Antelope Canyon, located in northern Arizona within the Navajo Nation right outside the town of Page, is one of the most picturesque slot canyons in the world. Running over 23 miles, it was formed over millennia through consistent erosion, primarily through the actions of flash floods that sculpt the sandstone rock into smooth, undulating forms.

Having traveled to Page numerous times, I had always opted for Buckskin Gulch, another slot canyon in the area that resides on BLM land and does not require a paid tour. My fourth time in the area I decided to partake on a tour and the views did not disappoint. Guided by a local Diné (Navajo) tour guide, I was entreated to various stories of Navajo belief as well as given a private photography tour of the canyons.

The canyons continually conceal and reveal form throughout the day, as the sun follows its path across the sky. My tour followed a relatively short section of the greater Antelope Canyon, and yet I found I could have spent days here and never arrive at the same photo twice. This abstract section reinforces the stunning tonality and color nature creates in the shade of these canyons.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time. Flash floods are what make these strikingly beautiful canyons also some of the most dangerous to hike, with the runoff from a storm ten miles away potentially leading to the canyon on a day with clear skies.

These walls form their own abstract art where light reveals and conceals form, changing each minute with the path of the sun. On my third venture into this slot canyon, the light caught this particular patch of sandstone highlighting its sinuous nature allowing for an eerie contemplation of the form itself.

Page, Arizona, near Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, is one of my favorite towns in the Southwest. A crossroads between the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Zion National Park, the area has become a vacation destination for desert residents and tourists alike, offering recreational water activities such as charting a boat through the flooded canyons of the man-made Lake Powell.

Lake Powell is a key part of the community which stores and regulates water from the Colorado River for the area as well as powering the Glen Canyon Dam which provides hydroelectric electricity to surrounding area and beyond. The red rock in this area is next to none, with every area offering beautiful trails and hidden views around each corner of the city.

This photo was taken in one such area which was behind a local gas station a mile outside of town. This is a well known sand cave that has gone viral on social media. The feeling of being in this cave is stunning, but I found the warped red rock a much more fascinating feature. Using a long exposure, I used my headlamp to paint the rock against the starry night.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest, deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion, particularly flash floods. This is also what make these beautiful canyons so dangerous, as water can be carried from a rainstorm several miles away bringing a sudden flash flood during clear skies with no escape route available.

I was amazed by the plants lining these walls, positioning themselves to receive the most light, showing again life’s ability to survival and thrive in the most unlikely places.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time. Flash floods are what make these strikingly beautiful canyons also some of the most dangerous to hike, with the runoff from a storm ten miles away potentially leading to the canyon on a day with clear skies.

These walls form their own abstract art where light reveals and conceals form, changing each minute with the path of the sun. This patch in particular caught my eye, not only for its abstract nature, but the small patch of life growing along its walls.

Originally covered by oceans and rivers, Monument Valley is a testament to time. Located on the Colorado Plateau near the Arizona-Utah Border, the valley displays the wondrous effects of weathering and erosion.

With the softer rock being eaten away over time by the elements, the harder rock is left exposed in curious and awe-inspiring formations that have religious significance for the Diné (Navajo) People and iconic significance for the American West.

Pictured here is “Sentinel Rock” profiled with an edge light from the setting sun. I was able to capture this photo right from my campsite, one of the most beautiful I’ve ever camped at, which also sits facing The Mittens.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time. Flash floods are what make these strikingly beautiful canyons also some of the most dangerous to hike, with the runoff from a storm ten miles away potentially leading to the canyon on a day with clear skies.

These walls form their own abstract art where light reveals and conceals form, changing each minute with the path of the sun. This patch in particular caught my eye, evoking nature’s version of yin and yang.

Iconic, religious, Hollywood-graced, the West Mitten Butte watches over the land of Monument Valley, a stunning area residing along the Utah-Arizona border.

These buttes hold major religious significance for the Navajo. Legend holds they are the remains of great religious deities. Filmmaker John Ford found his home in Monument Valley, countless westerns there with John Wayne, with the Mittens featuring prominently in such films as “The Searchers” (1956) and have now become icons of the American West.

Monument Valley maintains one of the best campsites I’ve ever had the pleasure of camping at, and it is a perfect one for photographing the Mittens. The campsite sits atop a sand band looking straight out towards The Mittens, evoking a drive-in movie theater, replacing the screen with one of the best views in the West.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion, particularly flash floods. These are what make these beautiful canyons so dangerous, as water can be carried from a rainstorm many miles away leading to deadly flash flood during clear skies with no escape route.

Fairly deep into the canyon at this point, I had made sure to observed several weather apps before embarking. Two years earlier with only one day to hike it, I called off the hike due to a 1% chance of rain. I later found out that chance was responsible for flooded the canyon, trail, and road all the way to US Route 89, a distance of three miles.

Iconic, religious, Hollywood-graced, the East and West Mitten Buttes tower over the landscape at Monument Valley along the Utah-Arizona border.

These buttes hold religious significance for the Navajo People with legend holding that they are the remains of great religious deities. Later John Ford found his home in Monument Valley and made countless westerns there with John Wayne, with the Mittens featuring prominently in films such as “The Searchers” (1956).

Monument Valley maintains one of the best campsites I’ve ever had the pleasure of camping at. It sits atop a sand band looking out towards The Mittens, evoking a drive-in movie theater, replacing the screen with one of the best views in the West. I later focused my efforts on the West Mitten at sunset.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time, often coming from flash floods. This is what make hiking these beautiful canyons so dangerous. A storm from ten miles away can funnel into the canyon on a day with clear blue skies.

The plant growth on the side of this canyon is a unique sight. Small amounts of water and sunlight find their way to these plants allowing them to survive in this surreal environment.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a joint venture between Navajo Nation and The National Park Service to preserve this unique area of land. The ruins throughout the monument are remnants of the Anasazi who inhabited the region between 750 and 1300 CE.

These people built their domiciles into the sides of the canyon, which offered protection from the elements as well as neighboring enemies. The land is now owned by Navajo Nation and is a sacred site. It is unique for an NPS area in that the Dinë people live on and farm the land.

The sheer size of the canyon is a sight to behold, and this area has been the fascination of photographers since the 1800s, with photographer Edward S. Curtis being one of the first to show its massive scale on celluloid.

Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.

Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time and are particularly prone to flash floods. With these floods comes large debris, and often it does not always escape the canyon.

The base of this large tree is one such beautifully eerie example, requiring some maneuvering to proceed further into the canyon. On the way back I made sure to highlight this unique occurrence with one quick shot.