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Arizona

On the Road: Sedona's Red Rock Country and the Grand Canyon

Program No. 1088RJ
Set out on a larger-than-life learning adventure to experience Sedona’s Red Rocks and the Grand Canyon, joining experts for an insider’s view on these two monumental sites!

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At a Glance

The Colorado Plateau in Arizona claims two of North America’s most beautiful canyons. Explore the geology, ecology and human heritage of these spectacular canyon landscapes: Sedona’s Oak Creek Canyon and the incomparable Grand Canyon. In Sedona, enjoy a spectacular “Pink” Jeep trip into its stunning red-rock back country, exploring vistas seldom seen by visitors. Overnight in Grand Canyon National Park while soaking in the breathtaking panorama of this world heritage site. Travel an epic road to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, through its multiplicity of layered rock and time, with the reward of a picnic on the banks of the mighty Colorado River.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to one mile on varied terrain. Some time for personal hiking at Grand Canyon. Bumpy jeep and van rides on slick rock, dirt and gravel roads. Elevations up to 7,000 feet.
Small Group
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

  • Visit Montezuma Castle National Monument, a five-story cliff dwelling of the prehistoric Sinagua people.
  • Go off the beaten path on the Hualapai Indian Reservation on old Route 66 and in Sedona on a Pink Jeep adventure.
  • Explore Grand Canyon South Rim’s dramatic viewpoints and trails with regional experts.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Carl Bowman
With a bachelor’s degree in biology and having spent 25 years of his life on the South Rim, Carl Bowman knows the Grand Canyon well and specializes in relating the Canyon’s varied and constantly evolving geologic stories. He worked for the National Park Service from 1974-2013, and during his career served as a janitor, wildland fire fighter, archaeologist, ranger, and scientist. A long-time student of the Grand Canyon, Carl has shared its stories with park visitors, staff, university classes and lifelong learners.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Mike Masek
Mike Masek View biography
Mike Masek is a wilderness skills instructor, herbalist and ethnobotanist living in Flagstaff, Ariz. In addition to his current work with Road Scholar, he is adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University where he teaches traditional uses of native plants and outdoor survival skills. He also teaches programs at the National Parks and Coconino Community College. He has spent a lifetime exploring the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest and loves to share these treasures with others.
Profile Image of Margaret (Maggie) Mitchell
Margaret (Maggie) Mitchell View biography
Maggie Mitchell has spent years leading educational excursions throughout the Sedona area. Her passion lies with the study of Arizona's wild creatures, and she loves sharing her love of reptiles and spiders with students of all ages.
Profile Image of Carl Bowman
Carl Bowman View biography
With a bachelor’s degree in biology and having spent 25 years of his life on the South Rim, Carl Bowman knows the Grand Canyon well and specializes in relating the Canyon’s varied and constantly evolving geologic stories. He worked for the National Park Service from 1974-2013, and during his career served as a janitor, wildland fire fighter, archaeologist, ranger, and scientist. A long-time student of the Grand Canyon, Carl has shared its stories with park visitors, staff, university classes and lifelong learners.
Profile Image of Carrie Calisay Cannon
Carrie Calisay Cannon View biography
Carrie Calisay Cannon is a member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma and also is of Oglala Lakota descent. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and an M.S. in Resource Management. She is currently employed as an Ethnobotanist for the Hualapai Department of Cultural Resources. She administers a number of department projects and programs which promote the intergenerational teaching of Hualapai ethnobotanical knowledge. She works towards ensuring tribal ethnobotanical knowledge persists as a living practice and tradition.
Profile Image of Slim Woodruff
Slim Woodruff View biography
Marjorie “Slim” Woodruff is a graduate of Northern Arizona University. She has worked in outdoor recreation and education for most of her adult life. Slim is a board member and outings chair for the Grand Canyon Historical Society. She is a senior instructor with the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Living on the South Rim, her usual hangouts are inside the canyon. Her writings can be found in High Country News Writers on the Range and The Outdoor Journal.
Profile Image of Rocky Sullivan
Rocky Sullivan View biography
Rocky Sullivan, a Kansas native, has been living in the southwest working on ranches among other things for the better part of three decades. During the last few years, he has brought his poetry into the limelight, gaining respect and praise from peers and audiences. Rocky won in his division of the 2015 National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo in Abilene, Kansas, and again in 2017. He has been asked to perform at numerous venues since.
Profile Image of Robert Sanford
Robert Sanford View biography
Buck Sanford graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in natural resources and spent several years working in Costa Rica as a freelance tropical biologist and research station manager. After a Ph.D. at UC Berkeley, he held positions at Stanford, NC State, and Colorado State. He was a biology professor at Denver University for several decades. Following a stint as a program director at the National Science Foundation, Buck worked as a professor and an administrator at Northern Arizona University, retiring in 2021.
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