All address fields should be selected!
Full name should be provided!
The information you entered is not valid. Please try again.
The information you entered is not valid. Please try again.
No Results
Invalid email value
Invalid password value
Please enter a valid email address
Please provide a password
Your password must be at least 5 characters long
Missing password
Password short (5 chars min required)
Special Offer
Remove from Wishlist
Program No.
Ages
Length
days
New
Not yet reviewed
Starts at
Close
See More
Activity Level — Varies
Activity Level
Details
To make your experience as safe as possible, we require all participants to be fully vaccinated. See our Safety Roadmap
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon: 4:30-5:15 p.m. Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the hotel conference room to register with the 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. 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: 6:45 p.m.: In our hotel conference room we will have a catered meal with a choice of a non-alcoholic drink.
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 approx. 1 mile throughout day; mostly paved surfaces. Driving about 15 miles; approx. 1 hour total. Getting on/off a train; ride is approx. 40 miles; about 4 hours.
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast buffet offers choices such as eggs, breakfast meats, French toast, hot and cold cereals, fresh fruit, juices, coffee, tea, water.
Morning: Enjoy a presentation in our hotel conference room on the geologic story of Sedona, the Grand Canyon, and the surrounding area. The talk will help make sense of how the stunning beauty of this area came to be and prepare us for our time spent at the Grand Canyon. We will then ride to Clarkdale and board the train for our field trip up the Verde Canyon.
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 incudes a champagne or sparkling cider toast upon boarding!
Afternoon: Next, we'll transfer to the railroad platform and board the train for a leisurely ride with commentary given by a railroad expert. The Verde Canyon Railroad follows a 40-mile route along the Verde River. We’ll ride in comfort in renovated 1st class 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 your eyes out for native plants and animals including the more than 30 eagles that winter in this scenic area. Following our journey we will stop at a restaurant for dinner before returning to the hotel.
Dinner: Restaurant plated meal.
Evening: Evening at leisure following our late return from our days adventure. Tomorrow is a transfer day, so be sure to spend some time packing and preparing.
Activity note: Driving approx. 80 miles total for the day; about 2 hours total, with stops for field trips. Walking approx. 1 mile total throughout the day; flat, paved trails. Getting on/off trolley; 2 hour excursion with scenic views and historic sites. End of day driving approx. 65 miles one way to Williams Railway Station, approx. 1.5 hours.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: After checking out of our hotel, we'll set out for an all-day field trip, before ending the day in the historic railroad town of Williams, Arizona. Board our motorcoach with your Group Leader for a field trip to Montezuma Castle National Monument. 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 the paved loop trail.
Lunch: Restaurant plated meal.
Afternoon: Next, we’ll ride to Sedona and view some of the town’s most scenic sites. During our exploration, we’ll learn about the area’s history, geology, climate, flora, and fauna. We’ll also have photo opportunities at some key vistas. We’ll then reboard the bus and ride approximately 1.5 hours to the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in historic Williams, Arizona, and check in.
Dinner: We’ll walk to the Grand Canyon Railway Depot dining facility adjacent to our hotel.
Evening: We will be joined at the hotel by a local historian who will discuss railroad history in northern Arizona.
Activity note: Getting on/off the train; ride is 60 miles; approx. 2.5 hours. Walking about 1.5-2 miles during group activities, more dependent on personal interest; mostly paved, but some uneven surfaces; elevation of approx. 7,000 feet.
Breakfast: At the Grand Canyon Railway Depot dining facility.
Morning: Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll load our luggage onto the motorcoach before breakfast. After breakfast we’ll enjoy the Wild West Show before boarding the Grand Canyon Railway train for a scenic and entertaining ride across the Coconino Plateau to the Grand Canyon, narrated by the rail car attendant. The Grand Canyon Railway first arrived at the Grand Canyon in 1901. It heralded in a new age of travel, development and some might say luxury at the canyon. We’ll experience and relish this "classic" way of travel to the "doorsteps" of the historic El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon Village, and to the very rim of the canyon. On board, strolling musicians will provide entertainment during the ride.
Lunch: Aboard the train en route to the Grand Canyon, we’ll have sack lunches including a sandwich, chips, fruit and cookie.
Afternoon: After arrival at Grand Canyon Village and the South Rim, we’ll gather for our first views of the canyon. Our Group Leader will point out the canyon's many features with historic and natural significance. We’ll also explore historical Grand Canyon Village— sometimes called "downtown Grand Canyon" — the site of much of the human development on the canyon's South Rim. Highlights of the village include the Kolb Studio where the Kolb brothers took photos of mule riders into the canyon, the buildings of Santa Fe Railroad and Fred Harvey, and architect and designer Mary Jane Colter’s work including the Bright Angel Lodge, Lookout Studio, and the Hopi House. At the east end of the Village, we’ll visit the El Tovar Hotel, built in 1903 and one of the great hotels in the National Parks. From the village, we’ll be able to see the North Rim and various spires and monuments rising from the canyon floor. We’ll also have time to explore rim trails and admire canyon vistas. Those who are energetic can walk part way down the famed Bright Angel Trail independently. We’ll then check into the lodge.
Dinner: Currently, the lodge restaurant is not doing full service and instead preparing pre-ordered "take away meals". After distributing our meals we can then go inside the facility to enjoy the meal. In event the lodge restaurant reopens to full service prior to our program, we will then make our food selection upon arrival. We apologize for this inconvenience and can only hope that things change back to normal operations.
Evening: At leisure. Those who wish to participate may transfer to a park location for an engaging elective presentation led by National Park Service Rangers. These will cover a Grand Canyon topic of interest and change nightly. NOTE: This activity is dependent on national park scheduling and current Covid restrictions.
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles or more, depending on preference, either along the Grand Canyon Rim or hiking a short distance into its depths.
Breakfast: We follow the same procedure as we did for dinner the previous night unless the lodge returns to normal operations. Thank you for your understanding.
Morning: This Morning we'll meet at a predetermined time and location to travel to and explore the scenic East Rim of the Grand Canyon to Desert View. Desert View is the location of Mary Jane Colter’s famous Watchtower and some of the best views of the Colorado River. Known for her many works for the Fred Harvey Company and the Santa Fe Railroad, Mary Jane Colter was a female architect in the early 20th century and helped blend Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival architecture with Native American motifs. The Watchtower is an interpretation of a prehistoric “tower kiva’ with lavishly painted interior walls by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. We will have time to explore the Watchtower with our Group Leader available to answer any questions. In late morning, return to the hotel via Mather Point for a grand look at this world wonder.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like from a variety of venues on the South Rim. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: This afternoon enjoy personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most using the park's pocket guide and map. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The National Park Service includes a free shuttle along the West Rim Drive to Hermit's Rest with access to numerous scenic viewpoints (Powell, Hopi, Mohave, and Maricopa points to name a few) with sweeping views of the Canyon and the Colorado River. You might also like to go for a rim walk, hike further into the Canyon, attend an NPS ranger program, or just find a quiet spot to contemplate and gaze out at the Grand Canyon, taking in all of its grandeur.
Dinner: At a restaurant in the town of Tusayan, just outside the park boundary. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: We’ll have a wrap-up session at the restaurant before returning to the hotel. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Prepare for early check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Driving approx. 120 miles from Grand Canyon to Sedona.
Breakfast: Early morning lodge breakfast.
Morning: Load luggage, check out of the lodge and depart for Sedona by 7:15 am. 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 join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
JOOOB
