Utah
Colorful Canyons: Zion, Bryce & Grand Canyon With Your Grandchild
Program No. 8731RJ
From stunning landscapes and ancient geology to horseback riding and Native American art, set off on an adventure with your grandchild in the national parks of Utah and Arizona.
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.
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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.
Duration
8 days
7 nights
What's Included
19 meals (
7B, 6L, 6D
)
9 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
Las Vegas, NV
Meals:
D
Stay:
Hilton Garden Inn Las Vegas Strip South
Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration. 4:00-5:15 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the hotel lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, other important information, and to confirm when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.
Dinner:
At the hotel, we'll enjoy a Welcome Dinner featuring an entree, salad, vegetables, iced tea and water.
Evening:
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. Unless specified otherwise, the majority of field trips and lectures will be led by our expert Instructor who will be accompanied by our Group Leader. Afternoon thunderstorms and lightning are common at higher elevations in summer months. Be sure to stay hydrated and dress appropriately for the weather. Please remember to bring a refillable water bottle. Sun protection is recommended throughout. 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 day ahead. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
2
Valley of Fire State Park and Zion National Park
Location:
Zion National Park
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hampton Inn & Suites - Zion National Park
Activity Note
Walking about 2 miles total for the day; mostly paved, some uneven terrain, sand, rocks, about 100 stairs. Lower Emerald Pools trail: 1.2 miles round trip 70 ft. elev. gain. Elevations range from approximately 2,000 feet to about 4,000 feet above sea level. Driving approximately 50 miles to Valley of Fire State Park and an additional 130 miles to Zion National Park; about 3.5 hours total throughout the day.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board the motorcoach and travel to the Valley of Fire, Nevada’s oldest state park. We will explore fascinating geological formations and view ancient drawings carved in the red sandstone walls. At Atlatl Rock, our Instructor will show us petroglyphs carved by Native Americans dating back as long as 4,000 years ago. The ancient drawings give us a glimpse of the culture of people that lived and traveled in this area thousands of years ago. Along the way, our Instructor will teach us about the area’s history and geology, and from displays and exhibitions at the Valley of Fire visitor center, we will learn about the area’s native plant and animal communities and other natural resources. Departing from the visitor center, we will travel to St. George, Utah for lunch. Along the way, we’ll travel through the magnificent Virgin River Gorge, a narrow canyon carved by the Virgin River between two mountain ranges.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We’ll then set out on a scenic drive following the course of the Virgin River upstream toward the towering cliffs and desert vistas of Zion National Park. Upon arrival, we’ll explore the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. Afterwards we will transfer to Springdale and check into our hotel, which is nestled beneath and surrounded by the soaring sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
3
Zion National Park
Location:
Zion National Park
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Hampton Inn & Suites - Zion National Park
Activity Note
Getting on/off Zion Park shuttle; driving about 16 miles round-trip, approximately 90 minutes riding time with stops. Elective walking about 3-4 miles round trip according to personal choice, approximately 4-6 hours; paved and unpaved trails. Riverside Walk 2.2 miles round trip; paved, relatively level. Bring day pack to carry your sack lunch, water bottle, sun protection.
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 viewpoints 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 transport as a group from the hotel to the Zion Visitor Center where the Group Leader will confirm our group entry into the National 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:
Sack lunches in the field at your leisure at a location of our choice.
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:
Dinner is on your own in the quaint town of Springdale, where you can enjoy a variety of restaurants, bars, gift shops, art galleries, and more. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
4
Bryce Canyon National Park, Bryce Rodeo
Location:
Bryce Canyon National Park
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Best Western Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel
Activity Note
Walking up to 2 miles total; paved and hard-packed dirt trails at a leisurely pace. Elevation at Bryce Canyon is over 9,000 feet above sea level. Driving approximately 155 miles; about 3 hours. Be sure to bring your water bottle and stay hydrated.
Breakfast:
At hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll depart for Bryce Canyon National Park. Our Instructor will talk about the area’s geology and history along the way.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Bryce Canyon is famous for “hoodoos” – tall, skinny, irregularly shaped spires of rock. They are more abundant at Bryce Canyon than anywhere in the world. Our first stop via motorcoach will be Bryce Point where we’ll walk together to the viewpoint. Our instructor will point out spectacular hoodoos and eroded grottos in the pink limestone below and other geologic formations in the distance including the sacred Navajo Mountain and desolate plateaus that make up the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. We’ll then drive the short way to Sunset Point and walk along the rim to Sunrise Point and back before transferring to the hotel for check-in.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We’ll walk from our hotel to the rodeo grounds for the Byrce Canyon Country Rodeo where we’ll watch cowboys and cowgirls display their skills as they compete in bronco riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping and barrel racing. For the main event, courageous cowboys will mount 2,000-pound bulls with the objective of staying atop the bucking bull for as long as possible. The exciting atmosphere and beautiful setting make for a wonderful evening for all ages.
Day
5
Bryce National Park, Horseback Riding, Scenic Viewpoints
Location:
Bryce Canyon National Park
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Best Western Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel
Activity Note
Walking about 2 miles throughout the day; paved and hard-packed dirt trails. Horse ride (about 2 hours) restrictions include 7 years of age minimum and 220-pound weight limit; long pants recommended. Elevation at Bryce is from approximately 8,000 feet to over 9,000 feet above sea level. Afternoon thunderstorms and lightning are common at this elevation in summer months. Minimal driving for the day.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Our first stop of the day will be at the stables where we’ll saddle up for a horseback ride among the fabulous red rocks. Local wranglers (cowboys) will give us instructions and assign horses or mules that best suit each person. The wranglers will accompany and lead us on a 2-hour loop into the canyon on a winding trail amongst the hoodoos. Cameras are allowed, but no backpacks. Long pants are generally preferred over shorts. We’ll stop occasionally for pictures and informative stories from our wranglers. Once we finish our ride back at the stables, we’ll transfer by motorcoach to Sunrise Point.
Lunch:
At Sunrise Point, we’ll have our boxed lunch that includes a sandwich, chips, fruit and cookie.
Afternoon:
Afterwards, we’ll drive to other viewpoints in the park including the spectacular Rainbow and Yovimpa Points. Yovimpa point (elevation 9,115 feet) is one of the best places to observe the sequence of rock called the Grand Staircase, where the layers are described by the predominant color of each step of the staircase. This viewpoint is located on the Pink Cliffs, the top step of the Staircase, and looks across over 100 million years in geologic time. Our last stop of the day will be at the Bryce Canyon visitor center where we will see the official Bryce Canyon National Park film and enjoy some time to explore informative displays. We’ll then return via motorcoach to the hotel.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. You may wish to take advantage of the amenities of the hotel including the pool for a swim, or just relax. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
6
Grand Staircase Escalante Nat'l Mon., Grand Canyon South Rim
Location:
Grand Canyon South Rim
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Yavapai Lodge
Activity Note
Walking about 1 mile total for the day; paved trails. Driving approximately 287 miles total for the day; about 5 hours with stops for field trips.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll travel via motorcoach to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center in Kanab, Utah where we will focus on “traces in time” highlighting geology and archeology. While there, we’ll watch a short informative film about the Monument, its history, geology and wildlife. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is 1.9 million acres of sandstone cliffs, narrow slot canyons, isolated badlands and vast wilderness. The monument stretches east and south from Bryce Canyon to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. It is so large that it includes four visitor centers. Numerous world-class dinosaur fossils have been uncovered within its boundaries.
Lunch:
At Cameron Trading Post
Afternoon:
Board our motorcoach and continue to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim Village, stopping first at Desert View Watchtower, an iconic stone tower designed by architect Mary Colter that offers sweeping vistas of the canyon and the Colorado River. We’ll also visit Grandview Point, one of the most breathtaking overlooks along the rim, known for its expansive panoramic views that capture the canyon’s depth and beauty. We’ll then check into the lodge.
Dinner:
At the lodge restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. After the sun sets, take a walk through Grand Canyon Village and the Historic Village. Dusk is a prime time to see deer or elk grazing near the lodges—just remember to keep your distance.
Day
7
Grand Canyon South Rim
Location:
Grand Canyon South Rim
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Yavapai Lodge
Activity Note
Walking about 2-3 miles total for the day; well-maintained trail over rolling hills, hard-packed dirt, some uneven rocky surfaces and steps. Driving approximately 20 miles total; about 30 minutes.
Breakfast:
At the lodge.
Morning:
We’ll spend a full day discovering the wonders of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, beginning with the sweeping vistas at Yovimpa Point and the iconic outlook at Mather Point. Along the way, we’ll visit the Yavapai Geology Museum to gain insight into the canyon’s remarkable history, and stop at the Visitor Center for exhibits, films, and helpful ranger-led information.
Lunch:
At local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Our South Rim adventure continues with a short walk to the ancient fossil beds, where you can see preserved remnants of marine life that once thrived here. We’ll then visit Hermit’s Rest, a rustic stone structure designed by Mary Colter, before concluding at the Bright Angel Trailhead, one of the canyon’s most famous hiking gateways.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
A stroll down the rim trail under moonlight is magical, offering soft, ethereal views of the canyon with a hint of mystery. Bring a flashlight or headlamp just in case. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
8
Transfer to Las Vegas, Program Concludes
Location:
Grand Canyon South Rim
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 6:00 a.m. Morning drive to Las Vegas is approximately 276 miles; about 4.5 hours.
Breakfast:
At the lodge.
Morning:
We will depart by motorcoach from Grand Canyon by 6:30 a.m. for our return to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.
Afternoon:
We’ll then continue our transfer via motorcoach to Las Vegas where we will make drop-off stops at McCarran International Airport and the starting hotel at about 11:30 a.m. This concludes our program. 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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