Program Registration/Orientation, Program Overview and Introductions/Orienation & Introductions

Afternoon: Hotel Check in after 3:00 PM. Rooms may be available earlier based upon demand, call hotel for request. Northern Arizona University Road Scholar program registration from 4:30 - 5:15 PM in the hotel meeting room. Meet your program coordinator and receive your program folder.

Dinner: Enjoy a New Mexican food buffet dinner in the hotel conference room.

Evening: Introductions and orientation in the hotel meeting room following dinner. Get to know your fellow participants, review the schedule, and get prepared for the action packed adventure you are about to embark on.

Lodging: Best Western Rio Grande Inn

Meals Included: Dinner

Travel to Mesa Verde via Durango, CO/Anasazi Heritage Center/Intro to Mesa Verde

Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Load luggage and travel through scenic New Mexico. The Rio Grande rift valley, the San Juan Basin and the San Juan River are a few of the interesting features that the group will travel past. Your expert guide will interpret these lands as we travel through them giving some background on the cultural and natural history that makes the Four Corners a one of a kind destination.

Lunch: Picnic lunch at a local city park in Aztec, New Mexico. Note: The Aztec city park is conveniently located next to a Safeway Supermarket for any food or sundry items needed for the week.

Afternoon: Travel along the flanks of the La Plata Mountains to the entrance of Mesa Verde National Park and the new state-of-the-art park Visitor Center. This is a must see first stop before entering the park. Enjoy new exhibits that will highlight Mesa Verde's colorful history and rich cultural resources. We then drive into the park and climb thousands of feet to the top of the "Mesa Verde" where the group will check in to the Far View Lodge.

Dinner: Dinner in Mesa Verde National Park, at the Far View Terrace Cafe.

Evening: The video "Mesa Verde: Legacy of Stone and Spirit" will be offered this evening and will serve as a primer for our explorations in the park in the morning.

Lodging: Far View Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Full hot breakfast at the Far View Terrace or Metate Room Restaurant depending on the season.

Morning: Visit prehistoric sites on Chapin Mesa including pit houses and pueblo-style dwellings.The Chapin Mesa sites provide an excellent chronology of architectural styles and development of the Mesa Verde inhabitants. A local expert guide will be employed for the day to present "the story behind the scene" and bring the rise of the Mesa Verde culture to life. Mesa Verde is the only World Heritage site in the United States that is dedicated to the works of mankind and is often referred to as our countries greatest archaeological wonder.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch at Spruce Tree Cafe. in the heart of Mesa Verde National Park's historical district.

Afternoon: Visit Chapin Mesa Museum and walk the paved trail to Spruce Tree House cliff dwelling. Visiting Spruce Tree Ruin is an excellent "self guided" experience that allows the visitor time to linger and ponder at this village locked in time. View rock art and for those who wish, a rare opportunity to descend a ladder into a stabilized kiva at Spruce Tree Ruin.

Dinner: Dinner in Mesa Verde National Park, at the famed and much acclaimed Far View Lodge Metate Room Restaurant.

Evening: Enjoy a presentation relating to the wonders of Mesa Verde. Topics for the talk are dependent on park service staff scheduling.

Lodging: Far View Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Further Exploration in the Park / Visitor Center and Cliff Palace Ruin Tour

Note: To participate in the one hour Cliff Palace ranger lead tour, you must be able descend a series on stone and metal steps. In addition you will need to ascend a few short ladders that take you up the various levels. The ladders have large rungs to hold onto and are about 6 - 10 feet in length. There will be great views of the Cliff palace Ruin from above for those participants choosing not to go on the tour. The group will rejoin at the end of the hour at the bus parking area.

Breakfast: Full hot breakfast at the Far View Terrace or Metate Room Restaurant depending on the season.

Morning: Following breakfast depart for more explorations in the park. Morning destinations may include Sun Temple, Square Tower House and Park Point Lookout. Park Point Lookout will reward the visitor with sweeping views of Sleeping Ute Mountain, the La Plata Mountains, the San Juan Mountains and the pastoral Mancos and Cortez town sites thousands of feet below.

Lunch: Lunch at Far View Terrace. A selection of hot and cold entrees will be available.

Afternoon: Visit Mesa Verde National Park's Visitor Center to view exhibits and artifacts.Then, board the bus and travel to Cliff Palace, one of the trips highlights and one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America. Step back in time as you descend the steps and climb short ladders to view this marvel of early architecture. National Park Service rangers will guide the group and interpret the features and history of Cliff Palace. They will bring to life the culture and character of the Ancestral Puebloans who called this place home more than 800 years ago!

Dinner: Dinner in Mesa Verde National Park, at the famed and much acclaimed Far View Lodge Metate Room Restaurant.

Lodging: Far View Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Four Corner Country/Navajo Reservation en route to Canyon de Chelly/Canyon de Chelly National Monument South Rim Vistas/Evening Presentation

Note: South Rim tour makes numerous stops to go to viewpoints up to 1/4 mile away. Trails can be uneven and rocky.

Breakfast: Full hot breakfast at the Far View Terrace or Metate Room Restaurant depending on the season.

Morning: Check out of lodge, load luggage and depart for Canyon de Chelly, traveling past towering Ute Mountain and scenic Four Corners country of the Colorado Plateau. En route, the group will enter the Navajo Reservation. Traditional hogans, herds of sheep and goats grazing along the road, mysterious dirt roads and wild hoodoo rock formations will spark the imagination and remind you that you have entered another land.

Lunch: Arrive Chinle in time for a buffet lunch at the Chinle Holiday Inn's "Garcia's Restaurant".

Afternoon: After lunch, tour Canyon de Chelly's scenic south rim. Highlights will include scenic stops at White House Ruin Overlook and Spider Rock Overlook. Return to Holiday Inn Chinle for a late afternoon check-in.

Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant. There will be a nightly selection of entrees (some with a southwestern flare), a trip through the salad bar and dessert.

Evening: Following dinner, a presentation on Navajo culture in the hotel's meeting room.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Chinle

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: The optional White House Ruin Trail follows a well established trail. The trail is generally wide with no major drop-offs but does have some uneven terrain. The upper part of the trail is built on a sandstone surface so caution must be taken but footing is good overall. The lower part of the trail becomes more sandy as the grade decreases. The trail ends at the White House Ruin canyon viewpoint. Bathrooms are available. NOTE: The entire group will return to this point on the afternoon jeep ride.

Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.The buffet includes, on alternating days: 2 types of eggs; pancakes or biscuits & gravy; corned beef hash or bacon/sausage; cream of wheat, whole/cut fruit, cereal.

Morning: Enjoy a select morning presentations on a topic of regional significance. Past topics have includes: Southwest Archaeology, Navajo Rug Weaving, Navajo Pottery, Modern Navajo Challenges and Jewelry making demonstrations. ***OR*** For those looking for a challenge - a hike on the White House Ruin Trail will be offered. This two hour - 2.5 mile (round trip) hike descends 600 feet to the base of White House Ruin and Chinle Wash.

Lunch: Enjoy a traditional Navajo lunch buffet at the hotel restaurant. Navajo Tacos, Posole (hominy) soup, steamed vegetables, blue corn mush, and vegetable soup and more will be offered.

Afternoon: After lunch, the group will loaded into 4 wheel drive vehicles for a trip into Canyon de Chelly with certified Navajo guides. Travel along the Chinle Wash into Canyon de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto. Select stops at various picturesque ruins and petroglyph sites will be made with historical commentary provided by our Navajo guides. Highlighted ruins in Canyon del Muerto will include First Ruin, Junction House, Antelope House and Standing Cow to name a few. A rest stop will be provided half way through our journey where restrooms, refreshments and native jewelry vendors will be available.

Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant. Dinner will include a nightly selection of entrees (some with a southwestern flare), a trip through the salad bar and dessert.

Evening: An evening of Navajo entertainment. Your performer, William Yazzie, has been delighting Road Scholar participants for many many years and loves to share his passion for Navajo music, culture, and dance. Enjoy traditional flute and drum music and come prepared to join in a group Round Dance and hear a traditional Navajo blessing.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Chinle

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.The buffet includes, on alternating days: 2 types of eggs; pancakes or biscuits & gravy; corned beef hash or bacon/sausage; cream of wheat, whole/cut fruit, cereal.

Morning: Board and travel through Kayenta to Goulding's Lodge en route to Monument Valley Tribal Park. A rest stop will be made at the Kayenta Burger King - site of an unlikely yet famous Navajo Code Talker exhibit. Continue to Goulding's Trading Post and museum which includes memorabilia from many John Ford and John Wayne westerns as well as prehistoric artifacts and items from the early trading post days.

Lunch: Lunch will be served at historic Goulding's Lodge and Trading Post Restaurant. Choose from a large menu with sweeping views of red rock mesas and vistas out the restaurant window.

Afternoon: After lunch, board Goulding's Lodge "jeeps" for the Monument Valley tour through towering rock spires and monoliths including the famous Mittens and John Ford Point. Navajo Guides will provide narration and insight to the natural and cultural features. This tour provides the quintessential scenery of the southwest! See ancient petroglyphs and unparalleled scenery -- a photographer's dream! Following a return to Goulding's, board the motor coach for a relaxing return to Chinle and the Holiday Inn.

Dinner: Dinner will be served in the Holiday Inn Garcia's Restaurant. Dinner will include a nightly selection of entrees (some with a southwestern flare), a trip through the salad bar and dessert.

Evening: After a full day of activity the evening is free for rest and relaxation.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Chinle

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Enjoy a breakfast buffet at Garcia's, the hotel restaurant.The buffet includes, on alternating days: 2 types of eggs; pancakes or biscuits & gravy; corned beef hash or bacon/sausage; cream of wheat, whole/cut fruit, cereal.

Morning: Check out of hotel and settle in for a scenic return trip to Albuquerque. Program wrap up and farewells will be conducted en route to Albuquerque.

Lunch: Box lunch en route to Albuquerque.

Afternoon: Participants who have departing flights will be dropped off at the Albuquerque (Sunport) Airport by 12:00 PM. Participants not needing an airport drop off will be transported back to our starting Albuquerque hotel by 12:45 PM.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch