10 Film and Television Filming Locations Open to the Public

7. Antelope Canyon - Nature's Cathedral on Screen

Antelope Canyon, located on Navajo land near Page, Arizona, represents one of the most photographed and filmed natural locations in the world, serving as a mystical backdrop for numerous movies, commercials, and television productions. This slot canyon, formed by millions of years of flash flood erosion through Navajo sandstone, creates an otherworldly environment with its flowing rock formations, narrow passages, and ethereal light beams that filter down from above. The canyon's most famous cinematic appearance was in the opening sequence of "127 Hours," where its claustrophobic passages and dramatic lighting perfectly captured the isolation and beauty of the American Southwest. Visitors must join guided tours led by Navajo guides, who not only ensure safety in the potentially dangerous environment but also share cultural knowledge about the canyon's spiritual significance to the Navajo people and stories about various film productions that have utilized the location. The interplay of light and shadow within the canyon creates constantly changing visual conditions that photographers and cinematographers have long celebrated, with the famous light beams occurring only during specific times of year when the sun's angle allows direct illumination of the canyon floor. The Upper and Lower sections of Antelope Canyon each offer different filming opportunities, with the Upper Canyon providing the iconic light beam shots and the Lower Canyon featuring more intimate, winding passages that create natural framing for dramatic scenes. The challenge of filming in such a confined and environmentally sensitive space has led to innovative cinematographic techniques, while the canyon's natural acoustics have been utilized for both dialogue scenes and musical performances in various productions.