Antelope Canyon, USA
Antelope Canyon is the most-visited and
most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is located
on Navajo land near Page, Arizona. Antelope Canyon includes two
separate, photogenic slot canyon sections, referred to individually as
Upper Antelope Canyon or The Crack; and Lower Antelope Canyon or The
Corkscrew.
The Navajo name for Upper Antelope Canyon is Tsé bighánílíní,
which means “the place where water runs through rocks.” Lower Antelope
Canyon is Hazdistazí, or “spiral rock arches.”
Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of
Navajo Sandstone, primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due
to other sub-aerial processes.
Rainwater, especially during monsoon
season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections,
picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over
time the passageways are eroded away, making the corridors deeper and
smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic ‘flowing’
shapes in the rock.[1]
Photos: James Marvin Phelps , Rob Inh00d