Southern Utah Scenic Tours
A Division of Warner Adventure Tours, LLC.
P.O. Box 911772
St George, Utah 84791
(435) 656-1504 Office
(435) 213-2109 Fax
www.utahscenictours.com
April and Early May 2022 Grand Circle Itinerary
Inclusions: 10 nights lodging, 10 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners, 1 Lunch, All Park Entry Fees,
Boat Trip on the Colorado, Navajo Guided Tour of Antelope Canyon, Navajo Guided Tour
of Monument Valley, and the Narrow Gauge Train Trip in the Colorado Rockies.
Travel times do not reflect travel time within the park as these will vary by group and activity.
Arrival Day: Las Vegas, and !St George. (Travel Time about 2 hours)
You arrive in Las Vegas and meet your shuttle to be transported to the town of St
George, UT. We have partnered with a shuttle company that has shuttles
running nearly every hour to reduce your wait time in the Las Vegas Airport.
Once you arrive in St George you will be met by a representative of our company
to transport you the short drive to the hotel. Along the way they will point out
restaurants that are within easy walking distance of the hotel.
Get some sleep and prepare for a great adventure your tour starts the following
morning.
Day One: Zion National Park
(Travel Time about 45 minutes)
We meet you at the Abbey Inn
Hotel for an 8:00 AM departure
and then begin your Grand Circle
National Park Adventure and go
directly to Zion National Park, a
short 45 minute drive away.
Zion National Park is one of
nature's greatest wonders. Gigantic red and white rock monoliths tower around
you like a skyscraper city of stone, concealing pockets of abundant flora and
fauna. See the Great White Throne, Angel's Landing, the Court of the Patriarchs,
and the Narrows where the Virgin River has carved out a narrow canyon with
2,000-foot cliffs on each side. After checking into our hotel in nearby Springdale,
there is a welcome and get-acquainted dinner for all to attend.
(Breakfast and Dinner included)
Day Two: Page AZ, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend (Travel Time 2
Hours)
After breakfast, we drive from the depths of the canyon up the switchbacks and
climb 3,000 feet in just three miles to the Zion Tunnel. Once through this mile-
long tunnel, we emerge into a fascinating world of rock and sand formations that
extend on each side of us. We like to stop at Checkerboard Mesa for pictures.
From there, we depart for
Page Arizona. Once we
arrive we will get the
chance to visit Antelope
Canyon for a guided tour by
local Navajos. Truly, this is
one of the most beautiful
slot canyons in all of
America and an experience
that our guests will be
discussing for a very long
time.
That Afternoon we will take
a short hike to Horseshoe bend to see the Colorado River with one of the most
Iconic views of the River ever to be taken by photo.
We will be in Page, Arizona, for dinner and lodging.
(Breakfast & Lunch included)
Day Three: Cameron Trading Post, and the South Rim (Travel Time 2 Hours
45 Min)
After Breakfast we will make our way toward the South Rim, we travel south out
of Page. As we descend into the lower valley we will have some fantastic views
laid out for us.
Around lunch time we will arrive at Cameron Trading Post. One of the oldest
trading posts still operating in the west it still provides supplies to the locals as
well as operating as a stop for tourists and offers a restaurant and gallery of
goods. I do highly recommend the Navajo Taco.
From there we will continue
into the park itself just a short
drive away. We will stop at
the Desert Watchtower and
make various other stops
along the route as we view
the canyon. A visit to the
Grand Canyon Village is a
must before we depart.
Dinner and lodging are in Tusayan, Arizona.
(Breakfast included)
Day Four: Navajo Museum, Monument Valley (Travel Time 4 Hours)
After breakfast, we will make our way North once again as we travel into and
then back out of Grand Canyon National Park. We will make a stop in Tuba City
as we travel North to experience
the Navajo People Museum.
We will have lunch and then
continue on to Monument Valley.
Once we arrive, Navajo guides
will escort us into this beautiful
and historic valley in modified
pickups. (The road is bumpy
and there is some jostling
around, so those with bad backs
or other physical restrictions,
please let us know prior to participating in this activity.) The guides will show us
many of the more famous landmarks, as well as where John Ford and John
Wayne made many of their well-known movies like “Stagecoach” and “She Wore
a Yellow Ribbon.”
We continue on to Bluff, Utah, for dinner and lodging.
(Breakfast included)
Day Five: Four Corners and Mesa Verde National Park (Travel Time 2.5
Hours)
After breakfast, we continue our drive through the Navajo Indian Reservation,
stopping briefly at the famous "Four Corners" landmark. Here, four states (Utah,
Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico) come together in one place (no similar
situation exists anywhere else in the USA). At this site, one can literally put her
hands and feet in four different states at once. Local vendors selling many kinds
of native handicrafts and jewelry are located nearby.
As we head into Colorado, we
pass through the Ute Indian
Reservation and soon find
o u r s e l v e s i n M e s a Ve r d e
National Park the world famous
Anasazi "Cliff Dwellings". For
those who are physically able,
we tour Cliff Palace. This is one
of the largest and best ruins in
the park. We take a driving tour
and see several of the best-
preserved ruins.
We also stop at the museum, which has a wonderful array of ancient crafts,
pottery, etc. of the Anasazi. Later that afternoon, we make our way to Durango,
Colorado. After checking into our hotel, you are free to enjoy the many
restaurants and shops located nearby.
(Breakfast included)
Day Six: Colorado Rockies and the Durango and Silverton Railroad
(Travel Time 4.5 Hours)
After breakfast, we take the morning Durango and Silverton Railroad to Cascade
Canyon where you will have the opportunity to see enjoy nature in their picnic
area. Built in 1895 to carry gold and passengers, this old-time steam engine and
railroad experience offers a fun and scenic view of the San Juan Mountains, the
Animas River, and is a
tremendously enjoyable
experience.
Due to changes in the
Railroad policy this year, you
will be taking a round trip
from Cascade canyon back
to Durango. We will then
continue North to Silverton
and then continue on
through Ouray, CO to Moab,
UT. This will add about 1
hour of time to our day.
Lodging will be in Moab UT. Dinner is on your own.
(Breakfast included)
Day Seven: Moab, Arches National Park, Colorado River Float Trip (Travel
Time 20 Min)
We begin the day in nearby
Arches National Park where we
walk to see some of the best
large and small arches in one of
Utah’s most famous national
parks. These spans of rock
have been millennia in the
making, and we are fortunate
that we are here when they are
still standing. Although we will
not see all of the 2,000+ arches
we will get to see some of the most iconic and largest of the arches in the park.
After we are done in the park we will return to Moab for some time to
explore the town before our Dinner and Float trip. The River Experience has
been a favorite of our guests and we know you will enjoy it. The boat operator
describes the experience below:
“Your evening begins at our Colorado Riverside location two miles north of Moab, Utah. You
will be served a cowboy-style Dutch oven dinner in a dining room overlooking the Colorado
River. After dinner, you will be our guest on a a flat-bottomed boat as we head up river with a
knowledgeable and entertaining guide who will point out things of interest and ignite your
imagination.
Once darkness settles in, the formal part of the evening begins with 40,000 watts of natural light
illuminating the canyon wall. Lights, shadows, music, and narration make the stories of the
canyon’s formation, creation, and history come to life on the walls above the river—as learned
from the early settlers of the area (the Catholic conquistadors, Native Americans, and Mormon
pioneers).
The Canyonlands by Night and Day Sound and Light Show is a not-to-be-missed unique
experience and a great end to a perfect day in Moab.”
Lodging in Moab, UT
(Dinner and Breakfast Included)
Day Eight: Canyonlands, Deadhorse Point (Travel Time 2.5 Hours)
In the morning, we drive to Dead Horse Point State Park for a spectacular
overlook of the Colorado River, one of our favorite places to visit in the whole
Southwest. From there, we tour the “Island in the Sky” section of Canyonlands
National Park.
Afterward we will
leave the Moab area
and make our way to
Capital Reef National
Park. The drive will take
u s t h r o u g h s e v e r a l
u n u s u a l f o r m a t i o n s
including ancient sea
bottoms and petrified
deserts. We will be
stopping briefly to see
the Fremont Indian petroglyph site inside the park and then on to the Visitors’
Center.
After we have finished in Capitol Reef we will make our way to the town of Torrey
UT, 5 miles away for Dinner and lodging.
(Breakfast Included)
Day Nine: Capitol Reef National Park, Highway 12, Grand Staricase-
Escalante National Monument and Bryce. (Travel Time 2 Hours 15 Min)
After Breakfast we will
take the scenic drive to view
the park. A stop at the Gifford
House for pie or a cinnamon
roll and the a rest under giant
trees. There are a few hiking
options here and your guide
will select an appropriate hike
for the group.
Afterward we will make
our way over the Famous
Highway 12 viewing some of
the most beautiful and
expansive vistas we have
seen to this point. As we
travel, we will pass by red rock cliffs, climb our way into the high mountain pine
and aspen forests, descend again into petrified sand dunes and finally make our
way to the towering hoodoos of Bryce Canyon.
We will arrive in Bryce in the late afternoon. This will allow time to visit
several of the beautiful lookouts and possibly a two-hour walk down into the
beautiful hoodoos from Sunrise to Sunset Point. Anyone else who doesn’t take
the hike can take the scenic walk along the rim. Some say this is the most
beautiful walk they have ever taken. Depending on arrival time we may opt to do
the hike the next morning.
Dinner on us at Ebeneezers Barn and Grill, Overnight in Bryce.
(Dinner and Breakfast Included)
Day Ten: Bryce Canyon and Las Vegas (Travel Time 3 hours 45 Min)
For those who want to
get up early and see the
sunrise at Bryce, you are in for
a real treat. The early morning
sun lights up the pink cliffs and
hoodoos and offers a stunning
visual experience.
We will then return to
our hotel to have breakfast
and pack our things for the
final leg of our trip to Las
Vegas.
We will take the scenic
Cedar Mountain route, which offers a great view of Zion National Park from a
distance, as well as several high alpine meadows; a brief lunch stop in St.
George, Utah. If time permits we may make a stop in one of two State Parks
along the route. We then travel to Las Vegas, generally arriving around 5:00 pm.
Once we are in Las Vegas we will be happy to drop you at the hotel of your
choice in Las Vegas or take you to the airport.
(Breakfast Included)
