Don't miss Waterholes Canyon near Page, Arizona

You have possibly heard of the Antelope Canyon and its beauty, especially in midday, as sunlight filters in from the openings above into the slot canyon. Lesser well known, but beautiful in its own way is the Waterholes Canyon, located some five miles south of Page, Arizona, by the Highway 89.

It was a day in March when we visited the Waterholes Canyon. It required a pass to be obtained from the Navajo Tribal Park Office in Page. Of course, it required some effort to locate the office in a rather empty part of Page, but we did. The pass allowed us access to the part of the canyon to the east of Highway 89.

Waterhole is a slot canyon quite like the Antelope canyon. Water and wind over years have cut a deep and beautiful gorge through the orange sandstone. The canyon extends all the way to the Colorado river, where its mostly dry bed merges into the river.

The canyon winds its way through the desert landscape, every twist and turn bringing in new surprises.

The canyon is quite a playground for the adventurous sort, and R had a time of his life running and jumping along the canyon walls. Unlike the Antelope canyon, there was no crowd here, in fact we were the only ones during our time exploring the canyon. We could enjoy the canyon to its fullest.

After some distance into the canyon, there is no easy way to continue. But some enterprising souls had put a ladder in place for people to climb over and explore further into the canyon. So we did.

At this time, the Waterholes Canyon requires more than just a pass from the Navajo Tribals Park. Usual entry into the canyon is now closed. To access the canyon, one needs to go through Waterhole Canyon Experience, who will take you on a tour of the canyon in four-wheel drive vehicles.

Best time to visit the Waterholes Canyon is likely spring or fall, when its not too hot or cold. For best photography, be there during mid-day, when the sun rays come into the canyon from above.