Utah's Bryce & Zion Walking & Hiking Tour
National Park Adventure in Canyon Country
Couples, Friends & Solos
6 days 5 nights
Activity Level: 2-4
Casual & Casual Plus Hotels
From: $3,599 - $3,699 pp dbl occ
($700 - $1,150 for sgl occ) plus 6.75% tax
One second the geology is like a city skyline, the next it's another planet. Sometime it seems it's all a mirage. The colors, the plant life, the birds and animals, you're forever wondering how they all got here. It's a place that gets along pretty well without people. And as you walk, you'll be glad about that.
Utah
Start/End St. George
Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Highlights
- Admire astonishing rock formations, impressive canyons and Navajo sandstone cliffs in a landscape carved by time
- Hike amid Bryce Canyon National Park's remarkable geologic features, including hoodoos and spires
- Venture into Zion Canyon, where every trail provides a window into the wonders of nature and geology
- Ascend to new heights as you hit your stride on the way to impressive panoramic viewpoints in Utah's Canyon Country
Itinerary
6 Days Casual & Casual Plus Hotels
Welcome to Zion National Park! Travel over the Virgin River into an otherworldly landscape adorned with hues of reds and pinks | Massive Navajo sandstone walls erupt all around us | Learn about the area's geologic evolution as you explore Zion Canyon on foot | Get another taste of Zion's grandeur as you wind your way through cool Refrigerator Canyon and up Walter's Wiggles to Scout Lookout, with views of imposing cliffs and a yawning abyss | If heights don't bother you—and Backroads has secured a permit—continue on to Angels Landing, a sheer wedge of rock looming 1,500 feet above the valley | Beat the heat, getting wet on a spectacular trek through the Narrows, following the inner gorge of the Virgin River | Wander through charming Springdale or lounge poolside at the hotel | At day's end, take in the changing colors of Zion National Park's red rocks as the sun dips down behind glowing cliffs.
Guest rooms at this welcoming riverside lodge have balconies overlooking the stunning red cliffs of Zion. (pool)
Visit the former studio of Maynard Dixon, a preeminent artist of the American West, en route to Bryce National Park | Hike amid Bryce's fantastical hoodoos, crooked rock formations and striking monoliths | The Fairyland Loop drops you into a less often visited area of Bryce Canyon National Park | Feeling young? You will next to bristlecone pines, some of the oldest living organisms on Earth | Discover the unique wonderland of Queen's Garden | Grab your camera and a seat on the canyon rim to watch the sun set or rise over Bryce | Take in the night sky from one of the few places where you can see naturally dark skies!
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this simple park lodge is mere steps from the canyon's edge.
Dates & Prices
The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
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Activity Level:
2-4
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
The terrain on this trip includes a mix of well-maintained dirt trails and paved walkways, with some exposed ridgetop and narrow canyon sections. Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service.
Daily Route Options
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.
Route notes
The terrain on this trip includes a mix of well-maintained dirt trails and paved walkways, with some exposed ridgetop and narrow canyon sections. Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service.
What's Included
- All breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
- All breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 dinners
- Expertise and services of our experienced Trip Leaders
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on many trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions as noted in the Travel Planner
- All gratuities at hotels and restaurants
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multi-adventure trips, use of fully equipped Backroads titanium bike plus helmet and accessories
- Trailercycles, carriers, and kid-sized helmets for Family Trips
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling, sailing and canoeing as described
- Park and other entry fees
- Fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
Straight talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Accommodations & Service Standards
While the accommodations on this trip reflect the natural surroundings of the national parks and provide unparalleled access to the best activities in the area, the Lodge at Bryce Canyon is simpler than is typical of Backroads lodging. The lodge's basic guest rooms are not equipped with televisions or air-conditioning (nights are usually cool due to the high elevation). Overall, the service standards can seem slow and casual when compared with the hospitality found on other Backroads trips. Please note that internet and cell phone service are extremely limited throughout the parks.
Hiking in Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks
The National Park Service has many hiking regulations. In Zion National Park they limit where you can hike when accompanied by your trip leaders, so our itinerary has been designed to adhere to these regulations. In Bryce Canyon National Park, your leaders can hike with you but can't act as "interpretive guides." Throughout the trip, your leaders will give an orientation to the area's flora, fauna and terrain before your hikes. Thank you for helping us cooperate with national park regulations.
Hiking Angels Landing
Please note: A permit is needed to hike Angels Landing. Backroads has entered the lottery for permits but it is not guaranteed to receive them. If we do not have Angels Landing permits for the date of your trip, you will be able to hike to Scout Lookout, but not continue on to Angels Landing. To learn more about the lottery, visit: www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm.
Two Leaders
We ordinarily staff our trips with three leaders: two leaders out on the trail offering support—allowing everyone to have the experience they want, whether it’s an easygoing interpretative walk or a rigorous hike—while the third leader moves the van from trailhead to trail end. This trip is a little different in that our routes are a combination of loop hikes and out-and-back trails that begin and end in the same location. This means that you’ll still have the same two leaders providing excellent trail support without the need for a third leader to move the van on most days.
Meals in National Parks
The National Park lodges we use on this trip are chosen for their character and ideal location—they are not known for their food. Meals at park lodges and the surrounding local restaurants can be simple and menu options tend to lack variety. Please be aware that options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and low-carb meals will be especially limited and substitutions are rarely available.
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
While the accommodations on this trip reflect the natural surroundings of the national parks and provide unparalleled access to the best activities in the area, the Lodge at Bryce Canyon is simpler than is typical of Backroads lodging. The lodge's basic guest rooms are not equipped with televisions or air-conditioning (nights are usually cool due to the high elevation). Overall, the service standards can seem slow and casual when compared with the hospitality found on other Backroads trips. Please note that internet and cell phone service are extremely limited throughout the parks.
The National Park Service has many hiking regulations. In Zion National Park they limit where you can hike when accompanied by your trip leaders, so our itinerary has been designed to adhere to these regulations. In Bryce Canyon National Park, your leaders can hike with you but can't act as "interpretive guides." Throughout the trip, your leaders will give an orientation to the area's flora, fauna and terrain before your hikes. Thank you for helping us cooperate with national park regulations.
Please note: A permit is needed to hike Angels Landing. Backroads has entered the lottery for permits but it is not guaranteed to receive them. If we do not have Angels Landing permits for the date of your trip, you will be able to hike to Scout Lookout, but not continue on to Angels Landing. To learn more about the lottery, visit: www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/angels-landing-hiking-permits.htm.
We ordinarily staff our trips with three leaders: two leaders out on the trail offering support—allowing everyone to have the experience they want, whether it’s an easygoing interpretative walk or a rigorous hike—while the third leader moves the van from trailhead to trail end. This trip is a little different in that our routes are a combination of loop hikes and out-and-back trails that begin and end in the same location. This means that you’ll still have the same two leaders providing excellent trail support without the need for a third leader to move the van on most days.
The National Park lodges we use on this trip are chosen for their character and ideal location—they are not known for their food. Meals at park lodges and the surrounding local restaurants can be simple and menu options tend to lack variety. Please be aware that options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and low-carb meals will be especially limited and substitutions are rarely available.
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