Arizona
Exploring & Rafting the Western Grand Canyon With Your Family
Program No. 9878RJ
Explore the Western Grand Canyon with your family as you whitewater raft the Colorado River, and learn about the life of a cowboy!
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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
800-454-5768
Age 9 - 18
ROOMING OPTION PRICING
The figures below indicate the rooming options available.
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DATES | ||||
Filling Fast! Jun 8 - Jun 13, 20252,299 1,749 | ||||
Jun 8 - Jun 13, 2025
| 2,299 / Adult
1,749 / Child
| 2,299 / Adult
1,749 / Child
| 2,599 / Adult
1,749 / Child
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Filling Fast! Jul 13 - Jul 18, 20252,299 1,749 | ||||
Jul 13 - Jul 18, 2025
| 2,299 / Adult
1,749 / Child
| 2,299 / Adult
1,749 / Child
| 2,599 / Adult
1,749 / Child
| |
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This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!
6 days
5 nights
14 meals
5B 4L 5D
3
Visit Grand Canyon National Park, hike along the rim.
Peach Springs, AZ
4
Ranch Visit, River Trip Orientation, Kids Only
Peach Springs, AZ
5
Grand Canyon River Raft, Waterfall Hike
Peach Springs, AZ
6
Program Concludes
Flagstaff, AZ
At a Glance
Share with your family the thrill of whitewater rafting on the Colorado River in the depths of the Grand Canyon. With experienced river runners, navigate exhilarating whitewater rapids. Take part in outdoor field trips on the water, on the ground and at the rim as you learn about the geology, natural history and native peoples of the Grand Canyon. Round out a rousing week with s'mores and stories by the campfire!
Activity Level
Outdoor: No Sweat
Walking up to one mile on uneven terrain. Must be able to get in, out of rafts. Elevations up to 7,000 feet.
Family Programs
Share your love of learning with your family. These programs are designed for any combination of generations: grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents and children.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Raft 37 wild and scenic miles of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon.
- Learn about the Grand Canyon’s geology while taking in the spectacular vistas of the Canyon’s South Rim.
- Drive the only road to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and picnic and play on a Colorado River beach, deep in the Canyon on the Hualapai Reservation.
General Notes
This is a Family program for participants, their adult children and grandchildren ages 9 and up. Children must be 9 years old for rafting/helicopter rides. For a comparable adventure for just grandparents and grandchildren, check out "Exploring & Rafting the Western Grand Canyon With Your Grandchild" (#2519)!
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Carrie Calisay Cannon
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.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
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.
Suggested Reading List
(10 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Exploring & Rafting the Western Grand Canyon With Your Family
Program Number: 9878
Beyond the Hundredth Meridian: John Wesley Powell and the Second Opening of the West
Here Wallace Stegner, a Pulitzer Prize-winner, gives us a thrilling account of Powell's struggle against western geography and Washington politics. We witness the successes and frustrations of Powell's distinguished career, and appreciate his unparalleled understanding of the West. "Stegner's most exciting work." (San Francisco Chronicle) 496pp
Half Broke Horses
Jeannette Walls, author of The Glass Castle, wrote this true life novel which unfolds across Northern Arizona from the 1920s to the 1960s. Its heroine, Lily Casey Smith, (Ms. Wall's grandmother) battled the elements, prejudices, economic conditions and politics of remote frontier Arizona. Many of the locations described - Peach Springs, Seligman, Flagstaff, the Navajo Reservation, the Arizona Strip - are sites visited by NAU Road Scholar programs. Readers of this selection will feel the sense of heritage from this tale of life in our distant corner of America. Note: may not be appropriate for young readers.
An Introduction to Grand Canyon Prehistory
People have inhabited Grand Canyon for the past twelve thousand years. Evidence of their lives exists throughout the canyon; but it is up to their ancestors and archaeologists to interpret those remains for us. This book provides a popular look at the architecture, art, and tools of prehistoric Puebloan peoples, as well as information about modern-day Native American tribes. With illustrations and color photographs.
The Emerald Mile
Amazon review: From one of Outside magazine’s “Literary All-Stars” comes the thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983.<br><br>In the spring of 1983, massive flooding along the length of the Colorado River confronted a team of engineers at the Glen Canyon Dam with an unprecedented emergency that may have resulted in the most catastrophic dam failure in history. In the midst of this crisis, the decision to launch a small wooden dory named “The Emerald Mile” at the head of the Grand Canyon, just fifteen miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam, seemed not just odd, but downright suicidal.<br><br>The Emerald Mile, at one time slated to be destroyed, was rescued and brought back to life by Kenton Grua, the man at the oars, who intended to use this flood as a kind of hydraulic sling-shot. The goal was to nail the all-time record for the fastest boat ever propelled—by oar, by motor, or by the grace of God himself—down the entire length of the Colorado River from Lee’s Ferry to Lake Mead. Did he survive? Just barely. Now, this remarkable, epic feat unfolds here, in The Emerald Mile.
Carving Grand Canyon: Evidence, Theories, and Mystery
Ranney explains how rivers in general can physically carve canyons, looks chronologically at the numerous theories that have been presented by successive generations of geologists regarding the Grand Canyon's formation, and describes a plausible sequence of geologic events that could create such a landscape. Numerous color photographs, detailed illustrations, and maps are provided. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR 160pp; 2nd edition 2012.
Writing Down the River: Into the Heart of the Grand Canyon
Copious, dramatic color photographs and poetic quotations illustrate these essays describing the whitewater rafting experiences of 15 prominent female writers sent down the Colorado River during the summer of 1997.
Sunk Without a Sound
Grand Canyon, this adventure / mystery / biography details the true story of Glen and Bessie Hyde, who vanished on their 1928 honeymoon river trip through Grand Canyon. When they did not appear at journey's end, Glen's father launched an exhaustive search of Grand Canyon. Although the boat was soon found upright and fully loaded, no trace of the honeymooners was ever found. They had vanished from the face of the earth. Or had they? In the years since, four people appearing to be either Glen or Bessie have emerged, each with a tale implying murder and mayhem. Author and boatman Brad Dimock has unearthed the true story of the Hydes, followed each tale to its source, and gone so far as to retrace the Hydes' fateful voyage in a replica of their archaic scow.
I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People
I Am the Grand Canyon is the story of the Havasupai people. From their origins among the first group of Indians to arrive in North America some 20,000 years ago to their epic struggle to regain traditional lands taken from them in the nineteenth century, the Havasupai have a long and colorful history. The story of this tiny tribe once confined to a toosmall reservation depicts a people with deep cultural ties to the land, both on their former reservation below the rim of the Grand Canyon and on the surrounding plateaus.
In the spring of 1971, the federal government proposed incorporating still more Havasupai land into Grand Canyon National Park. At hearings that spring, Havasupai Tribal Chairman Lee Marshall rose to speak. "I heard all you people talking about the Grand Canyon," he said. "Well, you're looking at it. I am the Grand Canyon!" Marshall made it clear that Havasu Canyon and the surrounding plateau were critical to the survival of his people; his speech laid the foundation for the return of thousands of acres of Havasupai land in 1975.
I Am the Grand Canyon is the story of a heroic people who refused to back down when facing overwhelming odds. They won, and today the Havasupai way of life quietly continues in the Grand Canyon and on the surrounding plateaus.
Living at the Edge: Explorers, Exploiters, and Settlers of the Grand Canyon Region
A comprehensive look at the pioneer history of the Grand Canyon Region, from its earliest residents to the creation of the national park at the end of the pioneer era (circa 1920). Included are close to two hundred historic photographs, many never published before, and 12 custom maps of the region. 184pp
The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons
Full text of Powell's 1,000-mile expedition down the fabled Colorado in 1869. Superb account of terrain, geology, vegetation, Indians, famine, mutiny, treacherous rapids, mighty canyons. 240 illustrations. 432pp
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
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
14 meals (
5B, 4L, 5D
)
3 expert-led lectures
7 expert-led field trips
4 hands-on experiences
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Program Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location:
Flagstaff, AZ
Meals:
D
Stay:
La Quinta Inn & Suites Flagstaff
Activity Note
Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration. 4:30 – 5:15 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.
Dinner:
At the hotel
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. 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. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
2
Museum of Northern Arizona, Walnut Canyon National Monument
Location:
Flagstaff, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
La Quinta Inn & Suites Flagstaff
Activity Note
Walking about 1 mile on Island Trail at Walnut Canyon; approximately 1 hour with stops; paved trail; descend and ascend 185 feet via 240 steps. Walking about 1 mile on Rim Trail; approx. 1 hour; paved and level. Elevation at 6,700 ft. Driving approximately 15 miles; about 1/2 hour. We recommend bringing a water bottle, good walking shoes, sun protection, long sleeves, and perhaps a walking stick.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We’ll travel to Walnut Canyon National Monument for our first field trip to the Sinagua cliff dwellings and the Visitor Center. Upon arrival, we’ll set out on a hike led by our Group Leader down into Walnut Canyon, which will bring us face to face with ancient cliff dwellings. Walnut Canyon is a spectacular scenic attraction in its own right, with diverse plant and animal communities to be enjoyed from all vantage points and interpretive displays to supplement viewing. For those that choose not to go into the canyon, a lovely rim walk led by one of the Group Leaders also offers excellent views.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant
Afternoon:
Afterwards, we will enjoy an insightful and informative docent-led field trip at the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) after arriving by van. The MNA has evolved into a regional center of learning with collections, exhibits, educational programs, publications, and research projects. Museum of Northern Arizona is the premier museum dedicated to the cultural and natural history of the Colorado Plateau. Afterwards, we’ll take some time for independent exploration in the museum and a kid center craft.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant
Evening:
We’ll then join our Group Leader for a regionally relevant Presentation and Activity in the meeting room.
Day
3
Visit Grand Canyon National Park, hike along the rim.
Location:
Peach Springs, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hualapai Lodge
Activity Note
Driving approx. 207 miles total for the day; about 4 hours. Short walks to scenic viewpoints, less than 2 miles total; some sloping terrain on paved pathways and stairs.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We will board our transport and set out on a full-day field trip to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Upon arrival, we will start on a walk and learn as we explore about the Grand Canyon’s unique geological, biological, and historical features. We will also see Grand Canyon Village where many of the most impressive structures in the historic village were designed by Mary Jane Colter, a renowned architect and designer for the Fred Harvey Company and Santa Fe Railroad. With luck, we might even see an endangered California condor soaring overhead as we gaze into the Canyon’s depths below.
Lunch:
At the Grand Canyon's rim, we’ll have sack lunches.
Afternoon:
We will have some time for independent exploration in the historic village. Be sure to take a look across to the Canyon’s North Rim, 10 miles away as the raven flies. We will board the vans and transfer to our accommodation along a historic stretch of the famous Route 66 in Peach Springs, AZ. En route, we will keep a look out for Burma Shave signs, enjoy wide open views, and drive through a classic site of Route 66 nostalgia – Seligman – with its focus on American road touring in the 1950s. Seligman is the town which Radiator Springs, from the Pixar movie “Cars,” was based on. In late afternoon, we will arrive at our accommodation and have access to a more remote area.
Dinner:
Diamond Creek Restaurant at the Hualapai Lodge.
Evening:
The remainder of the evening will be at your leisure.
Day
4
Ranch Visit, River Trip Orientation, Kids Only
Location:
Peach Springs, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hualapai Lodge
Activity Note
Driving approx. 2 hours throughout the day; Short periods of standing, sometimes in full sun, during the morning session.
Breakfast:
At the hotel restaurant
Morning:
We will board our transportation to transfer to a local ranch, where we’ll spend this morning learning about ranching, horses, and the importance of cattle in the history of the west with a real cowboy who has cowboy-ed in northern Arizona for over 40 years. Believe it or not, cattle still have many uses today, besides just steak and hamburger! Kids will learn about a horse’s tack, how to properly saddle a horse and how to rope.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant
Afternoon:
We’ll gather for a secret "Kids Only" activity led by our Group Leaders! Shhhhh! While the kids are engaged, the adults may wish to take a breather, a dip in the pool or engage in purely adult conversation for a short time. Following this activity, we’ll assemble in the meeting room to learn everything we need to know for the river trip coming up the next day through an in-depth orientation to the day’s activities. We'll go over how to dress for the river, how to pack your daypack, and what to take so you'll be well-prepared for a Colorado River raft trip to remember!
Dinner:
Diamond Creek Restaurant at the Hualapai Lodge.
Evening:
We’ll be joined by a local expert for a presentation on a topic of local interest. Our topic will vary by week and feature a local author, artist, or regional expert.
Day
5
Grand Canyon River Raft, Waterfall Hike
Location:
Peach Springs, AZ
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hualapai Lodge
Activity Note
Driving approx. 155 miles total. Morning about 20 miles; approx. 1.5 hours; unpaved, rough road. Afternoon approx. 135 miles; about 3 hours, with stop. Rafting approx. 37 miles; 5-6 hours total. Climbing in/out of rafts, assistance provided as needed. River temperature about 50 degrees F – air can be 100+ degrees F. Hiking about 1/2 mile total for the day; some slippery rocks, sand. Elective climb using ropes & ladders to hidden waterfall.
Breakfast:
At the hotel restaurant
Morning:
Meeting in the hotel lobby 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-passenger motorized pontoon rafts (approximately 25 feet long), each with a certified rafting expert. The Diamond Creek 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 the rafts over at a couple of attractions including the beautiful Travertine Falls and a lunch spot. While stopped, our rafting experts will lead some short walks to stretch our legs and explore the area. 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.
Lunch:
Along the river, we’ll have sack lunches provided by the river company.
Afternoon:
Continuing downriver, we’ll reach Pearce Ferry where we will get off our rafts and board the bus that will transport us out of the canyon. Have your cameras ready! The bus will drop us off at 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. Upon arrival in Peach Springs, we’ll go immediately to dinner.
Dinner:
Diamond Creek Restaurant at the Hualapai Lodge. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
Flagstaff, AZ
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check out and driving to Flagstaff; 102 miles, approximately 1.5 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel restaurant
Morning:
We’ll board our transportation back to Flagstaff and share some of our favorite memories from our week together before saying farewell. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
14 Meals
5 Breakfasts
4 Lunches
5 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Jul 13, 2025 - Jul 18, 2025
- Jun 08, 2025 - Jun 13, 2025
- Jul 13, 2025 - Jul 18, 2025
Participant Reviews
Based on 5 Reviews
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Road Scholar was so generous is gifting me with a caregiver scholarship. It helped my son and I achieve a lifelong goal of exploring the Southwest, something we couldn't have afforded due to the recent illness of my father. It was my father's dream to go with us. I felt like he was with us every step of the way, watching as we checked off each bucket list item. Thank you Road Scholar, from the bottom of our hearts!
— Review left June 15, 2024
I am sorry to be so late. My daughter, granddaughter and grandson accompanied me. It was a wonderful shared experience; truly memories for a lifetime. Our accommodations were more "rustic" than I anticipated (I had visited their website prior to the trip), and our arrival got off to a rocky start as all 4 of us were assigned to same room (2 beds, 1 bath) at check-in (resolved within an hour), being on the Reservation, with a great mix of adult and children and guided by Tracey and Cara were all the ingredients needed for a great experience. While the fact that the Caverns were closed and pool was not available, the unexpected time at the South Rim, the afternoon spent tie-dying teeshirts (a first for me) with my daughter and grandkids, followed by water play, Rte 66, "Cowboy Karen" AND the raft float on the Colorado were so special. The small group experience allowed us to get to know one another and we all watched as the kids all "came together" in the game room at the Cavern Restaurant to play pool after dinner. I hope to be able to bring my other three grandchildren on a similar RS adventure in one of our National Parks in the future.
— Review left September 12, 2023
Grand Canyon was great experience. Loved ,loved white water rapids ,trip down river in the canyon most wonderful experience ,not to mention helicopter ride .
— Review left August 8, 2022
Your online evaluation form is not in a real friendly way to use.
— Review left July 25, 2022
Excellent family trip! Really got a great dose of all aspects related to this amazing area of our country. Food was fantastic and the kids had an amazing time.
— Review left June 24, 2019