One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas Is To A Captivating Canyon Bursting With Color

When the manmade madness of Las Vegas gets to be too much, you can embark on a day trip to one of America's most extraordinary natural wonders: Antelope Canyon. Created millions of years ago by flash floods that eroded Navajo Sandstone formations, the Antelope Canyon today composes six separate slot canyons in Navajo Nation, near Page, Arizona, and just over the Utah border. These canyons now boast smooth, undulating rock walls and narrow openings that filter in light and can be traversed by foot. When direct beams illuminate the canyon, the walls reflect a kaleidoscope of intense colors, ranging from burnt orange to dark crimson.

The canyons are part of the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, so they can only be accessed when visitors are accompanied by a guide. The most famous canyons are the Upper Canyon, with an entrance at ground level, and the Lower Canyon, which requires steeper entry by ladder-like steps. Though the Lower Canyon requires more effort to enter, it is often less crowded and offers a more private experience. However, the structure of the Upper Canyon ensures that it gets the glowing beams of sunlight, usually around midday between May and September. While Vegas is within driving distance of a number of spectacular national parks, Antelope Canyon offers a truly immersive experience touring a natural work of art.

If you want to escape Vegas for a day, you should book the Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend tour by Viator, which includes two extraordinary natural wonders. The tour commences at 5:30 a.m. with a pick up at select Las Vegas hotels in an air-conditioned vehicle equipped with Wi-Fi. During the five-hour scenic drive to Antelope Canyon, you will pass by the expansive waters of Lake Powell, the country's second-largest manmade lake, and the unique rock formations of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Once you reach Antelope Canyon, you will spend an hour exploring your choice of canyon with a Navajo guide, either the Upper or Lower Canyon. 

After lunch, you will then venture to your second stop: Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon, Arizona. This famous stop, one of the most photographed destinations in Arizona, is where the mighty Colorado River carves its way through the canyon. The lookout over the bend is accessed by an easy 1.5-mile hike, which promises a stunning panorama of what is considered the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. "This was an amazing trip from start to finish," commented a Viator reviewer. "The scenery on the drive was incredible and there are no words to describe how amazing the canyon is." The tour costs $189 per adult.