An Affordable Photographer’s Alternative to Antelope Canyon: the Incomparable Buckskin Gulch
Scribbled by Claire ◊ 21 Aug 2024
Are you looking at Antelope Canyon and sad that you won’t be able to take decent photos while there (and also sad at the price tag)? If so, we explain why we think Buckskin Gulch is an epic photographer’s alternative, plus how to visit, how difficult the hike is, permits, parking, and loads more.
Buckskin Gulch, also labelled as Kaibab Gulch, is (probably) the longest continuous slot canyon in the world and certainly the deepest in the American southwest.
However, the magnitude of Buckskin Gulch isn’t the reason why it’s one of the best slot canyons in Utah (and beyond). This supremely scenic, water-hewn crevasse has the perfect, sculpted walls that you associate with Antelope Canyon, stretching for an unfathomable distance, tangibly demonstrating how beautiful the rock layers are as it literally cuts through the Colorado Plateau.
However, it’s also easy to access, is very low cost, with no guides or tickets necessary. You’re also free to take a tripod and spend all day down there if you want!
We’ve visited numerous slot canyons across Utah, and we think Buckskin Gulch is up there with the absolute best for photographers (and your wallet!). Hopefully our mediocre photography efforts here can persuade you that this hike is the perfect Antelope Canyon substitute!
IN THIS GUIDE //
The Most Photogenic Antelope Canyon Alternative
WHERE IS BUCKSKIN GULCH?
WHAT IS ANTELOPE CANYON?
WHY CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE TO ANTELOPE CANYON
PHOTOGRAPHING BUCKSKIN GULCH
WHY BUCKSKIN GULCH IS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE
COSTS AND PERMITS
BUCKSKIN GULCH HIKE
– BACKPACKING
WHERE TO STAY NEAR BUCKSKIN GULCH AND ANTELOPE CANYON
BEST TIME TO VISIT
SAFETY IN SLOT CANYONS
MAP
WHERE TO NEXT?
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How to Get to Buckskin Gulch?
Buckskin Gulch is located in southern Utah, adjacent to the Arizona border, in the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. It is a tributary of the Paria River to the east, which it joins almost exactly at the border with Arizona and Utah.
The nearest towns to Buckskin Gulch are Page, to the east, and Kanab, to the west.
The best way to get a vibe for the geography of Buckskin Gulch is to have a look at it on Google Satellite. It’s so large that it’s possible to see the crack in the ground, its meeting point with Wire Pass, and where it joins the Paria River.
The easiest way to access Buckskin Gulch is from the Wire Pass Trailhead, down a bumpy 8.6-mile dirt road off Highway 89 between Kanab, Utah and Page, Arizona. This access road is suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles but is impassable when wet.
What is Antelope Canyon?
Antelope Canyon is a set of sandstone slot canyons near Page, Arizona, in the Navajo Nation’s borders. The canyon is made of six separate sections, including the famed Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, and Canyon X.
It is world famous for the photogenic, quintessentially smooth, water-worn sandstone walls, carved out over millions of years of rushing water and debris passing through.
Visiting Antelope Canyon is an experience that I won’t forget, but not for the best reasons. Begin shuffled about in a large group of loudly chatting tourists while moving through this magic that nature made just felt sad. I know other people disagree, but it just wasn’t a vibe for me.
Antelope Canyon is considered a spiritual place by the Navajo people, who traditionally believe that it was the Holy People who created the natural features of the canyon. It’s deemed to be a place where the physical and spiritual world overlap.
Upper Antelope Canyon is called Tsé bighánílíní in Navajo, meaning ‘the place where water runs through the rocks’.
Lower Antelope Canyon is called Hazdistazí in Navajo, meaning ‘spiral rock arches’.
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Why Choose an Alternative to Antelope Canyon?
There’s no doubt that Antelope Canyon, both upper and lower, are incredible. They are the poster child for slot canyons – with the impeccable carved walls, atmospheric sun beams and sandy, winding floors from the cover of a National Geographic magazine. We’ve visited part of Antelope Canyon and it deserves its screensaver celebrity status.
However, to experience the flawless physical features of Antelope Canyon, you must also contend with the negatives. As one of the most photographed places in the entire of the United States, there is necessary crowd management, tours and permits.
Here is some Antelope Canyon information:
Length | 0.8 – 1.1 miles (1.3 – 1.8 kilometres)
Time | 45 – 90 minutes
Price | from around $40 – $60 upward per person
Tour | essential, plus no backtracking and strict timings
Number of visitors | 4 million per year
Tripods and Bags | not allowed
Note | we don’t want to encourage people not to visit Antelope Canyon, only to ensure that photographers are aware there are cheaper, more flexible options available for anyone on a budget or who doesn’t enjoy guided tours. (In an ideal world, everyone would visit both Buckskin Gulch and Antelope Canyon!).
Photographing Buckskin Gulch
Unlike Antelope Canyon, Buckskin Gulch is easy to photograph.
There are no crowds, so if you’re a tripod kinda person, it’s perfect (I’m too lazy when hiking – all of the photos on this post are hand held).
No tripods are allowed in Antelope Canyon and, even if they were, there would probably be someone in your shot!
All of these Buckskin Gulch photos were taken on a Fujifilm XT-5, mostly using an aperture of f/2-5.6 and a shutter speed of 1/30 – 1/125 seconds. My ISO rarely goes much over 500. If you want a larger depth of field though, it’s definitely worth using a tripod.
For more photography hints and tips, take a look at our detailed travel photography guide.
WANT TO TAKE A BETTER TRAVEL PHOTO?
There are three parts to travel photography –
◊ Planning your trip
◊ Taking the photo
◊ Editing the end result
To get the highest quality, most sophisticated photos from your travels, you’ll need to perfect all three (plus a tiny bit of luck).
So, we’ve written a lot of country-specific guides about planning trips to various destinations, and also collated our absolute top tips for taking photos on location. We’ve also written a dedicated post on how to take the best black and white travel photography. Check them out if you’re interested!
We also write about typical editing mistakes to avoid. To complement that, we’ve collated a more intermediate user’s guide to editing travel photography. This covers more elegant, advanced and refined skills, ones that will promote your photos to the centerpiece of anybody’s wall.
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Why is Buckskin Gulch the Best Alternative to Antelope Canyon?
I’ve visited Antelope Canyon, Buckskin Gulch and many other slot canyons across the American Southwest (they’re my favourite kind of hike – because you mostly don’t need sunscreen!).
Below is why I think Buckskin Gulch is a fantastic alternative to Antelope Canyon:
Scenery | the stunning Navajo sandstone glows hues of red, purple and orange, even when the sun isn’t shining. It surprised me and I think it’s the most scenic, stereotype slot I’ve visited.
Location | Buckskin Gulch is nearby Page, so if you’re looking for a similarly located alternative to Antelope Canyon, it’s conveniently positioned.
Length | the full length of the Buckskin Gulch canyon is 26 miles, but most visitors start their hike around six miles in, where Wire Pass intersects it. The hike is as long as you want it to be, from a few miles to twenty.
Genuinely unmatched | the sheer scale of the slot canyon at Buckskin Gulch is incomprehensible. No other canyon without the need for gear or a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle compares.
Not claustrophobic | this canyon doesn’t involve squeezing through narrow channels or terrifying 10-inch gaps (like in Spooky Gulch).
Difficulty | the entire Buckskin Gulch hike is pretty much flat and there are very few obstacles (none at all if you just do it as a moderate day hike). Even the excellent Little Wild Horse Canyon has a whole bunch of obstructions which can be hard to get over (we saw some people having an absolutely drama at the obstacles there).
No tours | probably the biggest one for me – no tour groups necessary, unlike Antelope Canyon.
Affordable | it costs less than a tenth of the price of the main Antelope Canyon tours, which really adds up for a group.
Wild | it’s so isolated, quiet and desolate. Hiking through an echoey, silent canyon is special.
Facilities | there is a large car park with lots of *clean* pit toilets and a shaded area. These are rare for many of the slot canyon hikes I’ve done.
No fingerprints | something I read recently talked about the grubby fingerprints of thousands of visitors at this one particular point in Antelope Canyon. It made me feel quite sad.
Photography | Buckskin Gulch is mostly empty, purely because it’s so long and people can spread out. This means that when you find the perfect spot, there will be nobody else in your shot! Plus, your perfect photo will not be identical to everyone else’s perfect photo, unlike in Antelope Canyon. It’s also easily the most photogenic slot canyon I’ve ever visited.
Kids | this hike is great for active young ones! They can run about, there’s lots of space, there are trailhead facilities and it’s not dangerous (outside of flash floods).
Buckskin Gulch and Antelope Canyon Costs and Permits
Both canyons need permits for entry.
Buckskin Gulch | this requires a $6 permit per person (and dog) for day hikes. Overnight backpacking trips require a separate permit which are difficult to obtain due to popularity.
Permits for day hikes do not sell out and are available at the trailhead (phone signal allowing) or in advance on recreation.gov (recommended method).
Antelope Canyon | these require a tour reservation and permit ahead of time (tours include the cost of the Navajo Nation permit). Depending on if you visit Upper, Lower or Canyon X, there are different websites as the tours are run by different operators.
Canyon X is the cheapest at around $40 dollars for an hour, the other two are upwards of $60 dollars.
Buckskin Gulch Hike Overview
The Wire Pass Trailhead is the easiest access for Buckskin Gulch (there are several others, but they are not really very useful for a nice day hike). Do not use the ‘Upper Buckskin Gulch Trailhead’, it’s a much longer walk to the pretty narrows.
From the car park | cross the road and follow the trail down the wide, easy-to-hike wash for around 1.3 miles through the lovely Wire Pass (takes around 40 minutes). Continue onward into Buckskin Gulch, turn right after the inset cliff and petroglyphs. Head down towards the narrowing canyon.
Wire Pass | this is a beauty. The first mile or so hike in is often described as ‘following a wash’, which it is, for the first part. But then, the trail narrows and there are constricted canyons, rocks, trees and a ladder to navigate, all before you even reach Buckskin Gulch!
Buckskin Gulch | following the trail through Buckskin Gulch, which averages less than 10 feet wide for most of its length, the width undulates and occasionally opens up to small areas of trees and shrubs.
The surface is generally a combination of soft sand, mud and rocks. We visited when it was completely dry and hiked around 12 miles in total and saw no standing water at all. If you head further towards to confluence, the canyon can be very wet, so go prepared.
Tip | around 6 miles in is Middle Exit. The entrance/exit is not helpful as it just drops you on the top of the cliffs! Use it in emergencies only, if the weather turns. Plan to turn around and hike out at a pre-designated time.
Backpacking
For a backpacking trip, it is possible to follow Buckskin Gulch to the confluence with the Paria River, then south all the way to Lees Ferry – an absolute multi-day dream hike for me!
An alternative is to head north at the Paria River and exit at White House Trailhead, on Highway 89. This is a very strenuous day hike or pleasant backpacking trip.
Permits are hard to get as only 20 people a day are allowed in the Paria Canyon overnight. These are available four months in advance. For more details about reservations and rules, check recreation.gov.
WHERE TO STAY NEAR BUCKSKIN GULCH AND ANTELOPE CANYON
There are two obvious choices for a visit to either of these canyons – Page, Arizona or Kanab, Utah. Antelope Canyon is nearer to Page and the Buckskin Gulch Trailhead is equidistant between the two towns.
We’ve stayed extensively in both towns, and the below are hotels we personally recommend.
In Page:
Motel 6 – I wouldn’t routinely recommend a Motel 6, but it was *easily* the cheapest place we stayed in Page on our most recent 2024 trip. It wasn’t too bad and if you intend to be out of your room the entire time, it’s tolerable.
Other central motels – we’ve stopped over in many motels in central Page, our favourites being the Holiday Inn Express, Country Inn and Suites and the Baymont by Wyndham. Honestly, we wouldn’t usually choose pricier chain motels but Page has so many (mostly bad) budget options. Check the reviews carefully if they’re rated below an 8!
Under Canvas Lake Powell – for a proper glamping experience, look no further than Under Canvas. This outrageously pretty place has luxury tents with private bathrooms, but it might be worth skipping in the hot months – there’s no aircon. There is even a slot canyon, on site, if that helps persuade you!
Amangiri – ok, straight up, we can’t afford this one, but if you take a look at it, you’ll know why it’s on our bucket list. For a once-in-a-lifetime stay, check it out.
In Kanab:
Red Canyon Cabins – quality, mid-range budget accommodation, with cute, individual little huts, laundry and parking right outside your own little cabin.
Best Friends Mercantile – just a totally amazing place to stay. Beautiful rooms, enormously pet friendly, lovely vegan breakfast. We recommend this one over and over.
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AMAZING ADVENTURES IN KANAB, UTAH | THREE EPIC DAYS IN MOAB
Best Time to Hike Buckskin Gulch and Antelope Canyon
Summer | the canyons are hot in summer and, as mentioned above, there is a risk of monsoon rains.
Shoulder | spring and fall, from April – June and Sept – November are nicest, weather-wise with milder temperatures and less risk of storms.
Winter | it’s cold and snowy, which makes hiking in water unpleasant and even dangerous.
Light | the light, especially in Antelope Canyon, is best between March and October.
We visited Buckskin Gulch in May, and the light was beautiful in the midday-afternoon time, photography-wise.
SAFETY IN SLOT CANYONS
Any slot canyon is risky if there is rain forecast or there was recent rain in the region, however both Antelope Canyon and Buckskin Gulch are especially treacherous.
Buckskin Gulch is particularly hazardous due to its length, minimal exit routes and isolated location. Multiple people have died due to flash floods here, just in the past few years alone.
Antelope Canyon is also very dangerous due to its geography and people have actually died in Lower Antelope Canyon due to flooding, even when accompanied by a tour guide.
As with all slot canyons, watch the weather very carefully. Flash floods can occur almost without notice, so if there is rain in the forecast nearby, avoid these hikes.
If you notice a surge in water or it changes colour, or an increase in debris or noise, get to some higher ground as soon as you can. Remember, flash floods in canyons kill people every single year. I’ve cancelled planned slot canyon trips in the past due to grey skies and cloud.
Flash floods in Buckskin Gulch and Antelope Canyon are most common during the monsoon season between July and September, so always check the weather forecast extra cautiously before you go during this time.
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RELATED | THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN PAGE, AZ
Buckskin Gulch vs Antelope Canyon – Map
Below is a savable Google Map with everything we mention on this Buckskin Gulch post.
⬩ Yellow are the locations of Buckskin Gulch and the Antelope Canyon tours
⬩ Green are hotel recommendations in Page and Kanab.
To view these sections, select the icon in the top left corner of the map.
To save the map, select the star next to the title.
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR SOUTHWEST ITINERARY
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trip in the United States, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
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TAKE A LOOK BELOW OR CHECK CAR RENTAL
Where to Next?
There are so many super-scenic slot canyons in the American southwest. In fact, this area of the world has a larger concentration than anywhere else in the world. However, Buckskin Gulch, in particular, really stands out if you’re looking for a photogenic alternative to Antelope Canyon.
Many of the other, more beautiful canyons, are further from Page – places like Little Wild Horse and Kanarra Falls. Others that are a little nearer, like Cathedral Wash, just don’t have those incredible scalloped walls. Alternative canyons, like Spooky and Zebra, near Escalante, are terrifyingly claustrophobic. Finally, there are the canyons that require rugged high clearance vehicles or rappelling gear, like Peekaboo (Red Canyon) or High Spur (in the Maze District of Canyonlands).
Buckskin Gulch is just a terrific hike, easily accessible, and super affordable. Sections of it are as perfect a slot canyon as I could hope for, especially for photography.
We hope this has persuaded you to visit – have a great trip!
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