Only 7 Lucky Visitors Per Day Are Allowed At This Secret Canyon In Arizona
By Katie Lawrence|Published February 25, 2019
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
It’s safe to say Arizona is one of the most popular tourist destinations in America. On any given day, our state parks and other natural wonders are absolutely packed, making it nearly impossible to get a good view. But what if there is a place that only allowed a select few visitors each day? That dream is a reality at these two hidden sections of Antelope Canyon. Check it out:
Hiding deep within the undulating waves and loops of Arizona’s most photographed natural wonder are two lesser-known, highly exclusive canyons. Tours are offered on an extremely limited basis, letting very few people at a time in.
This beautiful place is known as Cardiac Canyon. Nobody is certain of the exact story behind its name, but we’re going to assume it alludes to the hidden gem’s heart-stopping beauty.
There isn’t a single more intimate, secluded slot canyon experience in Arizona - and possibly all of America. Just one group per day is led inside and the tour takes a whopping six hours.
Reservations are required to enter Cardiac Canyon and groups can consist of anywhere from two to 14 people. That’s right - just you and one other person could have the entire place to yourselves!
Of course, such limited space can make it difficult to snag a spot, but fear not! There’s another incredibly remote and nearly as exclusive canyon nearby to check out too: Canyon X. The vastly different geography of the Antelope Canyon’s Upper and Lower sections converge here and, like Cardiac Canyon, the number of people allowed in each day is kept to a minimum and groups must be accompanied by a Navajo guide.
There are two types of tours offered; a hiking tour and a photography tour. The hiking tour takes about 1.5 hours. The photography tour lasts closer to three hours and visitors on this tour are allowed to bring one tripod and one camera bag per person. The hiking tour does not permit you to carry either, so if you want to snap the best photos, you’ll definitely want to pick the photography tour.
You can visit Canyon X all year long, and during the slow season, up to 40 people per time slot are allowed on the hiking tour, though it rarely reaches full capacity. The photography tour, on the other hand, allows only seven people per tour, ensuring shutterbugs can work uninterrupted and with the clearest field of vision possible.
Early afternoon is by far the best time of day for photography, however, prices increase for the busier seasons in April. You’ll get the best deals - and often fewer fellow visitors - if you visit during the earlier spring months.
For more information about pricing and reservations, you can visit the Canyon-X Tour company’s website or Facebook page.
Have you ever been to either of these canyons? If so, we’d love to hear all about the experience! Are there any other highly exclusive natural wonders in Arizona?
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