Monument Valley to Antelope Canyon: Drive and Route

Monument Valley to Antelope Canyon is about 125 miles and takes roughly two hours and fifteen minutes, running west across the Navajo Nation on US-160 and US-98 into Page, Arizona.

Both sit on Navajo land, both require a Navajo guide to see properly, and together they make one of the best two-stop trips in the Southwest.

Monument Valley to Antelope Canyon at a glance

The route

Head south from Monument Valley on US-163, the road from the famous view, then west on US-160 through Kayenta. At the junction, take US-98 west, which runs the rest of the way into Page.

This is open, high desert driving across the Navajo Nation. Services are sparse between towns, so fuel up in Kayenta rather than assuming you will find something along the way.

One time zone note that actually helps

Most of Arizona does not observe daylight saving, but the Navajo Nation does. Since both Monument Valley and Page sit within the Navajo Nation, the clock does not change between them.

That makes this one of the few approaches to Page where you do not have to do time-zone math. If you are coming from elsewhere in Arizona or from Nevada, that is not the case.

Two Navajo-guided experiences

What connects these two places is not just geography. Monument Valley’s backcountry requires a Navajo guide, and so does Antelope Canyon. In both cases the guiding is not a formality, it is how the place is protected and how its meaning gets passed on.

Our post on what Antelope Canyon means to the Navajo people is worth reading before your tour.

Worth stopping for

• Kayenta — the practical stop for fuel and food on this route.

• Navajo National Monument — a short detour off US-160, with well-preserved cliff dwellings and a free overlook trail.

• Horseshoe Bend — just past Page, about twelve minutes from the canyon.

Booking your tour

Antelope Canyon requires an authorized Navajo guide and there is no self-guided option. Tours fill weeks ahead in summer, so book before you travel.

See tour times and reserve, or read our Upper vs Lower comparison to decide which canyon fits your group.