Utah

Hiking Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

Program No. 6132RJ
Join natural history experts in Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to discover ancient petroglyphs, geological monuments and the colorful beauty of two national treasures.

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At a Glance

From the countless spires to the deep canyons, our hiking journey through Utah’s Arches and Canyonlands National Parks reveals how nature's forces have jointly sculpted and scoured this dramatic landscape. During daily hikes with natural history experts, explore the spectacular arch and canyon formations and the geological record, view ancient petroglyphs and investigate salt dome collapses and ancient fault lines.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Hiking 5-8 miles daily on rocky terrain, steep inclines and declines at elevations of 4,000-6,000 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

  • Trek different sections of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks including the Needles Slickrock Trails and Island in the Sky White Rim Overlook.
  • Discover how the sedimentary layers have left a record dating back more than 250 million years.
  • Observe the geologic wonders of the Fisher Towers and Utah’s signature Delicate Arch.

General Notes

Due to the nature of this program, listening devices are not available.
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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.
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6 days
5 nights
12 meals
5 B 4 L 3 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Moab, UT
D
River Canyon Lodge

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).This is a hiking program with daily hikes between 5 to 8 total miles.

Afternoon: Orientation: 5:00 p.m. in the hotel meeting room. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule including any last minute changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Transportation throughout the program will be provided by 12-passenger vans. Our resident experts will lead us on all hikes throughout the program. 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.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: Back at the hotel, we will wrap up our orientation. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night's rest for the day ahead. We have lots of exciting hikes this week!

DAY
2
Arches National Park
Moab, UT
B,L
River Canyon Lodge

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving 50 miles throughout the day, approximately 1 hour total riding time. Hiking around 6 miles depending upon trails chosen. Elevation gains for the day 500 feet.

Breakfast: Early each morning, we have the luxury of walking (or taking the van) down the street to the Moab Diner, a local favorite, for a breakfast accompanied by prompt, friendly service.

Morning: Aboard the vans, we’ll set out early from the hotel for Arches National Park. We depart early to try to avoid crowds and afternoon weather. After a scenic and dramatic drive through the entrance of Arches National Park, we arrive at “Devil’s Garden” for a beautiful hike to Landscape Arch, the longest arch in the park. While here, we’ll have the opportunity to take the 3.5 mile roundtrip hike to other nearby arches with more breathtaking views.

Lunch: At a picnic area, we’ll make our own lunches from a spread.

Afternoon: We’ll stop at Panorama Point to take in the expansive views of the rocky desert landscape and La Sal Mountains. There will be a brief presentation on highlights of the Colorado Plateau physiographic province. We’ll drive to the Windows area of the park to explore the North and South Windows and Turret Arches. Next, we’ll stop at the Arches National Park visitor center to see the interpretive displays, check out the gift shop, and watch the park video (if time permits).

Dinner: 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.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
3
Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park
Moab, UT
B,L,D
River Canyon Lodge

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving 90 miles throughout the day, under 3 hours total riding time. Hiking around 6 miles depending upon trails chosen. Elevation gains for the day 600 feet.

Breakfast: At the diner.

Morning: After our early departure, we take a scenic drive by vans to Canyonlands National Park’s Island in the Sky. After a stop at the visitor center, we’ll drive to the White Rim Overlook Trail where we will hike and be treated to an expansive view of the Colorado River Canyon. We’ll be able to see all the way across to the Needles District where we will hike tomorrow. As we take a few minutes to soak in the view, we’ll talk about how erosion is still shaping this landscape. For our next hike, we’ll drive to the Upheaval Dome Overlook trailhead. There are two well-known theories as to the origin of the upheaval, and we will learn about each before offering up our own ideas as to how this unique formation was made.

Lunch: Picnic lunch in the park.

Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll drive to the Green River canyon overlook. The panoramic view is spectacular as the Green River winds its way to the confluence with the Colorado River. A trip to Island in the Sky would not be complete without our next stop, a short hike to the amazingly photogenic Mesa Arch. On the way back to Moab, we will stop at the UMTRA site, adjacent to the Colorado River, to learn more about Moab’s legacy of uranium mining.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Needles District-Canyonlands National Park
Moab, UT
B,L
River Canyon Lodge

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving 140 miles throughout the day, approximately 3 hours total riding time. Hiking around 5 miles depending upon trails chosen. Elevation gains for the day 600 feet.

Breakfast: At the diner.

Morning: Departing early by vans, we’ll head to Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District. The Needles District forms the southeast corner of Canyonlands and was named for the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area. We will stop at the visitor center for a break and an informative video time permitting about the area. Our hike is on the Slickrock Foot Trail and the entirety of the trail stays high on slickrock benches and mesa tops, providing sweeping, panoramic views of the Needles District.

Lunch: Picnic lunch in the park.

Afternoon: We’ll drive to Cave Springs Trailhead and walk to the cowboy line camp, stopping also to view some pictographs. Do you know the difference between a pictograph and a petroglyph? We will stop at Newspaper Rock on the drive back to Moab to view one of the best samples of petroglyphs in the area.

Dinner: 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.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Colorado River Canyon, Delicate Arch, Arches National Park
Moab, UT
B,L,D
River Canyon Lodge

Activity note: Getting in/out of vans; driving 60 miles throughout the day, under 2 hours total riding time. Hiking around 7 miles depending upon trails chosen. Elevation gains for the day 900 feet.

Breakfast: At the diner.

Morning: We will make an early departure by vans for our featured hike of the program to Delicate Arch, which has become the unofficial symbol of Utah. Have you noticed it on some Utah vehicle license plates? Towering 80 feet over hikers, Delicate Arch is a highlight of Arches National Park and is one of the most beautiful arches in the world. This arch needs to be experienced in person to truly be appreciated.

Lunch: In the park, we’ll enjoy a picnic spread.

Afternoon: Our last hike of the program will be to Fisher Towers, one of the most outstanding scenic features of Utah’s Colorado Riverway. These rock pinnacles soar above a maze of red and purple-hued canyons. While hiking on the challenging rocky trail, we’ll stop for a break to listen to the scrub jays and the ravens. Notice a juniper tree growing out of a crack in the rock. Try to get a close view of a lizard. These living components of the environment are as much a part of the scenery as the Fisher Towers.

Dinner: At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

DAY
6
Program Concludes
Moab, UT
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the diner. 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 join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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