This hiking trip in Southern Utah is a geologic fantasyland that offers some of the most fascinating and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes to be found on this planet. Nowhere is nature’s workshop so dramatically displayed, where time is inconsequential and the artistry will always be a work in progress.

Thankfully, much of nature’s handiwork in the region lies within the protective confines of a series of national parks and monuments that are remarkably accessible for those ambitious enough to set forth on foot to explore their wonders. We’ll explore the heart of Utah’s “color country” in the context of our Bryce and Zion Hiking Tour.

Our program assembles in the morning in Las Vegas on Day 1 and from there we’ll shuttle to Cedar Breaks National Monument for a warm up hike. From there we’ll continue our journey to Bryce National Park in time to get introduced to the park. We’ll tour several of the overlooks along the Rim Trail and watch the sun set from Sunset Point. We’ll spend our first of two evenings at Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel. The morning of Day 2 we’ll begin our trek into the canyon along the Queen’s Garden trail complex.

Early into this hike, you’ll understand that those who view Bryce only from the rim overlooks cannot best experience the park. Each bend in the trail reveals a view more spectacular than the last. The towering hoodoos and peek-a-boo windows are everywhere. Before we’re finished, we will have explored not only Queen’s Garden, but also the entire Navajo and Peekaboo Loops and returned to the rim through awesome Wall Street (8 miles).

We’ll hike the Fairyland Loop (9 miles) on Day 3 with its magnificent views of the Sinking Ship, Tower Bridge, and the Chinese Wall and then head to Zion National Park where we’ll spend the next three days and nights.

Without a doubt, Zion is a hiker’s fantasy with a large and varied selection of trails that will captivate the imagination of participants of all levels. On Day 4, we’ll visit The Narrows of the Virgin River. We’ll wade through the shallow river bed upstream at least far enough to sense the awesome beauty of this narrow corridor through which the Virgin flows (3 miles).

On Day 5, we’ll climb from the floor of Zion Canyon through Echo Canyon to awesome Observation Point, the highest accessible promontory in Zion. The views from Observation Point are incredible. Far below, the Virgin River winds through Zion Canyon towards its ultimate rendezvous with the Colorado; massive sandstone temples line the Virgin corridor. From our vantage point, we look down on famed Angel’s Landing with its swarms of hikers (8 miles).

The Zion experience requires a visit to fabled Angels’ Landing and that’s our plan on our final day (5 miles). We’ll finish by noon, head to the Pioneer in Springdale for lunch and then return to Las Vegas where our Bryce/Zion Hiking Tour concludes.

Elevation Chart Image Descriptions:

Day 2- Queens Garden and Peekaboo Loop; Day 3 Fairyland Look; Day 4 Narrows;  Day 5 Observation Point; Day 6 Angels Landing