How Far Is Antelope Canyon From Sedona?
Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona, is about 160 miles from Sedona — roughly 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours of driving each way, the shortest run to the canyon from any major Arizona jumping-off point. That’s less than half the haul from Las Vegas or Phoenix. The catch isn’t distance — it’s which of the two routes out of Sedona you pick, because one of them is dramatically slower at the exact time of day most visitors leave.
The drive: about 160 miles, two very different routes
From Sedona you have two ways north to Flagstaff before joining US-89 for the final run into Page. The scenic pick is SR 89A through Oak Creek Canyon — a 15-mile National Scenic Byway that climbs out of Sedona’s red rocks through a 2-mile stretch of tight switchbacks before leveling out near Flagstaff. It’s the shorter, prettier option, and most days it’s also the faster one. The alternative is I-17 north to Flagstaff, which adds roughly 15–20 minutes but skips the switchbacks entirely — an easier call if you’re towing anything, driving an RV, or just don’t want hairpin turns first thing in the morning. From Flagstaff, both routes merge onto US-89 north through Cameron, then into Page, with the canyon entrances about 6 miles east of town.
Book your tour first, then work backward from the drive
Antelope Canyon isn’t a walk-up stop. Both Upper and Lower Antelope sit on Navajo Nation land and require a booked, guide-led tour at a fixed start time — Upper Antelope tours run about 100 minutes door-to-door (roughly 40 minutes of that is the shuttle in and out, with about an hour actually in the canyon); Lower Antelope tours run 60–75 minutes. With Sedona only 3 hours out, it’s tempting to leave same-morning, but a 9 a.m. tour still means a 5:30–6 a.m. departure once you build in gas, a bathroom stop, and Oak Creek Canyon’s slower pace.
What most people get wrong: assuming 89A is always the fast route
89A through Oak Creek Canyon is the shorter, more scenic road, and for most of the day it beats I-17. But it’s also a narrow, two-lane, switchback-heavy corridor that turns into a slow crawl during Sedona’s summer traffic peak — roughly 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — when tour buses, RVs, and sightseers stacking up at pullouts can add 20–30 minutes you didn’t budget for. If you’re driving out early (before 8 a.m.) to make a mid-morning canyon tour, 89A is the right call. If you’re leaving mid-morning or need a predictable arrival time no matter what, I-17 costs you a few extra minutes on paper but is far less likely to blow your buffer.
No time zone to worry about
Unlike trips from Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, this one has zero time-zone math. Sedona and Page are both in Arizona, and Arizona doesn’t observe daylight saving time statewide (the Navajo Nation portion near Page is the one exception, but Page itself sits outside it). Your phone won’t jump an hour crossing into Page — one less thing to double-check before a tour with a strict start time.
Prefer a guided trip? Antelope Canyon is Navajo-guided-tour-only from Page — compare available tour times and operators before you drive out:
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Antelope Canyon from Sedona?
About 160 miles, which runs 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours of driving depending on which route out of Sedona you take.
What’s the fastest route from Sedona to Antelope Canyon?
SR 89A through Oak Creek Canyon to Flagstaff, then US-89 north through Cameron to Page, is usually fastest — except during Sedona’s summer midday traffic window (roughly 10 a.m.–2 p.m.), when I-17 to Flagstaff can be more reliable despite adding 15–20 minutes of highway miles.
Is 89A or I-17 better for driving from Sedona to Page?
89A through Oak Creek Canyon is shorter and more scenic but has a 2-mile switchback climb and summer traffic backups. I-17 is longer but wider, faster-moving, and easier for RVs or anyone who’d rather skip hairpin turns.
Can you do Antelope Canyon as a day trip from Sedona?
Yes — at roughly 3 hours each way, it’s the most realistic day trip to the canyon from any major Arizona city, though you’ll still want an early departure to comfortably make a morning or midday tour slot.
Is Sedona in a different time zone than Antelope Canyon?
No. Both Sedona and Page are in Arizona, which doesn’t observe daylight saving time — so there’s no clock change to plan around on this route.
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