Hiking Utah's National Parks

SUMMARY

Uncover the rugged beauty and rich Indigenous history of Utah – a vast state with some of the USA’s most famous national parks. On this nine-day hiking trip, you’ll get to see their many highlights with an expert guide. Leave Las Vegas behind to marvel at Zion National Park, explore Monument Valley with a specialist Navajo guide, see the inspiring scenery of Moab and explore the spires of Bryce Canyon National Park – the land of the Navajo people. Catch the sunset in Arches National Park and head to the Island in the Sky in Canyonlands National Park before your last hike to Horseshoe Bend.

TOTAL DURATION : 9 Days

GROUP SIZE : MIN 1 MAX 12

TOUR ITINERARY AND DATES

START : Las Vegas

END : Las Vegas

COUNTRIES VISITED : United States Of America

Validity : 01 JAN 2024 To 31 DEC 2024

Day :1

Location : Las Vegas

Welcome to Las Vegas, Nevada! This glitzy city may be a gambler’s paradise, but if the tables aren't your thing, there's still plenty to discover in this neon metropolis. Maybe wander along the famous strip, past impersonators, billboards and hotels to the choreographed Bellagio Fountain show. Hit the chain stores or lose all sense of time exploring the gaudy interiors of hotels like The Venetian, Caesars Palace and New York-New York. Your trip starts at 6 pm tonight with a welcome meeting. After, why not join your fellow travellers for an optional dinner and indulge in some nightlife? 

Day :2

Location : Zion National Park

You’ll be up bright and early this morning for the drive to Zion National Park. Arrive in Springdale, your base for the next two nights, and check into your accommodation before heading to the park for your first hike. Warm up with a gentle leader-led orientation walk of the park and an easy walk to the lower end of the Emerald Pools, passing sparkling waterfalls and streams along the way. Take a more difficult trail to the upper section, checking out another waterfall on the way to Zion's beach. This afternoon, you’ll have some free time to relax at your accommodation before heading out on an included group dinner at a local restaurant in Springdale.

Day :3

Location : Zion National Park

Today after breakfast, head out nice and early for another, longer hike in Zion National Park. This is one of Zion’s most iconic walks – the famous half-day Angel's Landing hike up to Scout Lookout. The stunning views of Zion Canyon's 270-million-year-old rock layers will take you back in time to the Triassic period when this section of the Colorado Plateau was just a flat basin at sea level. Just a heads up, this is a steep hike, but don’t worry, we'll take plenty of breaks. Anyone in good physical condition can make this trek.

Day :4

Location : Bryce Canyon National Park

After breakfast this morning, drive to Bryce Canyon National Park, where wind and water erosion have formed the park's crimson hoodoos – uniquely shaped rock spires rising out of the desert. The park’s main road leads past the expansive Bryce Amphitheatre – a hoodoo-filled depression below the Rim Trail hiking path. It overlooks Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point and Bryce Point. After checking into your accommodation, you’ll hike the iconic Navajo Loop Trail, which begins and ends at Sunset Point. Travelling by switchbacks between narrow walls of colourful limestone with views of towering Douglas-fir trees, this trail takes you to the park's most famous hoodoo – Thor's Hammer. This trail has two sides, Two Bridges and Wall Street, so the trip out and back is different, with unique scenery on each side of the loop.

Day :5

Location : Moab

After breakfast today, you’ll hit the road for Moab. On the way, stop in Capitol Reef National Park to hike to the impressive Hickman Bridge – a natural sandstone bridge spanning 41 m (133 feet). You'll get high desert views along the way and ascend through a sandstone side canyon before emerging under the bridge. Along with incredible views of the vast rock formations, look out for rare desert plants and wildlife along the trail. Tonight, you have a free evening in Moab to rest and recharge.

Day :6

Location : Moab

Today you’ll head to Canyonlands National Park and head out on the Island in the Sky hike – resting on sheer sandstone cliffs, the Island in the Sky lookout point, Grandview Point Overlook, has spectacular sweeping views of the park. Take in the landscape below of the canyons and winding streams and then head to Arches National Park – home to more than 2,000 natural stone arches, rock formations and giant, balancing rocks. Head out on a sunset hike to visit the Delicate Arch – a stone icon of the park that has become the unofficial symbol of the State of Utah! Along this trail, you’ll see the Wolfe Ranch cabin and Ute Indian petroglyphs, too. Watch the landscape change colours as you enjoy a picnic dinner, then head back to your hotel in Moab.

Day :7

Location : Bluff

Travel south to Bluff, stopping for a very special experience along the way – a guided walk with an expert Navajo guide. Explore the beautiful country of Butler Wash, filled with abundant native plants, animals, incredible geologic features and archaeology and learn some of the fascinating Indigenous stories and history of the area.

Day :8

Location : Page

This morning after breakfast, head to Monument Valley, where a Navajo leader – one of the Keepers of Monument Valley – will take you around their lands on a hike off the beaten track. Learn about the history of the Anasazis (the Ancient Ones), as you take in the beauty of Monument Valley’s famous arches and learn about the history and culture of the Navajo peoples. For lunch, you’ll enjoy a picnic with your group. Tonight is the last night of your trip, so you might like to head out and celebrate your incredible Utah adventure with a night out with your group.

Day :9

Location : Las Vegas

Today after breakfast, you’ll head back to Las Vegas. On the way, you have an option to book a visit to Antelope Canyon, before stopping for one last hike to Horseshoe Bend in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River is the perfect place to wrap up your trip. There will be unlimited options for incredible photos, so make sure you squeeze the most out of every last moment. Arrive in Las Vegas at around 5 pm, where your trip will come to an end. If you’d like to stay in Las Vegas for longer, just speak to your booking agent.