Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend - 3 days from Flagstaff or Sedona

The Grand Canyon’s South Entrance is only an 80 minute drive from Flagstaff and 2 hours from Sedona so you can get in a full day of activity if you are already in one of those cities in the morning. The park is divided into the canyon’s two rims --- North and South --- with most of the attractions being in the far more accessible South Rim. You have several options for exploring the Grand Canyon. A trail that you can hike or bike runs all along the South Rim affords the best overlooking views of the canyon. Several other trails go into the canyon and lead all the way down to the Colorado River, giving you a completely different viewpoint and a more immersive experience. These trails make for very long and challenging hikes, and an easier and fun option is to ride a mule on a tour. You can do a guided tour for hikes and you can also hike on your own. Whatever you choose to do you are sure to have a memorable day and plenty of amazing photos.

The best place to stay for the night is one of the lodges inside the park. If these are full the next best option is to stay overnight in Tusayan which is a town right outside the park’s South Entrance.

Today you spend the morning visiting the eastern area of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. First, see the remains and ancient artifacts of an Ancestral Puebloan village at the Tusayan Museum and Ruin. Then drive to the Desert View and Watchtower and see a very different side of the Grand Canyon. At around noon you can start driving towards the town of Page which is a little less than 2 hours away from the Grand Canyon’s East Entrance. Along the way you can visit a Native American handcrafts and jewelry market. Just before you get to Page stop by Horseshoe Bend. A short walk takes you to a cliff overlooking this extremely photogenic section of the Colorado River.

Spend the night in Page, Arizona.

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon formed by flash floods eroding Navajo Sandstone. Its narrow passageways are only 3 to 10 feet wide and its walls have swirling and wavelike patterns that are mesmerizing and attract photographers and tourists from all over the world. Antelope Canyon has two sections. Upper Antelope Canyon is shaped like an upright triangle, with the walls narrowing from the ground to the top. The narrow top opening can create the very dramatic effect of beams of sunlight shining down into the canyon. Lower Antelope Canyon is shaped like a V, with the walls getting wider from ground to top. The narrow canyon bottom makes for a fun hike involving some tight squeezes, scrambling and climbing ladders. Most people choose to visit one section or the other, with avid photographers typically choosing Upper Antelope and active thrill seekers opting for Lower Antelope, but you can actually do both sections in one day. Entrance to either section of Antelope Canyon is only granted to people on guided tours.

There's an option to go kayaking or stand-up-paddle boarding in Lake Powell to get to Antelope Canyon. This is a fun and completely different experience but it takes you to a different section of Antelope Canyon that is not as spectacular as in the walking tours.

At the end of the day drive a little over 2 hours back to Flagstaff and just under 3 hours to Sedona.