing suit and/or quick-drying workout/hiking clothes. Layer up if the weather is chilly in the morning or if you go in the colder months.
Sun protection. Wear a sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. That hot desert sun is brutal!
Dry bag. A quality dry bag like this one ensures that all of your belongings don’t get wet. Better yet, get a dry bag that turns into a backpack so it’s easy to hike through Antelope Canyon with it!
Waterproof camera or phone case. Protect your phone with a waterproof phone case attached to a lanyard OR skip the hassle and just bring a waterproof camera like a GoPro or Insta360.
Water. It’s super important to stay hydrated! You will exert lots of energy between paddling and hiking.
Snacks. You need to fuel your body for all of the paddling and hiking you’re about to do! Take lots of breaks for snacks during your adventure.
America the Beautiful Pass. Show your National Parks pass to get into Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for free!

For Walking Tours & Hiking

Day pack. I’d recommend bringing this small 13-liter pack. Check your walking tour’s bag restrictions before bringing this.
Sturdy shoes. I just wear hiking boots, but regular shoes will work as long as they’re sturdy and supportive.
Water. It’s super important to stay hydrated! You will exert lots of energy from hiking through the sun and walking through the canyons.
Snacks. You need to fuel your body for all of the walking you’re about to do!
Sun protection. Wear a sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. That hot desert sun is brutal!

Antelope Canyon One Day Itinerary

Since Page, Arizona is such a small town with limited accommodations, it makes sense that you want to make Flagstaff your home base and just spend one day at Antelope Canyon.

I’m going to help make that possible for you by sharing my ultimate one-day Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon itinerary!

Kayaking to Antelope Canyon

First, I’d recommend kayaking to Antelope Canyon! You might have to leave Flagstaff pretty early in the morning to accomplish this, but I promise you, it’s worth it.

Kayaking to Antelope Canyon is an ideal morning adventure because it won’t be too hot and the crowds won’t have arrived yet. Plus, the slot canyon walking tours are best in the afternoon, so paddling is the perfect way to spend the morning and “kill some time.”

You have a couple of options when kayaking into Antelope Canyon.

One, you can take a guided tour. This is the easiest option; you won’t have to worry about logistics. You simply meet your tour guide at the docks and start paddling!

Two, you can kayak to Antelope Canyon without a tour guide. You can either bring your own kayak or rent one from the Antelope Point Marina or a nearby outfitter in Page.

Depending on whether you start your journey at the launch or marina, you’ll be paddling 1-2 miles to get to the mouth of Antelope Canyon and an additional 2 miles to get to the walking portion.

Once you’ve paddled as far into the canyon as possible, you can either turn around and paddle back to the launch site OR beach your kayak and hike into the canyon. No Navajo tour guide needed!

While paddling to the “end” and hiking the rest of the way through the canyon is the classic adventure, you don’t need to do this. You can paddle as deep or shallow as you want into the water canyon, and you certainly don’t have to get out and hike if you’re not comfortable and/or don’t have the time.

You can read all about kayaking to Antelope Canyon (featuring a detailed map, rental and tour info, what to expect, etc.) in my complete guide below.

Antelope Canyon Walking Tours

The best time of day to view the wavy slots of Antelope Canyon is mid-day (10:30 AM – 2 PM), but there are earlier and later walking tours, as well, to accommodate all types of schedules.

If you’re planning on kayaking into Antelope Canyon and exploring it on foot for a while, I’d suggest booking a later afternoon tour. If you don’t plan on kayaking all the way into the water canyon, or if you’re not kayaking at all, you can schedule an earlier tour during those golden, prime viewing hours.

Whether or not you decide to kayak to Antelope Canyon, I’d recommend that you take at least one walking tour of Antelope Canyon. For these walking tours, you will need a Navajo guide to accompany you.

There are many different Antelope Canyon walking tours to choose from. Here are your choices:

Upper Antelope Canyon – photogenic and less claustrophobic
Lower Antelope Canyon – adventurous route with stairs and ladders
Canyon X – quieter and lesser-known
Cardiac Canyon – secluded with more difficult terrain

If you only have time for one tour, I’d suggest touring Upper Antelope Canyon! With the iconic light beams and blowing sand, this is the most famous and photogenic slot.

If you’ve got time for two tours, consider venturing to both Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons. They’re surprisingly quite different from one another, so it’s well worth the money to explore both.

The other two slots – Canyon X and Cardiac Canyon – are great if you want to get away from the crowds and experience sections of Antelope Canyon that very few get to see. I just explored Canyon X on my most recent trip, and it was spectacular!

If you need more help deciding which specific Antelope Canyon tour to book, click the link below to read my full guide!

Sunset at Horseshoe Bend

Even though Horseshoe Bend isn’t part of Antelope Canyon, making a pitstop at this picturesque destination is a must!

Horseshoe Bend will slide seamlessly into this one-day itinerary because it’s just a few minutes from Antelope Canyon, and is best explored around sunset, after all of your kayaking and walking tours are over. The hike to this iconic gooseneck in the Colorado River is an easy add-on before you head back to Flagstaff!

You can read my Horseshoe Bend guide for everything you need to know and exactly what you can expect on the hike and at the viewpoint, but I’ll list a few of them below for good measure:

There is a $10 per vehicle entrance fee.
The trail to the overlook is 1.5 miles roundtrip.
There are exposed cliffs.
Sun protection is crucial since there is little to no shade cover on the trail.
You can’t enter the Horseshoe Bend parking area past sunset, so make sure to arrive before.

Where to Eat in Page

If you aren’t taking a full day tour from Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon, you’ll need to go somewhere for lunch! You might even want dinner before heading back to Flagstaff.

Here are some recommendations for places to eat in Page:

El Tapatio – casual Mexican cuisine
Antelope Point Marina Restaurant – the world’s largest floating restaurant
Rimview – Native American cuisine and fine dining

Where to Stay in Flagstaff

From campgrounds and hotels to glamping and cabins, here are some of my recommendations for where to stay in Flagstaff.

Little America – cozy hotel nestled in a pine forest
High Country Motor Lodge – modern mountain retreat with private saunas, an oversized pool and hot tub, a general store, and movie nights and live music on the lawn
Pine Grove Campground – RV & tent camping in Coconino National Forest
Village Camp Flagstaff – cabin & RV resort with clubhouse, mountain-view pool, hot tub, bar, general store, and event lawn
Backland Glamping – luxurious tent suites with access to a glass-walled restaurant and nightly campfires with s’mores – about 45 minutes from Flagstaff

Here are some other day trips from Flagstaff that are worth considering!

Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon FAQs

heart in antelope canyon walls in page arizona

How Far is Antelope Canyon From Flagstaff?

Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon is about 2 hours.

Is It Realistic to See Antelope Canyon In One Day From Flagstaff?

Absolutely! At around 4 hours of driving roundtrip, you could spend anywhere from a few hours touring the slots to a full day kayaking, taking walking tours, and hiking Horseshoe Bend.

Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon Sample Itinerary

6:00 AM – Leave Flagstaff
9:00 AM – Kayak Antelope Canyon
1:00 PM – Lunch
2:00 PM – Upper Antelope Canyon Walking Tour
5:00 PM – Horseshoe Bend Hike
7:00 PM – Dinner
8:00 PM – Drive Back to Flagstaff

Tailor the itinerary to fit your schedule! You can leave Flagstaff earlier or later, you can paddle only part of Antelope Canyon or not do it at all, you can take more walking tours, you can bring your own meals to maximize time, etc.

Is There a Tour I Can Take From Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon?

Yes! This full-day tour will take you from Flagstaff to Antelope Canyon. You won’t have to worry about driving or dealing with logistics!

In this tour, your guide will pick you up and drop you off at your Flagstaff hotel, transport you in a tour van to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, and will even provide lunch and water. How convenient is that?!