USA Rattlesnake Canyon

There are numerous slot canyons near Page, Arizona including Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons. While both canyons are indeed spectacular, they are also spectacularly crowded. The Navajo guided tours are almost always booked to capacity, the result being that you’re shoulder to shoulder with hundreds of other gawking tourists. I know because I’ve been a gawking tourist at Upper Antelope twice and Lower Antelope a half dozen times. They are gorgeous but most photo compositions must be shot above the crowds (unless you WANT the crowds). At Rattlesnake Canyon, there was just me, a friend, and our Navajo guide. No one else. It was great! The short canyon was every bit as beautiful as the more famous canyons nearby. I toured Rattlesnake (named for the shape of the canyon) as part of a three-canyon tour (Owl, Rattlesnake, and Mountain Sheep canyons.)

I like to use a super wide-angle lens (10-18mm). If you’re an experienced photographer, shoot in manual mode with increased ISO, wide aperture, and shutter speed as long as you’re able or if you’re allowed to carry a tripod (usually requires a payment of a premium fee). I’ve found that I can get a pretty decent shot in most slot canyons shooting in aperture priority mode and auto ISO.

Like many (most/all?) slot canyons near Page, Rattlesnake is on Navajo land and you must pay a Navajo guide to take you to and through the canyon. I booked my tour through “Adventurous Antelope Canyon Tours”. To get there, drive half a mile past the Navajo Generating Station power plant at US Highway 98 & look for Adventurous Antelope Road, Milepost 302.