California/Nevada
Hiking Death Valley National Park and the Valley of Fire
Program No. 7608RJ
Death Valley isn't as scary as it sounds. Join experts to learn about unique rock formations, local ecology and ancient petroglyphs as you hike and explore these two stunning parks.
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Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
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800-454-5768
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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
Activity Level:
Outdoor: No Sweat (10)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Activity Level:
Outdoor: No Sweat (10)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Activity Level:
Outdoor: Spirited (3)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Activity Level:
Outdoor: Spirited (3)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Nov 3 - Nov 9, 2024
Starting at
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7 days
6 nights
17 meals
6B 5L 6D
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Las Vegas, NV
2
Hiking Valley of Fire
Las Vegas, NV
3
Death Valley National Park, Badwater Basin, Natural Bridge
Death Valley National Park
4
Titus Canyon, Mesquite Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon
Death Valley National Park
5
Ubehebe Crater, Salt Creek Marsh, Golden Canyon, Star Gazing
Death Valley National Park
6
Zabriskie Point, Harmony Borax Works
Death Valley National Park
7
To Las Vegas, Program concludes
Las Vegas, NV
At a Glance
Tread the sands of time to discover Mother Nature's diverse palette of colorful rock formations in this stunning corner of the desert Southwest. Study geology, ecology and human history through lectures, daily walks and hikes with geologists and other experts in their fields. Travel in our own comfortable Road Scholar 30-passenger bus with an upgraded video/audio system allowing our instructors to teach while "on the go."
Activity Level
Varies by date
Varies by date. OUTDOOR: NO SWEAT - Hiking up to two miles per day over varied terrain. Elevations up to 5,500 feet. OUTDOOR: SPIRITED - Hiking up to five miles per day over varied terrain. Elevations up to 5,500 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Learn why the sun-lit rocks inspired the park's name "Valley of Fire" as you view fascinating petroglyphs.
- Find a world of sand dunes, rugged canyons and landscapes carved from primeval rock in Death Valley.
- Hike Badwater, White Dome, Mouse Tank, Golden Canyon, Gower Gulch and more.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Janice Hayden
Janice Hayden moved to St. George, Utah to work as a field geologist for the Utah Geological Survey after working as an oil and gas exploration geologist. For 20 years, Janice mapped eighteen 7-½-minute quadrangles of southwest Utah that delineate geological formations, structures, soils, water resources, mineral deposits, and geologic hazards. She is now full-time faculty at Utah Tech University and frequently leads local geology field trips as well as field trips to Utah's national parks.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Janice Hayden
View biography
Janice Hayden moved to St. George, Utah to work as a field geologist for the Utah Geological Survey after working as an oil and gas exploration geologist. For 20 years, Janice mapped eighteen 7-½-minute quadrangles of southwest Utah that delineate geological formations, structures, soils, water resources, mineral deposits, and geologic hazards. She is now full-time faculty at Utah Tech University and frequently leads local geology field trips as well as field trips to Utah's national parks.
Diana Hawks
View biography
Diana Hawks was fortunate to be able to work in a career she loved, as an archaeologist in both the southwestern United States and Mesoamerica. She completed a bachelor’s and a master’s in archaeology at Brigham Young and PhD courses in anthropology and law. She has worked most extensively as an archaeologist in southern Utah and northern Arizona specializing in ceramic analysis of Ancestral Puebloan cultures. She enjoys teaching and working with the public on archaeological projects, especially archaeological inventories and rock art recording.
Suggested Reading List
(6 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Hiking Death Valley National Park and the Valley of Fire
Program Number: 7608
Mojave Desert Wildflowers
Field guide to 80 of the most common flowers of the Chihuahuan, Mojave and Sonoran deserts.
A Trip Through Death Valley's Geologic Past
This is a chronological trip through the geological history of the Death Valley region. It departs from the typical geological history by anchoring the text to a series of rock samples, dating from an estimated 2.5 billion years old to the present. Numerous photographs of rock samples and historical photos are used to delve into the past. An enlightening and entertaining trip through Death Valley's geological past for geology enthusiasts.
The Practical Geologist
This book is a great introductory guide to the basics of geology. Great diagrams, pictures and is well written.
An Introduction to the Geology of Death Valley
Captures the drama of the processes that are constantly changing Death Valley's landscape. Michael Collier creatively weaves an account of Death Valley's one-hundred-and-fifty-year mining history into the one-and-a-half-billion-year geologic history of the valley. Through his writing and his perceptive observations of a slowly evolving landscape, there emerges a fresh perspective on Death Valley.
Deserts, National Audubon Society Nature Guide
A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color photographs, to the wildflowers, birds, reptiles, insects and other natural wonders of North America's deserts.
Wildflowers of the Desert Southwest
Wildflowers of the Desert Southwest, Meg Quinn, 2000. A field guide to common desert wildflowers.