A desert adventure: Landscapes and cultures of Utah, USA
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19 September 2023 - 9 days for USD $5,675 - No single supplements
Southeastern Utah holds a wealth of fascinating geological and cultural stories. Join two experienced geologists, Russell Davies and Janok Bhattacharya, to learn about the rocks and their influence on the history of the area.
Starting in Grand Junction we will drive west across the flat desert landscape of eastern Utah to Torrey, the frontier town to Capitol Reef National Park. Over two days we will take in extensive vistas of the Colorado Plateau from spectacular clifftops, hike slot canyons of Capitol Reef’s dramatic Waterpocket Fold, visit early Mormon settlements along shady tree-lined streams and drive across Boulder Mountain to learn about Anasazi pueblos.
We will then head southeast to Bluff, Utah, stopping to visit cliff dwellings overlooking the Colorado River and learning the history of towns and canyons buried when Lake Powell formed behind the Glen Canyon Dam (and now being slowly re-exposed as the lake level drops). Two nights in Bluff, a quiet but historical town that has escaped being over-run by overzealous tourists, give us the opportunity for a Navajo-guide led tour of Monument Valley and a visit to narrow canyons with cliff dwellings and paintings and etchings of long-vanished families and communities.
Our route continues north along the eastern edge of Utah to Moab, a bustling town that contrasts with sleepy Torrey and Bluff. The dramatic but accessible landscapes of nearby Arches and Canyonlands national parks explain why. We will spend a day walking among arches, spires and dinosaur tracks and have the opportunity for a trail ride across settings featured in countless Westerns or a boat trip down the Colorado River. We end our journey back in Grand Junction with a visit to a local winery and a good restaurant to reflect on a dramatic trip through time.
In partnership with GeoCultura World
DAY 1: ARRIVAL AT GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO
Participants will gather in the evening at a hotel in Grand Junction for introductions, drinks, dinner and a review of the trip itinerary.
DAY 2: GRAND JUNCTION TO TORREY, UTAH
Leave Grand Junction hotel after breakfast and 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. Followed by a group evening meal.
DAY 3: CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK
Visit Capitol Reef National Park with brief stops at the visitor center and the old town of Fruita. Continue into the park along Slickrock Drive to Capitol Gorge absorbing the landscapes, geology and history of the park. Depending on the road conditions and time we may drive down to Capitol Gorge Trailhead and for a short hike into the gorge (1 mile roundtrip) to view petroglyphs and see Register Rock with names of early explorers. A brief stop to view Fremont petroglyphs in the cliff faces along the Fremont River will be followed by a picnic lunch
Drive back towards Torrey and over Boulder Mountain making several stops for panoramic views across Capitol Reef National Park to the Henry Mountains and southward into northern Arizona. Continue to the small town of Boulder and visit the Anasazi State Park Museum. If time permits, drive into Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument for views of Long Canyon.
If the night is clear after the group dinner, return to the park for star gazing. The park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park.
DAY 4: TORREY TO BLUFF
Leave 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 and dinner together.
DAY 5: AROUND BLUFF
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 will all visit a renowned site of petroglyphs along the San Juan River, drive to Gooseneck State Park for spectacular views of the meanders in the San Juan River, and then to the Navajo Tribal Park across the San Juan River in Monument Valley, known for its rock spires as backdrops to westerns. After these amazing sites, there will be dinner together back at the hotel.
DAY 6: BLUFF TO MOAB
Leave in the morning for a drive to Moab, with a stop in Blanding to visit the Edge of the Cedars Museum, adjacent to rebuilt ruins and kivas. 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. Meet early evening to drive to and overnight at Red Cliffs Lodge, 15 miles east of Moab on the Colorado River.
DAY 7: AROUND MOAB
Breakfast in the hotel and early departure for Arches National Park.
Morning 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 experts 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. Participants may opt for a 3-mile (5 km) roundtrip hike up to Delicate Arch with an elevation gain of approximately 630 feet (190 meters) or a shorter hike to the Delicate Arch viewing point. The park has become increasing crowded and some adjustments may need to be made for scheduling based on park service admittance. A picnic lunch will be supplied.
Drive north to Dead Horse Point State Park, with dramatic views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. Depending on time, there may be stops to see classic Fremont Petroglyphs along the river.
After checking in and dining at the Red Cliffs Lodge, there may be the possibility for an evening river tour for those interested.
DAY 8: MOAB TO GRAND JUNCTION
A leisurely morning at the hotel enjoying the sunrise along the cliff faces and the peaceful views of the river. For early risers and more adventurous, horseback rides or 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.
Check into the hotel and then join the group to visit a winery and restaurant for farewell dinner.
DAY 9: DEPART GRAND JUNCTION
The tour will end with breakfast at the hotel. Participants may continue their exploration of the American West or return home.
NOTE: This provisional itinerary is subject to change as specific locations and accommodations release more information regarding access for 2023.
