Red Rocks & Rafting: Sedona & Grand Canyon With Your Grandchild

Program Registration 4:30 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the conference room by the pool to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

At the Hotel.

Orientation. 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. Transportation will be provided primarily by passenger vans, unless otherwise noted. This is a Road Scholar intergenerational program. Grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Children are never to be left unsupervised. Periods in the daily 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. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the full day ahead.

At the hotel.

In the hotel meeting room, our Group Leader will teach us about the geography of this region and what makes Sedona and the Grand Canyon such special places in Arizona. Then let the fun begin! We’ll get picked up at the hotel in 4x4 vehicles by drivers who are also well-versed in the geology, flora, fauna and pre-historic details of the region, then head off on our open-air 4x4 adventure to an off-the-beaten-path location in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. Expect some sections of road where there may be jostling in the vehicle as the driver navigates dirt roads, sandy washes, and/or slick rock. Vehicles are very comfortable, seat up to 7 people, and have grab bars to hold on to with every seat. There will be some short walks away from the jeeps as we visit viewpoints, historic attractions, or archaeological sights. We’ll then return to the hotel.

At the hotel.

Depart for Montezuma Castle. 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 will observe the site from below and take note of Wet Beaver Creek’s unique ecosystem as we walk along the paved loop trail.

Plated meal from restaurant adjacent to hotel.

At the hotel, we’ll enjoy a program led by an educator focused on desert critters such as spiders, live snakes, and scorpions. We’ll have the opportunity to see, touch and have our pictures taken with our desert friends and learn about the ways they adapt and thrive in this harsh environment.

At hotel.

In the morning, we’ll hit the trail for our nature hike to Oak Creek. At Red Rock Crossing we’ll have the chance to wade or swim in the water with Cathedral Rock as a backdrop. Participants who choose not to walk/hike at the pace of the children will be able to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of this world famous scene.

At the Hotel.

In the afternoon, we’ll learn about the region's layer cake geology and how to "read the rocks" as we all participate in building a 3-D model of the Grand Canyon. This presentation will be led by the educators and naturalists from the Willow Bend Environmental Education Center in Flagstaff and it will be a learning exercise that will help prepare us for our visit to one of the greatest geologic wonders of the world – the Grand Canyon. Late in the afternoon we’ll have some time independently to begin packing for tomorrow's transfer, resting or swim time in the pool.

At Hotel.

In the evening we will be joined by a local expert for a presentation on a topic of local interest.

At Hotel.

After checking out of the inn, we’ll travel to Grand Canyon National Park. En route, we’ll learn from our Group Leader about famous Oak Creek Canyon as we travel Highway 89A, one of Arizona's most scenic highways up the hairpin switchbacks in view of the San Francisco Peaks to the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Once at Grand Canyon National Park, we’ll enjoy sweeping views of the Canyon with glimpses of the Colorado River below and the North Rim across the Canyon. Our Group Leader naturalist will point out significant canyon features and introduce us to the canyon's story focusing on natural and human history as well as geology. There will be time for a walk along the rim and, for those who desire, a short hike into the canyon on the famed Bright Angel Trail.

On the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, we’ll have sack lunches.

Next, we’ll visit historic Grand Canyon Village and enjoy some time for independent exploration. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Don't forget to ask the Group Leader about the fountain in the Bright Angel Lodge where you can get ice cream! In late afternoon, we’ll set out from the South Rim for transfer along part of Old Route 66 to Peach Springs on the Hualapai Indian Reservation.

At the lodge restaurant. Alcoholic beverages on the reservation are prohibited by law.

We’ll then gather with our Group Leaders in the hotel meeting room for an orientation on the next day's rafting adventure on the Colorado River.

In the lodge restaurant.

We’ll meet our transportation at the hotel and travel to our drop-in point on the Colorado River at the bottom of spectacular Diamond Creek Road. Upon arrival at our destination, we will go through a safety orientation with our river leaders and get fitted with life jackets before embarking on our river rafting trip. We will divide up into multiple groups to fit on 8- to 10-passenger motorized pontoon rafts (approximately 25 feet long), each with a certified rafting expert. The river trip down the Colorado River is about 37 miles in length. During the first 16 miles we will encounter about 10 whitewater rapids, some rather large (5, 6 and 7’s on a 1 to 10 scale), so we will get wet. The air temperature in summer at the bottom of the canyon will likely be around 100 degrees so the splashing is a welcome relief and will keep us cool. We’ll pull our rafts to see a couple of attractions en route including the beautiful and hidden Travertine Grotto where we’ll have an opportunity to climb up on a series of rope ladders on the rocks and splash in the flowing waterfall. This is for the adventurous. All stops are optional depending on comfort and ability. After 16 miles the rapids disappear, but the scenery remains "grand" in all regards. Hualapai tribal members will operate rafts and, along with our staff, provide information about the canyon along the way.

Along the river, we’ll have sack lunches provided by the river company.

Continuing downriver, we’ll reach Quartermaster Landing where we will get off our rafts and climb up to the landing pad in order to board the helicopter that will fly us out of the canyon on a quick but spectacular ride. Have your cameras ready! The helicopter will drop us off at Quartermaster Point where we will board our transportation and transfer back to the lodge in Peach Springs. On our way we’ll travel through a landscape of Joshua Trees and creosote bush as we cross the beautiful basin and range landscape of the Mohave Desert. Note: Helicopters cannot fly in excessively hot and/or windy conditions for safety reasons. Although this happens very infrequently, it remains a possibility. In that event, the raft trip will be extended to a location where ground transportation can reach the group.

At the lodge restaurant.

We’ll then gather for a program wrap-up to share some of our favorite memories from our program together with new Road Scholar friends. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

At the lodge restaurant.

Once checked out of the lodge, we’ll load our vehicles and transfer back to the starting hotel in Sedona.

Upon arrival in Sedona, sack lunches will be provided for those who would like one. This concludes our program.

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!