A Desert Adventure: Utah Landscapes and Culture Tour Package

The group will meet mid-morning at a location in central Grand Junction for an overview of the tour and then depart for a drive across the Colorado National Monument, discussing the geology and the history of the Grand Valley with a few short walks and stops for dramatic overviews into the Grand Valley. Drive west on I-70 with a brief stop at Thompson Springs to view petroglyphs and pictographs on cliff walls.

Continue west on I-70 across the San Rafael Swell, a major dome rising from the desert floor, making several stops for panoramic views to ‘read’ the landscapes and illustrate the links between the rock formations, the history of Native Americans, ranchers, outlaws and mining. Picnic lunch at one of the stops.

Continue southward into Torrey along the Fremont River. If time permits, drive to the northern end of Capitol Reef National Park as the striking sun sets for a sensational view into Sulphur Creek Canyon from the Gooseneck Overlook.

Overnight in Torrey. Group dinner at Hunt & Gather, "One of the Best Restaurants In The State" (OnlyInYourState.com), featuring slow-cooked meals from local ingredients.

Visit Capitol Reef National Park, beginning with a stimulating walk to the spectacular Hickman Bridge, a large natural arch (1.5 miles / 3km, 400 foot / 120m elevation gain), seeing a Freemont pit house and granary ruin along the way. After a brief stop at the visitor center we will visit the old town of Fruita, view Fremont petroglyphs in the cliff faces along the Fremont River and have a picnic lunch. We then drive along Slickrock Drive to Capitol Gorge, absorbing the landscapes, geology and history of the park. Depending on the road conditions we may drive down to Capitol Gorge Trailhead and for a short hike into the narrow, impressive gorge (1 mile / 1.6km roundtrip, no elevation change) to view petroglyphs and see Register Rock with names of early explorers.

Return to Torrey for a group dinner. If the night is clear after dinner, return to the park for star gazing. The park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park.

Overnight in Torrey. Free evening for dinner.

Leave our Torrey hotel following breakfast and drive east to Hanksville along the Fremont River and then southward past the Henry Mountains to the Colorado River, nestled within steep canyon walls. Stops will include key geological and archeological sites, such as petroglyphs exposed near springs, and panoramic views across the Colorado River and Lake Powell.

Continue to Blanding making several stops to view prehistoric ruins along the roadside and along a short trail. Turning south on UT 191 at Blanding leads across the flat plains into Bluff where we will check into Bluff Dwelling Resort and Spa for two nights.

Overnight in Bluff. Group dinner outdoors with views of the red rocks.

Morning free to enjoy the hotel spa, explore the town of Bluff and Bluff Fort, or participate in an optional morning tour with choices of the Wolfman Panel, Monarch Cave (with 3 miles of moderate hiking) or a drive across the Valley of the Gods and up the Moki Dugway to the Muley Point Overlook. Many of these areas are now protected in the boundaries of the Bears Ears National Monument. We can arrange a tour with a local guide.

After lunch, we drive to Gooseneck State Park for spectacular views of the meanders in the San Juan River, and then on to the Navajo Tribal Park in Monument Valley, known for its rock spires as backdrops to westerns, for a tour from a Navajo guide.

Dinner at the View Restaurant in Monument Valley.

Overnight in Bluff.

We begin with a stop at a renowned site of petroglyphs along the San Juan River and then head to Blanding and the Edge of the Cedars Museum, adjacent to rebuilt ruins and kivas. Our visit will include a back-room tour to see many artifacts not normally on display.

We then continue northward towards Canyonlands National Park to a spring in the valley adjacent to Newspaper Rock, a cliff panel with pictographs that represent different Native tribes over a thousand years. This is one of the most dramatic assemblages of petroglyphs discovered and is now protected as part of the Bears Ears National Monument. Picnic lunch.

Free afternoon in Moab to visit the visitor center, shops and have dinner in town on your own.

Overnight in Moab. Free evening for dinner.

Breakfast in the hotel and early departure for Arches National Park.

Morning and picnic lunch in the park, where we will hear the fascinating 65-million-year geological history of the rocks – a story of ancient seas, burial of the rocks to depths of kilometres and uplift back to the surface. Our expert will also reveal how the geology and origin of the different rock layers helps create the spectacular arches. We will view some of the Park’s many arches up close. Our visit will include a short walk to the Delicate Arch viewing point (1/2 mile / .8km). The park has become increasing crowded and some adjustments may need to be made for scheduling based on park service admittance.

Drive north to Dead Horse Point State Park, with dramatic views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. Depending on time, stops to see classic Fremont Petroglyphs along the river or dinosaur tracks.

Overnight in Moab. Final group dinner.

Leisurely morning at the hotel to enjoy the sunrise along the cliff faces and the peaceful views of the river. For early risers, a walk into red-rock country can be arranged before the 11 AM checkout.

Return to Grand Junction along the river road through Cisco, a ghost town, onto I-70. In Fruita, Colorado, take a short hike along a trail to an active dinosaur quarry.

Tour ends, participants can be delivered to a downtown hotel to continue their exploration of the American West or to the Grand Junction airport.

Note: this provisional itinerary is subject to change as specific locations and accommodations release more information regarding access for 2024.