Arizona
River Rafting & Railroads: The Grand Canyon With Your Grandchild
Program No. 5831RJ
Share the journey of a lifetime with your grandchild as you visit the Grand Canyon via train, raft the Colorado River and see amazing animals at Bearizona Wildlife Park.
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We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
800-454-5768
Age 9 - 12
ROOMING OPTION PRICING
The figures below indicate the rooming options available.
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DATES | ||||
Filling Fast! Jul 14 - Jul 19, 20241,549 1,299 | ||||
Jul 14 - Jul 19, 2024
| 1,549 / Adult
1,299 / Child
| 1,549 / Adult
1,299 / Child
| 1,699 / Adult
1,299 / Child
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Filling Fast! Jul 21 - Jul 26, 20241,649 1,399 | ||||
Jul 21 - Jul 26, 2024
| 1,649 / Adult
1,399 / Child
| 1,649 / Adult
1,399 / Child
| 1,799 / Adult
1,399 / Child
| |
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6 days
5 nights
14 meals
5B 4L 5D
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Flagstaff, AZ
2
Bearizona, Museum of Northern Arizona
Flagstaff, AZ
3
Navajo Reservation, Raft the Colorado, and Lee's Ferry
Flagstaff, AZ
4
Kids Only Activity, Hands-On Grand Canyon Geology
Flagstaff, AZ
5
Grand Canyon Railway & National Park, Pizza Party!
Flagstaff, AZ
6
Wrap-Up, Program Concludes
Departures
At a Glance
Everyone who has experienced the mind-boggling beauty of the Grand Canyon remembers the first time they laid eyes on this colossal wonder. Create an everlasting memory with your grandchild when you bring them to the Grand Canyon for the first time. Climb aboard the Grand Canyon Railway and ride to the canyon’s South Rim, but watch out for train robbers! Look for California condors as you explore canyon geology on a canyon trail hike. Plus, travel through the Navajo Reservation and visit secluded Walnut Canyon National Monument’s prehistoric cliff dwellings.
Activity Level
Outdoor: No Sweat
Walking up to two miles daily. Getting in/out of raft. Elevations up to 7,000 feet.
What You'll Learn
- Raft the Colorado River beneath 800-foot towering sandstone cliffs, and stop for a short hike to see 1,000 year-old Native American petroglyphs.
- See amazing animals at Bearizona Wildlife Park and participate in a fun, interactive activity about Native American culture and history at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
- Enjoy a western shoot-out show on your train ride to the South Rim and help the good guys capture the bandits on board.
General Notes
Program is for grandchildren ages 9-12.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Joel Kane
Joel Kane grew up roaming Appalachian Pennsylvania but has called the Southwest home for years. After serving in the Navy, he earned a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of California/Los Angeles. He later worked as an interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service at Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming, Zion National Park in Utah, Oregon Caves National Monument in Oregon, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. He is pursuing his master's degree in geology at Northern Arizona University/Flagstaff.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Mike Masek
View biography
Mike Masek is a wilderness skills instructor, herbalist and ethnobotanist living in Flagstaff, Ariz. In addition to his current work with Road Scholar, he is adjunct faculty at Northern Arizona University where he teaches traditional uses of native plants and outdoor survival skills. He also teaches programs at the National Parks and Coconino Community College. He has spent a lifetime exploring the canyons and deserts of the American Southwest and loves to share these treasures with others.
Eric Kee
View biography
Eric Kee was born and raised on the Navajo Reservation in Tuba, City, Ariz. In addition to sharing his Navajo culture, Eric enjoys spending his spare time building Native American flutes, working with silver and enjoys hiking, kayaking, camping with his family. He met his wife in Florence, Italy during his three years teaching English and working Italian camps for kids. He, along with his wife and three children, currently reside in Tuba City, Arizona.
Filmer Kewanyama
View biography
Fil Kewanyama was born in the village of Shungopavi on Second Mesa on Hopi Land in northeastern Arizona. He is of the Qalwung'gwa (Sun Forehead) clan and grew up with all the ceremonies that are still a part of his life. Following his military service, Fil moved to Phoenix and then Prescott, Arizona where he started focusing on his art. Fil says he grew up learning to draw, paint and carve as it was all around him in the form of Hopi ceremonies and rituals.
Joel Kane
View biography
Joel Kane grew up roaming Appalachian Pennsylvania but has called the Southwest home for years. After serving in the Navy, he earned a bachelor's degree in geology from the University of California/Los Angeles. He later worked as an interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service at Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming, Zion National Park in Utah, Oregon Caves National Monument in Oregon, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. He is pursuing his master's degree in geology at Northern Arizona University/Flagstaff.
Kyle Storey
View biography
Kyle Storey is an urban planner with a passion for creating sustainable and livable communities. He possesses a love for nature and agriculture and is committed to sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices. Kyle works towards implementing cutting-edge technologies to reduce our carbon footprint and transition towards a more sustainable future. Kyle is also a seasoned outdoor group leader who is deeply in touch with the natural world. He has led numerous outdoor adventures, from hiking and camping trips to wildlife expeditions and nature exploration.
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.
River Rafting & Railroads: The Grand Canyon With Your Grandchild
Program Number: 5831
Field Guide to the Grand Canyon
This book describes and illustrates the area's plants and animals, and offers fascinating in-depth information on the natural history and geology of this dramatic region. 272pp
An Introduction to Grand Canyon Ecology
56pp
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.
The Man Who Walked Through Time: The Story of the First Trip Afoot Through the Grand Canyon
The remarkable classic of nature writing by the first man ever to have walked the entire length of the Grand Canyon. 256pp
Volcanoes of Northern Arizona - Sleeping Giants of the Grand Canyon Region
Just south of the Grand Canyon lies a range of volcanic mountain including Mt. Humphreys, the highest point in Arizona. These mountains encompassing Sunset Crater and the San Francisco Peaks, collectively make up the San Francisco Volcanic Field. This book provides, for the first time, a popular look at the fiery origin of these volcanic features. With magnificent aerial photographs, original geologic illustrations, and detailed road logs to many of the key features, this book is an indispensable tool for the traveler, the educator, and all that are interested in the remarkable landscape of northern Arizona. 68pp
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.
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
Native Roads : The Complete Motoring Guide to the Navajo and Hopi Nations
Using the mile markers of the US, Arizona, and Navajo highways and routes running through the Navajo and Hopi nations as her organizing principle, the author offers a travel guide to the sites found in the area. Natural, historical, and cultural points of interest are covered, along with some information on lodging and services. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR 304pp
Roadside Geology of Arizona
The 18th printing of this book in the Roadside Geology Series offers a mini-course in geology, focusing on what can be seen from Arizona highways. Although written especially for those with little or no geologic training, there's plenty here for the professional geologist as well--a great introduction to Arizona and its past. Geologic terms are defined where first used and again in the glossary. Inside the front cover is a legend to geological symbols and abbreviations commonly used by geologists.
321pp
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.
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