Tour guide shows how canyons are formed from just sand over millions of years in brilliant video

The Grand Canyon and Antelope Canyon are well-known natural wonders, attracting visitors from around the world to witness their breathtaking formations. However, fewer people know these canyons were carved out over thousands of years. TikTok user Wuli_Dou recently sparked a discussion on this history, sharing a video of a tour guide demonstrating how Arizona’s Antelope Canyons took shape.

The tour guide piled some sand at the desert location where they were standing. He then brought out a water bottle and poured water over the top of the sandy mound. The trickling water caused the top to cave in. Next, he added more sand over the hole and repeated the process, pouring water on the same spot twice more. Finally, he poured water from the side, creating a miniature structure resembling the large canyons. This demonstrated how years of erosion from natural elements like water, heat and wind gave the canyon its iconic swirly shape.

According to Navajo Tours, local people from the Native American reservation serve as tourist guides. There are many other videos online where Navajo guides provide similar demonstrations for travelers. As for the geological history of Antelope Canyon, these natural crevices in Arizona were formed over hundreds of years. Tourists do not need to climb to access the canyon, as its entrance is conveniently located at ground level. Here's another example of a guide providing a similar demonstration:

The canyon has two sections, known as Upper Antelope Canyon (The Crack) and Lower Antelope Canyon (The Corkscrew). The site receives most visitors during the spring and summer months, when people gather to witness the stunning light beams reflecting off the canyon's folds. The Navajo Tribe considers Antelope Canyon sacred, and the land belongs to the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation. Due to its significance to their heritage, the Navajo Tribe designated Antelope Canyon as a Navajo Tribal Park in 1997, and it has only been accessible by permit since then.

The video shared by @wuli_Dou was reshared on Reddit by @majorwtf. A few people in the Reddit post's comment section raised questions about the demonstration of the tour guide while others responded in awe. u/Mekelaxo joked, "Every time I see one of those narrow canyons I'm reminded of the guy who had to cut off his own arm with a pocket knife after being stuck in one for five days because a rock fell and wedge itself perfectly to crush his wrist."

u/mitchums2134 shared, "Geologist here. The demonstration isn't correct and the only semi-valid part of it is that water was indeed involved. Antelope canyon formed in an already formed rock from many years of flash floods cutting straight down into it." u/Jakome theorized, "Rain, I believe mostly. Flash floods and the like. Water can get up to over 100mph in those slots. You aren’t allowed to go in without a guide since one flash flood killed something like eight people." u/Present_Creme_2282 added, "Yes. Flash floods and wind shape the canyon over a long time. The Navajo tour guide is just explaining the dynamics of weathering in a dry climate."