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Arizona

Best of Sedona: Natural & Cultural Landscapes in Red Rock Country

Program No. 1062RJ
Immerse yourself in the story of Sedona as you join local experts to learn about and explore ancient cliff dwellings, iconic red rocks, a heritage railway and the majestic Grand Canyon.
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National ParksTrain TreksSmall GroupMost PopularHistoryRegional Discoveries
Length
6 days
Rating (4.9)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,099
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
13 meals ( 5B, 3L, 5D )
5 expert-led lectures
9 expert-led field trips
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Early arrivals may be arranged ahead of time. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 4:30-5:15 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the hotel conference room to meet with program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. All field trips will be led by our Group Leader, a seasoned and experienced naturalist, unless specified otherwise. Program-related travel will be by passenger vans unless otherwise noted. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
In our hotel conference room. Alcoholic drinks can be purchased at the hotel bar and brought into our dining area.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day, with stops. Getting in/out of vans; driving about 42 miles in the morning, approximately 1 hour total riding time with stops. Getting on/off a trolley; driving about 30 miles, approximately 2 hours riding time.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will be joined by a local historian and archaeology expert on the prehistoric peoples who inhabited the Sedona and Verde Valley region. We’ll board transport with our Group Leader for a Montezuma Castle National Monument field trip. This 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling is nestled in a limestone recess high above the flood plain of Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley. It is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America, constructed approximately 600 years ago by the Sinagua Indians. While here, we’ll observe the ruins from below and take note of Wet Beaver Creek’s unique ecosystem as we walk along the paved loop trail. We will then drive to Crane Petroglyphs Heritage Site to see the largest known petroglyph site in the Verde Valley of central Arizona and one of the best-preserved. The rock art site consists of 1,032 petroglyphs in 13 panels.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
Setting out for a riding exploration of Sedona with our Group Leader aboard a trolley, we’ll see some of the town’s most beloved sites including a stop at the famous Chapel of the Holy Cross. During our exploration, we will learn about the history, geology, climate, flora, and fauna of the area. As we explore, we will have photo opportunities at some scenic vistas.
Dinner:
At a nearby restaurant.
Evening:
In a conference room at the hotel, we’ll enjoy a lecture by a local expert.
Activity Note
Getting in/out of vans; driving about 70 miles total throughout the day, approximately 1/2 hour riding time to Montezuma Castle National Monument; about 1/2 hour riding time to Clarkdale and the Verde Canyon Railway. Walking about 1 mile total throughout the day; flat, paved trails. The Verde Canyon Railroad travels about 40 miles, approximately 4 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board our vans with our Group Leader for a field trip to Jerome, AZ. Jerome Historic Park of Arizona features the Douglas Mansion, built in 1916 by a family of influential mining entrepreneurs in Jerome, Arizona, a mining region in the northeast of the Black Hills, east Yavapai County. Enjoy some leisure time around Jerome before heading to the train.
Lunch:
Our first-class train tickets include lunch with charcuterie items such as cured meats, gourmet cheese, fruit, fruit dip, crackers, brownies, and bottled water. It also includes a champagne or sparkling cider toast upon boarding!
Afternoon:
Next, we’ll transfer to the railroad platform and board the train for a leisurely 4-hour ride with commentary given by a railroad expert and supplemented by our Group Leader. The Verde Canyon Railroad follows a 40-mile route along the Verde River. We’ll ride in comfort in renovated passenger and open-air cars, journeying at a slow pace, mostly near the canyon bottom. Along the route, we’ll pass red rock pinnacles, cross bridges, see Native American ruins, and ride through a 680-foot tunnel. Keep an eye out for native plants and animals including the more than 30 eagles that winter in this scenic area.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We’ll return to the hotel in Sedona in the late evening. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure.
Activity Note
Classroom based activities. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our vans and ride to Red Rock State Park, which features scenic desert cliffs, buttes, and spectacular rock formations. A geology expert will present the geologic story of Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and the surrounding area. This will help us understand how this area’s stunning beauty came to be and prepare us for our upcoming full day at the Grand Canyon. Then, we will go together to the Sedona Historical Society, which focuses on the lifestyles and works of the people who pioneered this community from 1876 to the present.
Lunch:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon:
Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Sedona has many options to offer visitors from fascinating art galleries, hiking the thrilling red rock trails, or taking a “Pink Jeep” out and explore Sedona’s back country and archaeological sites. The Group Leader will be happy to offer additional suggestions.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
We will be joined at the hotel by a local presenter.
Activity Note
Getting in/out of vans; driving about 230 miles throughout the day, approximately 2.5 hours riding time each way. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day on mostly flat, paved, or dirt paths.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will depart the hotel for a full-day field trip to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. The Group Leader will accompany us on our journey, revealing the Grand Canyon’s unique geologic, biologic, and historic features while we have the opportunity to walk along the canyon’s rim upon arrival. During our walk, we’ll see Grand Canyon Village where many of the most impressive structures in the historic village were designed by Mary Jane Colter, a renowned architect and designer for the Fred Harvey Company and Santa Fe Railroad. We may even see an endangered California condor soaring overhead as you gaze into the Canyon’s depths below.
Lunch:
Along the Grand Canyon’s rim, we will have sack lunches.
Afternoon:
After a bit of time to explore independently on the rim in the historic village, we will begin our return journey to Sedona. Don’t forget to take one last look across to the Canyon’s North Rim, 10 miles away as the raven flies, before settling into your seat and recapping the 1.8-billion-year layer cake of the earth’s history you’ve just seen in person!
Dinner:
At a restaurant in Flagstaff en route back to Sedona. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
Back in the hotel meeting room with our Group Leader, we will have a program wrap-up session and reflect on our experiences. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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