We get it. Hiking through Lower Antelope Canyon can be tiring, especially during the summer months. We always advise that our guests take steps to ensure they are fully hydrated, even before they arrive at the canyon, to avoid succumbing to heat exhaustion or worse.

So why can’t our guests refill their water bottles while on tour, or allow backpacks so they can store more water for our journey?

We get this question enough at Dixie’s Lower Antelope Canyon that it’s worth answering in an article.

First, the backpacks.

The walls of Antelope Canyon are made of sandstone that have been carved carefully by the elements over time, which gives them their incredible, famous contours. In a sense, backpacks can have the same effect.

Sandstone is malleable. One backpack brushing against the sandstone may not cause immediate damage to the wall, but dozens of backpacks brushing against the wall at practically every hour of every day absolutely will. Antelope Canyon is sacred to the Navajo people, and of course an important part of our history. Damaging the canyon would not only harm our business (after all, why would someone want to tour a vandalized landmark), but harm our very culture and heritage.

As for refillable water bottles, the simple answer is that we do not have running water here at Dixie’s. In order to be located close enough to Lower Antelope Canyon to provide hiking tours, our headquarters has to be completely self-sufficient. There are no sewer systems or electricity poles out in the Navajo Nation park.

Our new facility is equipped with solar panels that help us power our operations, and we have a water catchment system with two small storage silos to harvest rainwater to irrigate our plants and trees. However, all drinkable water has to be transported in.

We do offer an array of drinks from Coconut water, BLK lemonade water, sparkling water and perrier flavored water, electrolyte-charged water, and sports drinks like Gatorade, Pedialyte, Liquid IV, UPTIME, and NAKED Smoothies. We also offer soft drinks like OJ, Lemonade (pink raspberry and regular), apple juice, Hot and Cold Coffee (including Starbucks favorites like Frappuccinos, Pink Drink, and mango passion, Cold Teas, and even matcha green tea.

But we are simply unable to replenish your water on site.

So please drink plenty of water prior to arrival, and bring a full bottle of water with you for your hike through Lower Antelope Canyon. Once your tour is over, you are of course welcome to purchase a beverage from our gift shop. We simply cannot refill your water while on tour.

Thank you for your understanding. We look forward to seeing you soon!