Painted Canyons of the West featuring Utah’s Five National Parks
Trek across the Southwest as you take in the sienna-colored canyons, towering spires, and desert landscapes found in Utah’s five national parks. The backdrop of Denver’s Rocky Mountains is the starting point of your journey. In Colorado’s wine country, dine with new friends and enjoy a tasting at a family-run winery. Among vistas that evoke the spirit of the Old West, marvel at the unspoiled beauty of Utah’s five national parks. Make your way from Arches and Canyonlands to Capitol Reef, Zion, and Bryce National Park. Discover the bright lights and glitz of Vegas. Explore the kaleidoscope of colors found in America’s rocky western landscapes.
Trek across the Southwest as you take in the sienna-colored canyons, towering spires, and desert landscapes found in Utah’s five national parks. The backdrop of Denver’s Rocky Mountains is the starting point of your journey. In Colorado’s wine country, dine with new friends and enjoy a tasting at a family-run winery. Among vistas that evoke the spirit of the Old West, marvel at the unspoiled beauty of Utah’s five national parks. Make your way from Arches and Canyonlands to Capitol Reef, Zion, and Bryce National Park. Discover the bright lights and glitz of Vegas. Explore the kaleidoscope of colors found in America’s rocky western landscapes.
Highlights
- Located on desert land on the Colorado Plateau, the Colorado National Monument hosts a variety of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, ravens, desert bighorn sheep and coyotes. The area was first explored by John Otto in the early 20th century, when many residents believed the canyons to be inaccessible to humans. The park was then established on May 24, 1911. Today, many come to hike, horseback ride, bicycle and take scenic drives through the park.
- Spend two nights in the picturesque desert town of Moab, Utah, a popular base camp for those seeking to explore both Arches and Canyonlands national parks. You’ll have ample time to do some exploring of the city and the national parks yourself.
- Located along the Colorado River, Arches National Park contains over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. One of the most famous attractions in the park is Delicate Arch, which is known worldwide. The national park lies atop an underground salt bed, which is the main cause of the formation of the arches. Humans occupied the region from the last ice age 10,000 years ago up until about 700 years ago. Today, visitors come not only for the view but to hike and rock climb as well.
- The Canyonlands National Park preserves a colorful landscape eroded into canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River. The park is divided into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves. The park was first established in 1964 and is now visited by over 450,000 people in a year. Canyonlands is a popular recreational destination. The trails are welcome to hikers, mountain bikers, backpackers and four-wheelers, and the rivers are welcome to rafters and kayakers.
- Stand atop the sheer sandstone cliffs of Dead Horse Point State Park, and take in awe-inspiring views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. Legend says the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs that roamed the mesa top.
- Take in some of Utah's most beautiful landscapes as you travel along Scenic Byway 24. The longest Scenic Route in Utah, this highway runs through Dixie National Forest and Capitol Reef National Park and along the eastern edge of San Rafael Reef and Goblin Valley State Park.
- Travel to Capitol Reef National Park, filled with colorful sandstone geological formations, and named in part for the white Navajo Sandstone formations that resemble the U.S. Capitol building.
- Catch a glimpse of the stunning Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, one of the most remote places in the US and the last piece of wilderness in the lower 48 states to be mapped.
- A small national park in southwestern Utah, Bryce Canyon is named after the Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, and became a national park in 1928. Known for its unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters, slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos", Bryce is a virtual stone forest tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name.
- As Utah's first national park, Zion became a national park in 1919. The word Zion translates from Hebrew as a place of safety or refuge. This area has been settled by people since 6000 BC and became home to Mormon pioneers in the 1860s. A staggering mix of canyons and sandstone mountains, Zion today welcomes over 3 million visitors a year and is Utah's most visited national park.
- A desert oasis, Las Vegas is also known as "Sin City". With the legalization of gambling in Nevada in 1931, Las Vegas became a hotspot for casino owners. Today, it bills itself as the "Entertainment Capital of the World" with its mega-casinos and entertainment venues.
Hotels
- Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel — Denver, CO
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel — Grand Junction, CO
- Homewood Suites by Hilton — Moab, UT
- Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel — Bryce, UT
- Hyatt Place Zion — Springdale, UT
- Paris Hotel — Las Vegas, NV
Details
- Tour Operator
- Collette
- Start City
- Denver, CO
- End City
- Las Vegas, NV
- Duration (Days)
- 9
- Activity Level
- Level 2
What's Included
- 11 meals included
- Located on desert land on the Colorado Plateau, the Colorado National Monument hosts a variety of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, ravens, desert bighorn sheep and coyotes. The area was first explored by John Otto in the early 20th century, when many residents believed the canyons to be inaccessible to humans. The park was then established on May 24, 1911. Today, many come to hike, horseback ride, bicycle and take scenic drives through the park.
- Spend two nights in the picturesque desert town of Moab, Utah, a popular base camp for those seeking to explore both Arches and Canyonlands national parks. You’ll have ample time to do some exploring of the city and the national parks yourself.
- Located along the Colorado River, Arches National Park contains over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. One of the most famous attractions in the park is Delicate Arch, which is known worldwide. The national park lies atop an underground salt bed, which is the main cause of the formation of the arches. Humans occupied the region from the last ice age 10,000 years ago up until about 700 years ago. Today, visitors come not only for the view but to hike and rock climb as well.
- The Canyonlands National Park preserves a colorful landscape eroded into canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River. The park is divided into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves. The park was first established in 1964 and is now visited by over 450,000 people in a year. Canyonlands is a popular recreational destination. The trails are welcome to hikers, mountain bikers, backpackers and four-wheelers, and the rivers are welcome to rafters and kayakers.
- Stand atop the sheer sandstone cliffs of Dead Horse Point State Park, and take in awe-inspiring views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. Legend says the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs that roamed the mesa top.
- Take in some of Utah's most beautiful landscapes as you travel along Scenic Byway 24. The longest Scenic Route in Utah, this highway runs through Dixie National Forest and Capitol Reef National Park and along the eastern edge of San Rafael Reef and Goblin Valley State Park.
- Travel to Capitol Reef National Park, filled with colorful sandstone geological formations, and named in part for the white Navajo Sandstone formations that resemble the U.S. Capitol building.
- Catch a glimpse of the stunning Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, one of the most remote places in the US and the last piece of wilderness in the lower 48 states to be mapped.
- A small national park in southwestern Utah, Bryce Canyon is named after the Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, and became a national park in 1928. Known for its unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters, slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos", Bryce is a virtual stone forest tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name.
- As Utah's first national park, Zion became a national park in 1919. The word Zion translates from Hebrew as a place of safety or refuge. This area has been settled by people since 6000 BC and became home to Mormon pioneers in the 1860s. A staggering mix of canyons and sandstone mountains, Zion today welcomes over 3 million visitors a year and is Utah's most visited national park.
- A desert oasis, Las Vegas is also known as "Sin City". With the legalization of gambling in Nevada in 1931, Las Vegas became a hotspot for casino owners. Today, it bills itself as the "Entertainment Capital of the World" with its mega-casinos and entertainment venues.
Itinerary
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Day 1: Denver, Colorado
Trek across the Southwest as you take in the sienna-colored canyons, towering spires and desert landscapes found in Utah’s five national parks. Your journey begins in the mile-high city of Denver – an urban gateway to America’s natural beauty.
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Day 2: Denver - Grand Junction
The Rocky Mountains are your traveling companions on the drive to Grand Junction. Look out at the natural scenery as you pass by Glenwood Canyon, a product of the Colorado River, carved more than 3 million years ago. Dine together at a family-owned vineyard and enjoy a wine tasting in the midst of Colorado wine country.
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Day 3: Grand Junction - Colorado National Monument - Moab, Utah
Set out to explore the Colorado National Monument this morning along Rim Rock Drive. Make your way to Utah on the Upper Colorado Byway, known by the locals as “River Road.” As the iconic Fisher Towers loom over breathtaking mesas, make your way to Moab, Utah’s outdoor adventure center.
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Day 4: Moab - Arches - Canyonlands - Dead Horse Point - Moab
Journey through the otherworldly oases of two national parks. Hike* along red rock features as you make your way through Arches National Park. Continue to Canyonlands National Park, resting in the heart of the Colorado Plateau, and discover a world of mesas and canyons. Close by, at the Island in the Sky, look out over a landscape of ethereal valleys and dreamy horizons. Today’s park pilgrimage ends atop the sheer sandstone cliffs of Dead Horse Point State Park.
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Day 5: Moab - Capitol Reef National Park - Bryce
Travel through the dramatic Utah desert on Scenic Byway 24. Visit Capitol Reef National Park, named for the curved white walls that resemble the U.S. Capitol building. On the Million Dollar Road, take in views of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, where layers of warm reds and oranges melt into smooth sided peaks. Spend the night in Bryce, your jumping-off point to Bryce Canyon National Park.
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Day 6: Bryce Canyon National Park - Springdale (Zion)
Spend the morning in Bryce Canyon National Park and see the famous hoodoos – vibrant rock formations likened to fairy chimneys. Perhaps you’ll start your morning with a hike,* getting up-close and personal with the graceful geology. Take in the sprawling vistas as you walk along Sunset Point, leading into Sunrise Point Rim Trail. As the day draws to a close, settle into Springdale, a small town perched just outside of Zion National Park.
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Day 7: Springdale - Zion National Park - Springdale
There are few places on earth that match the beauty of the red and white sandstone cliffs of Zion. Make the most of an entire day exploring this rock-ridden paradise. On Zion’s open-air tram, wind along the Virgin River through the 2,400-foot deep, half-mile wide Zion Canyon. Choose how you spend the afternoon because it’s your choice! Hike* independently -OR- visit Zion’s Human History Museum.
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Day 8: Springdale - Las Vegas, Nevada
Age-old nature is replaced with captivating energy, vibrant lights, and endless excitement in Las Vegas. Toast with your travel companions at a farewell lunch. Then, the evening is yours – spend your time along the neon-lit strip however you please.
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Day 9: Las Vegas - Tour Ends
Say goodbye to Las Vegas and the painted canyons of the west as you depart for home.