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Arizona/Utah

On the Road: Absolute Southwest — A Canyonlands Adventure

Program No. 8718RJ
This one has it all: three iconic national parks, two national monuments, a raft trip on the Colorado, a Jeep trip in Monument Valley and quintessential Southwest landscapes throughout!
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National ParksOn the RoadNative American StudiesMost PopularNature & Environment
Length
12 days
Rating (4.89)
Activity Level
Starts at
4,299
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
12 days
11 nights
What's Included
30 meals ( 11B, 10L, 9D )
4 expert-led lectures
20 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
11 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the hotel meeting room 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. 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. This is a Road Scholar On The Road (OTR) program. OTR programs are journeys that take participants to multiple study sites in a region with a number of overnight stays. Lectures, talks, discussions, field trips, and on-board commentary amplify the program theme. Some journeys involve great distances and may take hours, others are much shorter. Long or short, On The Road journeys are learning experiences that make the most of our time together. All field trips will be led by our Group Leader, and when available a Study Leader or seasoned and experienced naturalist. Transportation will be provided via motorcoach or touing vans, requiring ascending/descending a few steps when getting on/off. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At your 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 the hotel.
Evening:
At your leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Driving about 120 miles total, approximately 2.5 hours with stops for field trips. Walking approximately 3 miles total throughout the day; about 1/2 mile at a time; approximately 1.5 hours total; paved walkways at Montezuma Castle. Elevation in the Sedona area ranges between 4,000 and 4,500 feet.
Breakfast:
Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning:
Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll load luggage and board our vehicle for our journey north to the Sedona area. As we move from the Basin and Range region to the central highlands and transition zone of the Verde Valley, we’ll watch the plant communities change. En route, we’ll stop for a field trip at Montezuma Castle National Monument. Our Group Leader will provide commentary at this 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling 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 people. While here, we’ll observe the site from below and take note of Wet Beaver Creek’s unique ecosystem as we walk the paved loop trail. Returning to the vehicle after our field trip, we’ll continue our transfer to the Village of Oak Creek for lunch.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant, we’ll have plated meals.
Afternoon:
Setting out again aboard our vehicle, we will explore some favorite spots in the Sedona area with commentary provided by our knowledgeable Group Leader. We’ll then continue to the hotel for a late afternoon check-in.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant, we’ll have plated meals.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Driving about 120 miles, approximately 2.5 hours with stops for field trips. Walking about 0.75 miles to the canyon rim and back, approximately 1.5 hours; paved, level trail. Flagstaff and Grand Canyon South Rim elevation is roughly 7,000 feet.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll load up for the trip up one of Arizona's most scenic highways through the steep, rock-walled cliffs of Oak Creek Canyon to the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff. Upon arrival, a museum docent will lead us through some of the exhibits before allowing time for independent exploration. The Museum of Northern Arizona was founded by Harold Colton and Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton in 1928, and is the preeminent museum of the Colorado Plateau with an extensive collection of Native American artifacts.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Continuing our scenic journey to the Grand Canyon, we’ll make our way through the San Francisco Peaks Volcanic Field. With a stop at Mather Point, named after the first director of the National Park Service, we’ll get our first view of the Grand Canyon on a short narrated walk with our Group Leader. We’ll then complete the transfer to our Grand Canyon lodging where we’ll have a late afternoon check-in.
Dinner:
At the Yavapai Lodge Dining Hall a 5 minute walk from the rooms. Shuttle available by calling the front desk.
Evening:
At your leisure.
Activity Note
Walking about 1 mile in Grand Canyon Village, approximately 1.5 hours; paved, slightly sloping pathway. Opportunities for activities, walking and exploration based on personal interest during free time. Free time access to additional viewpoints, attractions and return to lodging facility will require the use of the free Park Service shuttle bus system.
Breakfast:
Buffet breakfast at the Yavapai Dining Hall.
Morning:
NOTE: please remember to bring a day pack with you to carry your sack lunch, water bottle and sun protection during your park explorations. After breakfast, we will depart for a walking field trip in Grand Canyon Village where our Group Leader will discuss the many characters that help develop the rim facilities and point out famous village landmarks. The historic district is home to the Kolb Brothers Photo Studio and many buildings designed by Fred Harvey designer Mary Jane Colter including the Bright Angel Lodge, Lookout Studio, and the Hopi House. To the east, visit El Tovar Hotel, one of the great lodges in the National Park system. Constructed for the elite of the early 20th century, it is a National Historic Landmark and once considered the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi. Before going our separate ways on our free afternoon, we will have a discussion regarding free time options and activities. The South Rim offers a number of opportunities and sites to visit including more of Grand Canyon Village, Hermit’s Rest West shuttle, Yavapai Geology Museum, and rim walks are popular activities. The group will employ the free park shuttle to access various points on the South Rim. For those with the stamina, we invite you to complete a walk along a portion of the famous Bright Angel Trail. The trail features spectacular inner canyon views all along the way. Participants may elect to explore a relatively short portion of the trail with opportunities to turn around and return to the rim at any time to suite your physical comfort level.
Lunch:
In the field on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon we will have a sack lunch enjoyed picnic style at a location of your choice.
Afternoon:
Free Time. 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.
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. There are a number of dining venues to choose from in the park. If you are interested in eating at the El Tovar Lodge for lunch or dinner note that this is the one restaurant that requires reservations for lunch and dinner. Call 928-638-2631 and ask for El Tovar dining room.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Driving about 180 miles total, approximately 3.5 hours with stops for field trips. Walking up to 1 mile total throughout the day; paved trails to the Watchtower.
Breakfast:
At the Yavapai Dining Hall.
Morning:
After checking out and loading luggage, we’ll travel the East Rim of the Grand Canyon for a stop at the Desert View overlook, the location of the famous Mary Colter’s Watchtower and some of the best views of the Colorado River. We will have time to explore the base of the watchtower with our naturalist available to answer any questions. Climbing the watchtower is limited by a permit system, and may not be available to our group. Known for her many works for the Fred Harvey Company and the Santa Fe Railroad, Mary Elizabeth 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. Next, we will have some time to explore the historic 1916 Cameron Trading Post independently. Set on the banks of the Little Colorado River, the Trading Post is a welcomed rest stop that features a beautiful hidden garden, an in-house Navajo rug weaver, and interesting stone architecture.
Lunch:
At the historic Cameron Trading Post, we’ll have a plated lunch.
Afternoon:
Continuing on our journey, we’ll travel through the Navajo Reservation and the Painted Desert to Kayenta on the way to Goulding's Lodge. En route, we’ll make a stop at the Kayenta Burger King — the unlikely site of a famous Navajo Code Talker exhibit. We’ll then make our way to Goulding's Lodge.
Dinner:
At the historic Goulding's Lodge and Trading Post Restaurant, we’ll dine while we enjoy sweeping views of red rock mesas and vistas out the restaurant window. (alcoholic beverages are not sold on the Navajo Reservation).
Evening:
For those with interest, in the Earth Spirit Theater, we’ll settle in to view a classic John Ford western movie which was shot in the Monument Valley region.
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a four-wheel drive vehicle; driving about 20 miles, approximately 6 hours; dusty, bumpy terrain. Walking up to 1 mile total throughout the day on multiple short walks. Elevation in Monument Valley is about 5,500 feet.
Breakfast:
At Goulding's Trading Post.
Morning:
We will have some time for independent exploration of Goulding’s Trading Post and museum, which includes memorabilia from many John Ford and John Wayne westerns, as well as prehistoric artifacts and items from the early trading post days. Then we’ll board a four-wheel drive truck and head out on a field trip to explore Monument Valley and surrounding areas. Elective short walks to viewpoints and archaeological sites and rock art available to those who choose. We’ll spend the morning seeing sites of the centuries-old Ancestral Puebloans and sweeping vistas. Our expert Navajo drivers will provide narration and insight to the natural and cultural features of the region as we get to experience this quintessential scenery of the American Southwest. Along the way, we’ll make stops to take in the views and stretch our legs.
Lunch:
Amid the spectacular scenery of the red rock cliffs, we’ll have sack lunches.
Afternoon:
Continuing our field trip through Monument Valley, we will explore many of the famous iconic stone monuments and viewpoints including the the Mittens, John Ford Point and the Totem Poles. In the late afternoon will return to the Gouldings Lodge with time to relax and freshen up before dinner.
Dinner:
Goulding’s Lodge plated meal.
Evening:
Elective gathering in the Earth Spirit Theater at Goulding’s, we’ll settle in to view a video on a topic of local interest. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Driving 160 miles total, approximately 2.5 hours with stops for field trips. Walking approx. 2.25 miles total. Antelope Canyon walk: 1/8 mile one way through slot canyon with sandy, level footing; return to parking area will entail a 3/4 mile walk via sandy wash section, 15 steps up to long metal walkway: walk on dirt road bed and 100 ft. descent on metal steps /ramps.
Breakfast:
Goulding's Trading Post plated meal.
Morning:
We will set out for the city of Page and Antelope Canyon. We will start at the Chief Tsosie Antelope Canyon tour office to board their vans and transport to the entrance of upper Antelope Canyon and join a guide for a walking tour of this iconic slot canyon. The Navajo call Upper Antelope Canyon “Tsé bighánílíní” — the place where water runs through rocks, which is popular with both photographers and other sightseers. The 1/8 mile walk through the slot canyon is mostly level and loose sand. Note: Upon exiting Antelope Canyon visitors are now required to do an approximately ½ - ¾ mile walk through a sandy wash, a 15 stair way to a series of elevated metal tread walkways, walk on an open desert dirt road bed, and stairs to get back to the parking area and our vehicles. The stairs involved include 15 stairs up and 85 steps down and have hand rails on each side. Upon our return to Page and conclusion of the tour we’ll stop at a local restaurant for lunch.
Lunch:
At a local Mexican restaurant in Page, we’ll have plated meals.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will visit the Carl Hayden Visitor Center at Glen Canyon Dam and the head of the 275 mile-long Lake Powell and explore the many informative exhibits and take in the views. Completed in 1963, this engineering marvel was one of the Bureau of Reclamation's crowning achievements. Controversy has never been far behind its completion as the effects of its operation have been determined to have had adverse effects on the downstream Grand Canyon environment and the flooding of the spectacular Glen Canyon upstream. Your Group Leader will lead a discussion relating some of the many issues and stories surrounding the super structure and its role in western water management. Mid-afternoon we will move on and check into our hotel with an opportunity to relax and freshen up before dinner.
Dinner:
In the hotel banquet room.
Evening:
Gathering in the hotel meeting room, we’ll be joined by a local expert for a presentation on a topic of local interest. Past favorites have included talks on the wildlife of Glen Canyon, geology of Glen Canyon, and Colorado River issues.
Activity Note
Driving about 50 miles one way from Page to Lees Ferry to begin river trip, approximately 1 hour. Return trip in the afternoon along same route. Walking about 1.5 miles round trip, approximately 1.5 hours; loose hard pack trail, about 140 feet in elevation gain/loss to Horseshoe Bend Overlook. Getting on/off a boat; sandy section at Petroglyph Beach bathroom stop; raft ride is 15 miles roundtrip from Lees Ferry; flatwater, motor-assisted float trip through Glen Canyon.
Breakfast:
In the hotel restaurant.
Morning:
We will start our morning with an elective field trip to the Horseshoe Bend Overlook trail. This 1.5 mile roundtrip hike leads along a well established hard packed trail to the edge of a thousand-foot cliff looking down on a meander of the Colorado River in a section of Glen Canyon that we will float later. Then it’s on to our Glen Canyon float trip. After a 1 hour drive to Lee's Ferry from Page we will have a safety briefing from the rafting company. Upon arrival, we’ll board our motorized rafts. Our experienced boatmen will lead discussions on the geology, wildlife, and human history of the area. Halfway along the stretch of river, we’ll stop to view an iconic set of ancient petroglyphs with a chance to stretch our legs, and have a rest stop.
Lunch:
On the river, aboard our rafts we’ll enjoy our sack lunches.
Afternoon:
The river portion of our trip will end at historic Lee’s Ferry, gateway to the Grand Canyon, where we will get off the boat, board our vehicle, and ride back to Page.
Dinner:
At the hotel banquet room.
Evening:
We’ll be joined in the hotel meeting room by a local expert for a presentation on a topic of local interest. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Driving about 150 miles, approximately 2.5 hours. Walking about 1.5 miles along the rim at Bryce Canyon, approximately 2 hours; paved and unpaved surfaces. Time permitting, elective walk below the rim on unpaved trails. Rim elevation is roughly 8,000 feet.
Breakfast:
In the hotel restaurant.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel and drive through the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (NM) with a stop at the Kanab Visitor Center to see excellent geologic and human history exhibits. The Grand Staircase-Escalante NM, at 1.7 million acres, dominates any map of southern Utah. It is the first monument to be administered by the Bureau of Land Management rather than the National Park Service. As presented by our Group Leader, we’ll learn why this National Monument is threatened and why it is a national treasure. Afterwards, we’ll travel up scenic Highway 89 towards Bryce Canyon National Park.
Lunch:
At Ruby’s Cowboy Cafe, we will enjoy a variety lunch entree choice.
Afternoon:
Arriving in Bryce Canyon National Park, we’ll learn that despite its name, Bryce is not a canyon but a series of amphitheaters along the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Its otherworldly hoodoos are carved from Claron lakebed sediments by frost weathering and stream erosion. Walking out to viewpoints such as Inspiration Point and Sunset Point, we’ll take in the views of the spectacular Hoodoos. Depending on conditions, we’ll walk along the rim and visit the Bryce Canyon National Park Visitor Center.
Dinner:
At Ruby’s Cowboy Cafe.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Driving about 85 miles, approximately 2 hours. Walking about 1.5 mile roundtrip, approximately 1.5 hours on varied terrain.
Breakfast:
In the hotel restaurant.
Morning:
After loading up luggage, we’ll leave Bryce for the scenic drive to Zion National Park. Along the way we’ll drive through stunning Red Canyon — once a haunt for Butch Cassidy and his gang — as we journey to the slickrock country on the eastern edge of Zion National Park. Continuing with a stop at Checkerboard Mesa, we’ll then drive through the Zion Tunnels and down the switchbacks into Zion Canyon carved by the North Fork of the Virgin River. Spectacular Checkerboard Mesa is a massive petrified sand dune with horizontal layers laid down in the Jurassic Period and vertical cracks formed during weather over millions of years. While here with our Group Leader, we’ll discuss the reason it is called Checkerboard Mesa, talk about the plants growing at this elevation, and learn how things differ from the lower elevations in the park. The Zion Tunnels were built during the 1920s through solid sandstone walls with views through the "galleries" out to the Pine Creek Valley.
Lunch:
At the Red Rock Grill located at the Zion National Park Lodge.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will begin our explorations from the Zion Lodge area. Nestled at the base of stunning canyon walls, the grounds of the Zion Lodge invite people to linger among its shady cottonwood trees and grassy field. At the Lodge, your Group Leader will give an overview of the area and offer activities at one or more locations. Activities may include walking the Lower Emerald Pools Trail, the Grotto Trail, or a historic walk around the Zion Lodge. We will gather to discuss free time choices in the park tomorrow. Our Group Leader will provide us detailed park information and shuttle maps. We’ll also hear how the shuttle system operates and have an orientation to many of the park’s highlights, viewpoints, trails, and feature. Mid-afternoon we will depart Zion Canyon for the town of Springdale and check-in to our hotel. We will have an opportunity to settle in and relax before dinner.
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. There are a number of dining venues to choose from in Springdale.
Evening:
At your leisure. Prepare for independent exploration of the park in the morning. NOTE: There have been reductions within our Zion National Park Commercial Use Authorization (CUA). The CUA regulates and mandates which trails and parking areas groups are allowed to use and the number of people that constitute a group. These changes in regulations have necessitated an independent exploration day by participants within the park tomorrow. The Group Leader will facilitate transfer into the park and discuss adventure opportunities.
Activity Note
Getting on/off free Zion Shuttle; 16 miles round trip; 90 minutes without getting off at stops. With elective stops and walks approximately 4 – 6 hours. Self-guided elective walking distances; Riverside Walk is approximately 2 miles roundtrip, about 2 hours; paved trail with little change in elevation.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
In keeping with current park group protocols, today will be dedicated to independent exploration. We will gather in the hotel lobby with our Group Leader to be sure everyone is properly outfitted with the essentials of being out in the field for the day including water, sunscreen, hat, and other weather-related gear. The Group Leaders will review how the park shuttle operates; discuss the many viewpoint and features in the park available to explore; how to return to the hotel using the shuttle system; and answer any questions. We will also have sack lunches distributed. Using our vehicle(s), we will ride from the hotel to the Zion Visitor Center where the Group Leader will confirm our group entry into the park. From the Visitor Center, we’ll then stroll across the plaza to the free Zion Canyon shuttle bus terminal where our park exploration and access into Zion Canyon will begin.
Lunch:
In the locations of our choice, we will have provided sack lunches.
Afternoon:
Continue independent explorations in Zion National Park. Return to the hotel according to personal choice by utilizing the National Park Shuttle and Springdale town shuttle bus system.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant we’ll have plated meals. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
We’ll gather for a program wrap-up session to reflect on our adventures together. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 8:00 a.m. Driving about 170 miles, approximately 3 hours. Expected arrival and drop-offs at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) by approximately 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
Hotel breakfast.
Morning:
Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll load our luggage and begin our transfer to Las Vegas, traveling through the Virgin River Gorge carved by the mighty Virgin River through the Virgin River Anticline. As we drive, we’ll pass by Joshua Trees, the signature species of the Mojave Desert. We expect to arrive at Harry Reid International Airport by approximately 11:00 a.m. 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!
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