Utah National Parks Sample Tour

Each client needs to check in any time at the fabulous Aria Hotel located in the heart of Las Vegas. We will meet at 6pm for a one hour orientation explaining the schedule and activities. The rest of the night is yours.

We will leave Las Vegas by 8am and head to Zion National Park. Once we get checked in to our hotel, we will head in to the park and enjoy our first hike together up to Emerald Pools. This mild hike is a beautiful single track trail that will take us past waterfalls and pools of cool blue water all nesting beneath the massive monolith cliffs of Zion. Afterward we will head into Springdale, enjoy dinner and walk the many galleries and shops along main street.

Later in the evening for anyone who is interested, we can give a tour of an authentic 1800s ghost town with pioneer cabins and its own cemetery, or return to the park for a sunset hike.

Today we will tackle one of the most spectacular hikes in the world known as Angels Landing. In order to beat the crowds and heat of the day, we will start at 6am and head into the park. The trail to Angels Landing is 2.4 miles long. It begins at the Grotto drop off point roughly following the path of the Virgin River for some time while slowly gaining elevation. As the trail gets steeper and leaves behind the river, it becomes paved. After a series of steep switchbacks, the trail is literally cut into the cliff face. But don’t worry, the trail is wide here and you’ll feel safe. Once we pass through refrigerator canyon we reach Walter’s Wiggles, a series of 21 short switchbacks that are the last hurdle before Scout Lookout. Scout Lookout is a great viewpoint and waiting area for those who are unwilling to make the final summit push to the top of Angels Landing. The last half-mile of the trail is the most famous section with narrow sections and chains to grip, but it’s well worth it for the thrill and views.

After stopping in Springdale for lunch, we will drive to one of Utah’s most iconic National Parks, Bryce Canyon. It feels like you have entered an other worldly landscape. We park on top of the canyon, and as you approach, the entire area stretches out below, full of incredible formations. Hoodoo’s, cliffs, mini arches and canyons painted in hues of red, orange and cream with tall pinion pines adding a splash of green. We will enjoy a sunset hike as we descend into the canyon on the Queens Garden Trail. As we wind through areas such as Queens Garden, Wall of Windows and The Cathedral, you will be in awe. After our hike we will stay at a Bed & Breakfast in the near by town of Escalante.

Now that we are in the Grand Staircase National Monument, we will show you what it’s like to explore a true slot canyon. Heading down the ‘Hole In The Rock’ road, we pull into an area that contain a few distinct slots known as ‘Spooky’ and ‘Peek a Boo’. We will slide up one and down the other, navigating its tight channels carved out by eons of wind and water. After these slots, we will take a short drive to the Calf Creek trailhead and walk the gentle path until we reach the dramatic Lower Calf Creek Falls complete with it’s own beach. Along the way we will pass a massive cliff face containing some of the largest American Indian petroglyphs in the area. From here we take the ‘Hells Backbone’ road, stopping along the way for a late lunch, until we head over Boulder Mountain and in to the quaint town of Torrey.

It’s always a good idea to start early, so we will begin at 6am and drive in to Capitol Reef National Park. As we enter the park we pass by beautiful cliffs and the famous Gifford farmhouse and orchard, an early Mormon homestead from the late 1800‘s. We will then hike to the massive Cassidy Arch that begins at the Grand Wash trailhead and ascends steeply at first to the bench area above the canyon rim. From there it follows the rim on a moderately easy trail as it snakes around several side canyons before crossing an expanse of slickrock where it comes out above the arch.

After Capitol Reef, and on our way to Canyonlands National Park, we will stop at Goblin Valley State Park for a brief break to walk among the odd formations. Evidence of Native American cultures, including the Fremont, Paiute, and Ute, is common throughout the San Rafael Swell in the form of pictograph and petroglyph panels. Goblin Valley is noted for several rock art panels, as well as its strange rock formations.

We arrive at Canyonlands National Park just in time to enjoy the sunset from the incredible vantage point of Mesa Arch. After which we will enjoy a late dinner in Moab and prepare for our time in Arches National Park.

We will begin our time in one of Utah’s most famous parks with a sunrise hike through the Devils Garden. This trail, best enjoyed early, is full of hoodoos, cliffs and hidden arches. The seven mile, relatively flat loop will thrill you with countless natural features. After the hike, we will stop at a few of the most well known features in the park such as Double Arch and Balanced Rock. We will then head back into Moab and give everyone a chance to enjoy dinner and a walk around this vibrant town.

In the evening, we will then hike to the most famous image of the entire southwest, Delicate Arch. We hike over sandstone while enjoying the unique red rock scenery. We traverse along a path marked by free standing cairns then approach the final rise, cresting over a massive sandstone bowl with Delicate Arch standing high above. If there is no cloud cover, we will stay until after sunset and enjoy the brilliant stars and moon far from any city lights.

Moab has come to be known as Utah’s playground and you can’t come to Moab and not do some off-roading. After breakfast, we will pick up our rental Jeeps or Razors and tackle the infamous Slick Rock Trail. Nothing can prepare you for the extreme inclines and declines we will traverse as we crawl along this 15 mile sandstone trail. After Slick Rock, we will then head out to the Rim Trail and enjoy the views while driving along the rim top of a deep canyon. After a late lunch, we will leave the incredible redrock country and drive to Salt Lake City for your departure.

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