Please be aware that local circumstances could require adjusting the schedule and/or program elements. In the event of changes, we will notify you as quickly as possible. We appreciate your understanding.

WINE SOCIAL: We'll gather in our private meeting room before dinner for a wine social to begin getting to know one another in a convivial atmosphere.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Your study guide will provide an overview of the parks you’ll be exploring during this exciting new program. From mountain to desert, you’ll gain insights into the spectacular national parks of the West as we visit seven world-famous gems of American wilderness: Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion national parks.

Yosemite is known for its majestic granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity. Two designated “Wild & Scenic Rivers” — the Tuolumne and Merced — begin in the park and flow west to the Central Valley. Yosemite Falls, one of the world's tallest, is actually made up of three separate falls: Upper Yosemite Falls (1,430 feet), the middle cascades (675 feet), and Lower Yosemite Falls (320 feet).

We’ll meet our local guide at the Tunnel View, and travel on to Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, Sentinel Bridge, and Lower Yosemite Falls, learning about various aspects of natural and human history as we go.

At the conclusion of our first field trip, we'll take the motorcoach to check in at Yosemite Lodge, the property closest to Yosemite Falls. The main complex was redesigned with an emphasis on glass and wood detailing to blend harmoniously with its surroundings. Landscaping of indigenous trees, shrubs and wildflowers further reflect the natural beauty of Yosemite Valley.

FREE TIME: You’ll have some free time to explore on your own. Multiple opportunities are available! Don't forget to check out the Ansel Adams Gallery!

The transfer should take approximately 4 hours.

At the conclusion of the field trip, we’ll drive to Wonder Vally Ranch Resort and check in.

We’ll begin at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village before walking to the General Grant Grove that preserves giant sequoias including the famous General Grant Tree, second largest in the world and estimated to be more than 1,600 years old. The trail is gently-graded and paved, looping one-third of a mile through the sequoia grove.

Our natural history specialist will guide us during our Kings Canyon exploration, delving into the history of the establishment of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the re-establishment of fire in the parks and the logging history of the Giant Sequoias.

At the conclusion of the field trip, we’ll board the motorcoach and continue our journey of discovery en route to Joshua Tree National Park.

Entering the Park at Joshua Tree Visitor Center, gain an overview of the Park as you travel along park roads. We’ll then walk along trails (paved or hard-packed sand) to see and learn about this special place shaped by forces such as strong winds, torrents of rain, and climatic extremes.

Specific stops will be determined by temperatures but we hope to visit Keys View, the highest trail in the Park accessible by a paved road. Count on a brisk breeze (and bring your windbreaker). We'll walk along a paved quarter-mile loop with (weather permitting) scenic overlooks of valley, mountain and desert from its elevation of 5,185 feet.

At the conclusion of the field trip, we’ll drive to Twentynine Palms, California. Local lore says it was so called by gold miners because of 29 palm trees surrounding an oasis. We’ll check in to our hotel.

Travel along the road to the Cottonwood Visitor Center, stopping for walks along trails (to be determined by temperatures at the time). Our route may include the Cholla Cactus Garden, an easy quarter-mile sandy loop trail. Learn about the cholla cactus (commonly called teddy bear cholla...but don't be deceived...it certainly can sting) and the ocotillo (desert flora) amongst others.

At the conclusion of the field trip, we’ll depart via motorcoach for Grand Canyon National Park, stopping en route in Parker, Arizona.

FIELD TRIP: After the class, we’ll walk to the rim for a talk by our expert interpreting what you see in front of you and relating it to what you’ve learned.

For robust participants who would like to take on the infamously difficult trails of the inner canyon, you'll have the option to join a naturalist who will lead a hike down the steep and twisting Bright Angel trail.

A second option for those who prefer something less demanding, is a naturalist-led walk along a canyon rim trail to some of the Park’s most inspiring overlooks which also includes a visit to the historical district of the South Rim. There we'll see a number of the Park’s human-created attractions including the Visitor Center, historic El Tovar Hotel and the Hopi House.

Either before or just after breakfast, be sure to check out of your room and load your luggage onto the bus.

EXCURSION: After departing the lodge, we’ll travel for 30 minutes along the South Rim to the Desert View Watchtower, built in 1932 as a replica of a prehistoric Indian tower. This iconic structure commands a magnificent view of the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert, and the San Francisco Peaks. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the tower was designed by architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter in collaboration with Hopi artisans and notable Hopi artist Fred Kabotie, whose murals adorn the interior.

EXCURSION: We’ll stop briefly to walk across Navajo Steel Arch Bridge that spans the 500-foot walls of Marble Canyon. The views will take your breath away as you gaze down at the river below and the towering 800-foot walls of the surrounding Vermillion Cliffs.

We head into Utah for the beauty of "Color Country" en route to Bryce Canyon National Park where we pick up our next instructional lecturer. We'll be staying at a hotel just outside the Park and will check in upon arrival.

We continue hiking down into the canyon along the so-called Queen’s Trail. If you use your imagination, the many hoodoos may look like a garden, presided over by the “Queen Victoria” hoodoo that gives the trail its name. Those who prefer a less strenuous outing can view Bryce from above, walking the rim.

After lunch, we take go to the Zion Human History Museum for a short multi-media presentation providing an overview of the Park. Aftewards, we’ll make a short hike along the Emerald Pools trails to see the pools themselves — named for their green tint from algae — that characterize this delightful, secluded oasis.

Travel then to the Zion Park Inn to check in before dinner.

We’ll hike along the Virgin River, an easy 2 mile round trip hike on paved trails, to the spectacular Zion Narrows gorge for views of the towering, vertical rock sides of the canyon. The Narrows were carved by the river in ancient times and are today characterized by soaring walls, sandstone grottos, natural springs, and hanging gardens.

Adventure awaits you as the hike ends at the entrance of the Narrows, and you have the option to hike up the river a few hundred yards to get a feel for being inside a slot canyon. The only way up is "IN" the river! You can choose to either embark on this quite difficult hike (as you can't see the river bottom and are walking on slippery rocks and boulders), or to explore the rest of the river. A little rest time is of course an option as well.

ARRIVAL IN LAS VEGAS: We'll arrive by 10:00 AM local time. Our drop off point will be the McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. If you are planning to fly out of Las Vegas, be sure to book your flight departing AFTER 12:00 PM.

We trust you have enjoyed this exciting new "Exploring North America" learning adventure and will join us for other rewarding Road Scholar programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!