Utah Sampler: Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon
September 16-24, 2011
with optional extension to Navajo Land September 24-29
Renew your spirits in the mountains and beautiful red rock canyons of Utah and Arizona. Discover a beautiful and intriguing terrain rich in scenic and geological wonders. Plants and animals of the region are fascinating as well. Nature is the theme of our journey as we enjoy great walks, enjoy scenic drives, and time to explore, photograph and study locations in detail. Evenings, relax in the ambience of rustic lodges at the parks or in charming accommodations in nearby towns.
The Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks are all internationally renowned national parks. In addition to these gems, we also visit a few treasured, but lesser-known sites such as Antelope Canyon and plan an all day boat excursion on Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge. Navajos called this sacred site the “rainbow of stone,” and it truly is one of the wonders of the world.
Our eight night parks trip is followed by a 5 night extension to lands of the Navajo and Hopi. Local guides join us to share their history, customs and landscapes at Monument Valley and Navajo Tribal Parks, Canyon de Chelly, Hubbell Trading Post and the Hopi Mesas. The extension can be booked alone as a separate trip if you wish.
ITINERARY
Fri., Sept. 16 Arrive Phoenix or Flagstaff, AZ / Grand Canyon
Our journey begins in Flagstaff, Arizona but we do offer shuttle service from Phoenix for those that prefer to fly in to a larger airport. Plan on flying in the night previous or arrive this day no later than 11 AM. We stop for lunch en route (your cost) and meet those arriving in Flagstaff at the airport at 3:00 PM. With this schedule we can be at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in time to settle into our lodgings and enjoy a welcome dinner. The opportunity to stand on the rim of Grand Canyon at sunset provides one of life’s most memorable moments!
Accommodations at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (D)
Sat., Sept. 17 Grand Canyon
We have the full day to explore various viewpoints and vistas of the Grand Canyon. Birds we may find are Townsend’s Solitaires, Juniper Titmice, Western Bluebirds,Mountain Chickadees, or an elusive flock of Pinyon Jays.There is even the possibility of finding California Condors! But the main attraction here is the play of light and rock and sky. Throughout the day, colors of the canyon change. The canyon is approximately 10 miles wide, and over a mile deep. Vivid panoramas 
reveal a fantastic geologic history. Weathering and erosion have created fantastic buttes and mesas within the canyon, while water and wind have sculptured the canyon walls. A convenient shuttle-bus system allows us to travel from place to place and gives you will have plenty of time for photography, wandering, and taking in this famous World Heritage site. Tonight we enjoy dinner at the historic El Tovar Hotel situated right on the rim.
Overnight Grand Canyon South Rim (B,L,D)
Sun., Sept. 18 Zion National Park
Today we continue on to another treasured Southwest national park – Zion, quite different from the Grand Canyon in character. Zion National Park is a fantastic realm of steep canyon walls and great domes and towers rising above the Virgin River. We again use a convenient shuttle bus system to see the park with the opportunity to walk short vista point trails. Here we look up to witness the bold power of erosion and the Earth’s movement. Local highlights are the Narrows of the Virgin River, the Emerald Pools, and the Weeping Wall. The deep chasm of Zion Canyon displays a palette of reds, oranges, deep salmon, pink, yellow, and cream. Along the trails you may find Black-throated Gray and Yellow-rumped Warblers; Black-headed Grosbeaks; a lizard sunning itself; a secretive Ring-tailed Cats; or other local wildlife. Along the Virgin River we may find American Dippers, Black Phoebes, and Rock and Canyon Wrens. Time passes quickly! Dinner is on your own tonight; you can choose to stay in the canyon at our National Park lodgings, or choose from an excellent variety of local restaurants in the delightful small town nearby. Shuttle buses connect points in town with the Visitor Center so you can come and go at your leisure.
Accommodations in Zion National Park, Springdale, UT (B,L,D)
Mon., Sept. 19 Zion National Park, UT
Today we explore some more remote sections of Zion National Park, venturing higher in elevation to lush Ponderosa Pine forests near a small reservoir. The scenery is just stunning and with luck we find higher elevation birds such as Steller’s Jays, Pygmy Nuthatches, raptors and possibly California Condors. We come back down to the Virgin River corridor which provides easy passage for migrants and breeding home for colorful species such as Bullock’s Orioles and Western Tanagers. This is the lowest elevation and most arid section of Zion National Park and vicinity. At a Mormon pioneer homestead we often find species of the Southwest such as Vermilion Flycatchers, Rock Wrens and Greater Roadrunners. We also find stunning vistas. En route back to our lodgings, we take time to see exhibits at the Visitor Center where we can also peruse the fine bookstore.
Accommodations at or near Zion National Park, Springdale, UT (B,L)
Tues., Sept. 20 Bryce National Park
This morning we depart Zion National Park on yet another route, this time passing by fascinating Checkerboard Mesa. We travel out to the Sevier River valley, then through Red Canyon and on to Bryce Canyon, home of one of the oldest trees on earth, the bristlecone pine. Bryce provides fanciful rock formations in every color of the rainbow and is completely different in character from either Grand Canyon or Zion. It is higher in elevation and allows us to explore a variety of forests with a mixture of birds and mammals. We look for Utah Prairie Dogs in the Bryce Canyon entrance area. Mule Deer and Elk can both be found here. The Visitor Center provides a wonderful orientation to the park, with excellent displays and an extensive collection of natural history books on the region. The historic dining room at Bryce provides a lovely place for our dinner.
Accommodations at Bryce Canyon Lodge. (B,L,D)
Wed., Sept. 21 Bryce National Park
Bryce Canyon, established in 1905 by Theodore Roosevelt, is often the favorite of the parks among our participants as it is small, intimate and presents a real playground of light. Perhaps more than the other parks it appeals to the imagination, 
with its intricate pinnacles and hoodoo rocks that appear to take on human form. The multi-hued rocks of the large amphitheatres (actually eroded plateau edges) that comprise Bryce seem to glow in the early morning light. Thousands of colorful spires rise and join together in a panorama like no other. Today we may want to get up early for a short walk to see the beauty of sunrise from the canyon rim. After breakfast, enjoy a great hike through an area aptly named the Fairyland or the famous Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail. Experience first-hand the myriad, wonderful creations in siltstone, sandstone, limestone, and dolomite. We take a picnic lunch and have the day to explore this wonderland of rock. Townsend’s Solitaire sing from atop Bristlecone Pine, and Clark’s Nutcracker often call in flight overhead, busy caching their winter supply of seeds. We often see both Mountain and Western Bluebirds, and if the Pinyon Pines have a good cone crop, we may find flocks of Pinyon Jays.
Accommodations at Bryce Canyon Lodge. (B,L)
Thurs., Sept. 22 Antelope Canyon / Page, AZ
On today’s drive we pass from 8,000 down to 4,000 feet through Hatch, Long Valley and Orderville, small and historic Mormon communities. Orderville, created in 1874, was a socialistic experiment by Brigham Young for all to share resources and work. We go to Kanab for a restaurant lunch, then drive to meet our Navajo guides for an afternoon visit to Antelope Canyon. This narrow slot canyon, rich in texture and color has become a favorite place of landscape photographers. With or without cameras it is a fabulous place to visit. By dinner time we reach our lodge on the edge of Lake Powell.
Accommodations at Wahweap Lodge on Lake Powell, Page, AZ (B,L)
Fri., Sept. 23 Lake Powell / Rainbow Bridge, UT / AZ
We embark on an all-day scenic 7.5 hour boat trip to Forbidding Canyon and Rainbow Bridge, which includes lunch, a walk to the bridge and time to explore this extraordinary place. The Navajos called this sacred site the “rainbow of stone,” and it truly is one of the wonders of the natural world. Until Lake Powell was flooded this was one of the most remote, inaccessible places in the U.S. With the uplift of the Colorado Plateau about 60 million years ago, waters draining the 10,388 foot Navajo Mountain have created a masterpiece of erosion, first seen by non-natives in 1909. Composed of Navajo and the harder Kayenta sandstone at the base, Rainbow Bridge is a testament to the ravages of time as natural exfoliation continues. Return to the lodge and enjoy a farewell dinner.
Accommodations at Wahweap Lodge on Lake Powell, Page, AZ (B,L,D)
Sat., Sept. 24 Flagstaff, AZ
Today we leave this red rock wonderland to return to Flagstaff, Arizona for flights home. Or, join us for an exploration of Monument Valley and lands of the Navajo Sept. 24-29. (B)
EXTENSION – Lands of the Navajo and Hopi
Sept. 24-29, 2011
Sat., Sept. 24 Those going on the extension will have the morning at leisure in Page while your guide takes those departing to the airport. You may wish to see Glen Canyon Dam and Visitor Center where you can take an optional tour to learn more about why and how the lake was formed and consequences for the future.
You will be picked up after lunch on your own at Wahweap Lodge. From here we venture east to visit Navajo National Monument situated in stunning Tsegi Canyon. Heading to our first destination, the Navajo National Monument in northeastern AZ, we drive through Navajo lands that few visitors get to see. The Monument protects two of the largest and best-preserved ruins in the Southwest: Kiet Siel and Betatakin. These imposing cliff houses were built fairly late (1260s and 1270s), then abandoned by the early 1300’s. At the visitor’s center displays depict what is known about the site.
The hike to Kiet Siel is too long and strenuous for our purposes, but we can view the ruin of Betatakin from a nearby overlook. The incredible setting of the Monument alone is worth the trip. At springs in lush oasis of Tsegi Canyon, we hope to encounter birds such as Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Spotted Towhees, Western Scrub Jays, and Lucy’s Warblers.
Accommodations near Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park (B,D)
Sun., Sept. 25 Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Today we venture by jeep on an extensive tour of Monument Valley. Western movie buffs will recognize the colorful buttes, mesas, pinnacles, and sand dunes that seem to erupt at random from the high sagebrush plains. We have a chance to drive some of the Monument’s most scenic roads, and we hope to have lunch with a Navajo family.
Birds of the area include Brewer’s, Lark, and Black-throated Sparrows, as well as Red-tailed Hawks and Horned Larks. We also watch for Black-tailed Jackrabbits and Coyotes, and we’ll certainly see the Navajos’ large flocks of sheep. After an afternoon break, in which you may want to see the Goulding’s fine museum, we drive back into Monument Valley for those that wish to photograph the sunset.
Accommodations at Goulding’s Lodge, Monument Valley (B,L)
Mon., Sept. 26 Canyon de Chelly National Monument
This morning we leave Monument Valley and head south and east to Chinle and nearby Canyon de Chelly. Arriving mid-day, we stop at several overviews along the canyon’s rim to look down 1,000 feet to the green valley of the Rio de Chelly. The valley’s fertile soils have supported agriculture since the time of the “Ancient Ones,” and still do today. Learn more about the history and culture of the area by visiting local trading posts and enjoy time for birding at a nearby lake.
Accommodations at Thunderbird Lodge, Canyon de Chelly, AZ (B,L,D)
Tues., Sept. 27 Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Today we ride in jeeps with Navajo guides who expertly crisscross the riverbed at the bottom of the spectacular Canyon de Chelly. Learn more about the history and the current use of the canyon while watching for possible Prairie Falcons or Golden Eagles. Northern Mockingbirds may scold from the dense willows, and we may also see Green-tailed Towhees. Red-naped Sapsuckers like the fruit trees planted in the lush river bottom. Rock art decorates the canyon walls. Horseback riders (optional activity) may prefer a full morning ride to see part of the canyon with Navajo guides.
After lunch back at the lodge, we take the rim drive to view several of the ruins and farms from above. Have your camera handy – this is a most remarkable landscape! In addition to birds, we look for Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels, and both Least and Colorado Chipmunks. In the evening we listen for the calls of Coyotes, look for Great-horned Owls and (if the night is clear) gaze at the brilliant canopy of stars. Dinner tonight is at your leisure.
Accommodations at Thunderbird Lodge, Canyon de Chelly (B,L)
Wed., Sept. 28 Hopi Mesas
This morning we continue on, making a loop back to Flagstaff the following day. Today we visit Hopi pueblos, meeting our local guide mid-day at the Hopi Cultural Center, on Second Mesa. We take a three hour guided tour of the area to gain insight into Hopi culture. A museum and our lodgings are also located here.
As our timing works out and again with a local guide we hope to visit Walpi, on the First Mesa. This historic, tiny village is perhaps the most authentic. We leave the schedule flexible today to make the most of time with our local guides. There may be dances or festivities open to the public. Tonight we have our farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant. What a great way to end our exploration of Navajo and Hopi lands!
Accommodations at Hopi Cultural Center (B,L,D)
Thurs., Sept. 29 Departures from Flagstaff (or Phoenix)
Our fascinating journey comes to an end. After breakfast, we drive back to Flagstaff (flights out 11:00 AM or after) and then Phoenix (plan on flights out after 3PM). (B)
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COST
OF THE JOURNEY
The cost of the journey is $2290.00, per person based on double occupancy. This cost includes accommodations for 8 nights, meals as specified in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, and D=dinner), airport transfers, professional guide services, local park and other area entrance fees, and miscellaneous program costs. The cost does not include transportation to or from your home city to Flagstaff or Phoenix, or items of a personal nature such as porterage, laundry, telephone calls, or beverages from the bar. Single supplement (as available) is $545.00.
Extension cost which can be booked as a separate journey is $1695.00, single supplement is $325.00. If the extension is booked with the main Utah Sampler itinerary, enjoy a discount of $100.00.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Plan to arrive if possible in Flagstaff by 3PM on Sept 16th. If you fly into Phoenix, please arrive in Phoenix by 11AM Sept. 16th. You may wish to come in a day early if you are coming from any distance. Plan on flights out after 3PM on Saturday, Sept. 24th (or Thurs. 29th).
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Photo Credits:
Western Scrub Jay, Tony Beck - www3.sympatico.ca/beck.tony/;
California Condor, Narca Moore-Craig; all other photos by Peg Abbott. |
