Unearth The Voyage
Looking for information about kayaking Antelope Canyon? You’ve come to the right place!
Did you know you can actually kayak to Antelope Canyon and avoid going on one of the crazy crowded tours? Yes, you totally can!
On our most recent trip to Page, Arizona our favorite thing we did was kayaking to Antelope Canyon.
Because this isn’t a super well-known thing to do, figuring out the logistics of how to actually get to Antelope Canyon from Lake Powell can be a bit confusing.
But don’t worry, in this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about how to kayak to Antelope Canyon!
Regular Tour vs. Kayaking Antelope Canyon
So you’re probably wondering, what is the difference between kayaking to Antelope Canyon or going on one of the tours to Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon?
There are quite a few noticeable differences, but overall, we think you should do both while visiting the area.
Even though kayaking Antelope Canyon is a unique way to visit the part of the canyon that is closest to Lake Powell, it’s not the same as seeing the upper parts of the slot canyon that are famous for the smooth, wavy, colorful walls.
Regular Antelope Canyon Tour
There are different sections of Antelope Canyon that you can visit, but the two most famous, Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon, are the most noteworthy parts of the slot canyon you can visit.
In the past 15 years, this slot canyon has become incredibly famous, and people travel from all over the world to experience the wonder these slot canyons hold.
But because of how famous they have become, the experience of walking through these slot canyons and having a serene experience has been diminished by the annoying crowds.
That’s why you’re probably looking for alternatives to visiting Antelope Canyon.
We would caution against this though, even though kayaking to the part of Antelope Canyon that empties into Lake Powell is incredible, it’s not even close to the same experience as Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon.
To avoid disappointment, we would 100% recommend doing both.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out which part of the canyon to visit, read more in our article about the difference between Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon.
There are also a ton of different tour operators that go to Antelope Canyon now as well. Check out our article all about the best tours to Antelope Canyon (and the exact one we went on & recommend!)
Psst! If you don’t want to read a full other article, this is the best Upper Antelope Canyon tour we went on and loved. Here is the best tour of Lower Antelope Canyon (that we also went on & loved.)
Kayaking to Antelope Canyon
Kayaking to Lower Antelope Canyon is more of an all-around experience rather than a chance to see Antelope Canyon without going on a tour.
Just the kayaking part on Lake Powell is a fun experience, and the hiking to the lower parts of Antelope Canyon is just the cherry on top.
We’ll explain more below about how to actually kayak and hike Antelope Canyon, so keep reading for the logistics.
But it’s important to know what to expect when kayaking to see Antelope Canyon.
Once you park your kayak and head out on your hike to see the canyon, it will start off as just a large canyon like the one you just kayaked through but without the water.
There are a few sections of the canyon that have a resemblance to the smooth, wavy walls like you would see in the photos of Upper or Lower Antelope, but those sections are pretty short.
Overall, you will still get to experience some sections of the canyon that resemble the Upper and Lower portions, but they are short and aren’t nearly as spectacular.
Our highlight of kayaking to Antelope Canyon was enjoying being out on Lake Powell, kayaking through the canyon that leads to Antelope Canyon, parking our kayaks, and enjoying a swim in the crystal clear, blue waters of Lake Powell.
So we would still recommend this kayaking trip, just don’t be disappointed that you won’t see something like the photos of the upper sections of Antelope Canyon.
How to Kayak to Lower Antelope Canyon
- Most kayak rentals start at the Antelope Point Marina or Antelope Point Boat Ramp. If you’re renting from the marina, make sure you give yourself some extra time to wait for a golf cart to bring you down to the dock.
- From the marina, you will head out of the wake zone and hug the rock face on the left. You’ll continue hugging that rock face until you come to a floating buoy that says Antelope Creek – No Wake Zone.
- It’s about a 1.7-mile kayak from the marina to the entrance of the no wake canyon. From the Antelope Point Boat Ramp, it’s about a 1 mile paddle.
- This section of Lake Powell can be pretty choppy and windy, so we recommend heading out really early and not paddling back too late in the day.
- Once you’re in Antelope Creek Canyon, the paddle is much easier. When we paddled in the morning the water was like glass. The reflections are incredible!
- Continue paddling through the canyon for about 1.4 miles until you reach the end of the canyon where you’ll park your kayak and start your hike!
How to Hike to Antelope Canyon from Lake Powell
- Once you’ve parked your kayak, you’re inside of the canyon and there’s only one way to go.
- Eventually, the walls will start to narrow, and there will be some sections you need to scramble up or climb a ladder to continue on.
- There is one section that is totally unique to this area of the canyon where you walk through a maze-like, narrow wall section but the walls are only about 5 feet tall while the rest of the large, wide canyon towers before you.
- After hiking about 0.4 miles you’ll come to a split in the canyon. We were told to stay to the right, but there wasn’t much after the split.
- We hiked another about 0.3 after going right at the split and turned around. At this point, the canyon became very large and there didn’t seem to be any more slot canyon-like spots. It was also difficult to find shade at this point so we got pretty hot.
Renting vs. Bringing Your Own Kayak to Antelope Canyon
It’s totally possible to bring your own gear if you have it to go kayaking through Antelope Canyon. We didn’t have our own gear so we rented kayaks and had a great experience.
Antelope Canyon Kayak Rentals
There are a few really great companies that offer kayak and paddleboard rentals. We’ve listed them below along with the company we went with.
A lot of these companies also offer Antelope Canyon kayak tours if you’d like to go but want a guide to show you the way!
Antelope Point Marina
- Launches at Antelope Point Marina
- Single & double kayaks are available
- Hourly rentals start at $10
- Half-day rentals start at $30
- Full-day rentals start at $45.00
Kayak Lake Powell
- Complimentary delivery to your choice launch location
- Single Kayak – $50.00 per day
- Double Kayak – $65.00 per day
- Paddleboard – $60.00 per day
Paddleboard Lake Powell
- Complimentary delivery to your choice launch location
- Single kayak – $45.00 per day
- Double kayak – $55 per day
- Paddleboard – $50 per day
Paddle Lake Powell
- Hobie foot pedal kayaks
- Launches at Antelope Point Marina
- 6 hour single kayak – $75.00
- 6 hour double kayak – $150.00
Bringing Your Own Antelope Canyon Kayak
If you’d like to bring your own kayak to kayak Lower Antelope Canyon you can definitely do so! You will want to park at Antelope Point Launch Ramp.
The worst part about this is you will have to unload your kayaks and then drive your car up to the parking lot and walk back down.
You will need to pay the $30/week Glen Canyon National Recreation fee to enter. If you have an America the Beautiful annual pass this allows you to enter without paying the fee.
Paddleboarding to Antelope Canyon
Paddleboarding to Antelope Canyon is another popular way to explore this part of Lake Powell. We saw quite a few people on paddleboards, but honestly, we wouldn’t recommend it.
Once the winds picked up in the afternoon it looked incredibly difficult to paddle back to the take-out point. We had a hard time in our kayak and we passed a ton of paddleboarders who were moving very slowly.
If you really want to paddleboard, we would recommend setting out REALLY early and heading back to the launch before 10 a.m.
Tips for Kayaking to Antelope Canyon
- Get on the water as early as possible- we were on the water for our Antelope Canyon kayak and hike at 8 a.m.
- Check the weather (especially the wind.) If it’s going to be a very windy day, we would recommend rescheduling.
- Check the weather for rain. If there is any rain in the forecast in the area, please check with the people you’re renting kayaks from. This is a flash flood area and you DO NOT want to be stuck in the canyon during a flash flood.
- Get an America the Beautiful pass to make parking and exploring the area a breeze.
- Be sure to be paddling back in the early afternoon. No matter what it will be wavy and windy later in the day, but the earlier you’re paddling back the better. We got back to the marina around 3:30 but it wasn’t very windy the day we paddled.
- Pack a lunch and pull off inside the Antelope Creek Canyon for a swim. We ate our lunch while hiking, but pulling off and swimming was one of our favorite parts of the adventure!
What to Pack for Antelope Canyon Kayaking
What you pack will depend on whether you’re bringing your own gear to kayak into Antelope Canyon or not. If you do bring your own gear, make sure you bring a PFD along with you as you have to have one on Lake Powell. If you’re renting, they will provide one for you.
- Water/hiking shoes – We love our chacos and they were perfect for getting wet and then hiking.
- Energy bars/sandwiches – Make sure to pack some sort of snack/lunch as you’ll be using a lot of energy to paddle & hike.
- Hydration Bladder – We both brought 1.5 liters of water and both drank it all!
- Dry Bag – We stored our keys, snacks, and everything else we didn’t want to get wet in our dry bag & clipped it to the kayak.
- Sunscreen/sunhat/sunglasses – The sun is no joke in this area! Don’t forget your sun protection.
- Waterproof Phone Pouch – This is a must-have if you plan to bring your phone!
- Swimsuit/Hiking clothes – We both just wore our swimsuits and swam after our hike so we weren’t wet when hiking.
Wrap-Up: Kayaking in Antelope Canyon
There you have it! We hope this guide helps you plan your Antelope Canyon by kayak trip.
We had an absolute blast being out on Lake Powell and getting to see the canyon from a completely different angle than on the guided tours.
Be sure to check the weather before you head out and don’t forget sun protection. But most of all, have an amazing time!
