Nature is forever carving, and recarving, picturesque Upper Antelope Canyon

Stepping into the cool, dark mouth of the slot canyon, I feel an immediate relief from the relentless desert sun. Only then do my eyes adjust to the sandy, swerving path ahead, allowing Upper Antelope Canyon to reveal itself to me.Light streams in from the top of the canyon at different angles, as Navajo tour guides help pose and photograph visitors for the perfectly illuminated shot. For a quarter of a mile, I join the other visitors weaving between the tall walls of Navajo sandstone, through pockets of darkness and light, while the jagged canyon shifts between shades of burnt umber, rust, and pumpkin. Antelope Canyon, sitting on Navajo Nation land a few miles south of Page, Arizona, is one of the most photographed slot canyons in the world. Thousands of people from around the globe visit Upper Antelope Canyon each day during peak season, with nearby Lower Antelope Canyon also regularly selling out its daily tours. Visitors are required to book with one of half a dozen tour operators approved by Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation, with a 90-minute excursion costing more than $100 per person. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff A GRAND OPENING: Tourists enter the slot canyon. During peak season, as many as 3,500 visitors come through the canyon per day. Why We Wrote This A photo of Upper Antelope Canyon is a Microsoft Windows default desktop wallpaper on computer screens around the world. But Antelope Canyon was formed millions of years ago and has a storied, sacred history that goes back long before the creation of cellphones or computers. After bouncing in vans and trucks through the sand to the canyon’s entrance, visitors spend roughly half an hour between the sandstone walls before hiking almost a mile back to the cars and then flipping through new photos on their phones during the drive back to Page. Even those who haven’t walked through the canyon themselves or seen it posted on social media feeds will likely recognize the orange slopes: A photo of Upper Antelope Canyon is a Microsoft Windows default desktop wallpaper on computer screens around the world. But Antelope Canyon was formed millions of years ago and has a storied, sacred history that goes back long before the creation of cellphones or computers. For the Navajo people, the upper canyon is Tsé bighánílíní (“the place where water runs through rocks”). It is forever being carved and recarved by monsoon flash floods rushing through narrow passageways, with turbulent whirlpools cutting deep spirals on the walls and shifting the fragile sandstone. That means this place is always changing. As I left, I realized something spectacular: My next visit might look different from this one. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff SAND CASTLE: Tourists visit Upper Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona. It is the primary attraction of Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff A PEEK INTO THE PAST: The canyon was formed by the erosion of sandstone. Flash floods are forever carving and recarving the site. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff SHOWSTOPPER: Tourists from Italy and the United States stop to admire the view and take selfies. The canyon is one of the most photographed locations in the Southwest. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff TRIBAL BLESSING: Navajo guide Tomai Bitsoie plays “Kokopelli” on a traditional flute as tourists exit the canyon. The piece is a blessing for peace and joy. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff TRAFFIC-STOPPER: Vehicles transporting tourists are lined up outside the canyon, which can be visited only through guided tours by tribal members.