Best Time of Year to Visit the Page, Arizona Area

[Scott Rosenberg]

good day...
i am trying to get some of my major photo trips for 2005 planned, starting with a vist to the area around page, arizona (slot canyons, coyote buttes, etc).

would one season be more beneficial than another? i've heard that slot canyons should only be entered during certain months due to flash flooding. temperature is not a real concern... i'm mostly thinking about visiting when the crowds are low and conditions for photography are ripe.

thanks,

[Gem Singer]

Hi Scott,

I formerly lived in Arizona and found that the middle of March till the middle of May was the best time for photographing around Page, Lake Powell, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Nicest weather conditions and smallest crowds.

[Steve Sherman]

Scott,
I just this week returned from Page Az. for about the 15th time. For the past two years in a row I have gone the first two weeks of Nov and had great weather, opportunities and results. Only this past Monday did the Las Vegas and general AZ. UT border have a large low pressure area resulting in much needed rain. However, rain brings clearling storm clouds so all was not lost.

There is so much there to photograph why not e mail me off line and tell me your interests and I should be able to shed some light on many landscape features in the area.

Cheers, Steve

[Morey Kitzman]

Scott

I have to agree with Eugene. March-April is a very good time. Not to hot, fewer tourists and the light in both of the lower and upper antelope slot canyons is good. I don't believe flash flooding is a concern at this time of the year.
Good luck,

Morey

[Scott Rosenberg]

eugene... as always, thanks for your concise and helpful comments.

steve... i really appreciate the offer, and will be sending you an email later on this evening.

morey... again, thanks for confirming what eugene said.

looks like i'll shoot for mid-march!

[bob woitaszewski]

scott,

I was there in Oct a couple of years ago and the locals have told me that May is the best time to visit the slots. Remember, you want the sun fairly higih in the sky to get those famous colours brought out.

As far as going to Coyote Buttes, you will need to go the the appropiate gov. web-site and sign up for one-of-the-ten slots allocated each day. The slots open up six months in advance and fill quickly. you cannot just "walk-in" Weekends fill up really fast.

[Mark_3632]

Mid march is great and what others did not mention is this is also the time of cactus blooms in the area. On the bad side this is also when the spring winds begin to start up. They do not get heavy until april though, and the weather can be weird. Impromptu rain showers in the mountains can bring a lot of water down those slot canyons and make clay dirt raods really slippery. I had to walk out of the gerand staircase two years ago. That was a long and really cold walk.

I just got back from there this weekend as well (father-in-law lives there) and the photo ops abound. God I love living in the SW. Good luck.