From Yellowstone to Grand Canyon - 2018 FROC
Mostly wild and uninhabited, the Rocky Mountains of the American West have long been known as a hiker’s paradise. Being the rugged backbone of the continent, these vast areas are studded with a series of world-famous national parks, such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Grand Canyon, which preserve the exquisite beauty and wildlife. On this tour we will not only explore these world-famous parks but also many hidden gems of outstanding beauty and solitude, such as Aspen, Maroon Bells, and the San Juan Mountains. On this easy to medium hiking tour, let us take you to see the wonders of this diverse and amazing region. We will take you to the wild and high Rocky Mountains, from Yellowstone to Mesa Verde, as well as to the red desert of Lake Powell, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon. On foot we will explore Yellowstone and Grand Teton looking for geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles as well as vast herds of deer, elk, and bison. With luck we will see bear, moose, and wolves. In Colorado, we will enjoy the stunning wild mountains of the Maroon Bells. Then we explore the San Juan Mountains, where gold mining towns stud the valleys. In Mesa Verde, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we have all day to explore the mysterious cliff dwellings of the ancient Native Americans before we head to the famous Monument Valley of the Navajo Indians. Last but not least, we have a chance to walk through Antelope Slot Canyon before the journey concludes with walks at the mighty Grand Canyon. Our journey ends in Las Vegas. HIGHLIGHTS: ITENERARY: Day 1 - Arrival in Salt Lake City Transfer on your own to the hotel in the center of town. The hotel offers an airport shuttle for a nominal fee. Comfort Inn or similar (3-star), 1 night. Day 2 – Grand Teton from the West, B, L 8 AM: Introductory meeting. Leave your packed bags in your room and meet your group after breakfast in the lobby. We stretch our legs with a short walk though the famous downtown of the Mormon city. Then we head north towards the Teton mountains. We take the chairlift at Grand Targhee to enjoy unsurpassed views of the Tetons. We walk along the mountain ridges in full sight of the amazing peaks. Our hotel is located in the small Mormon community of Driggs or Rexburg, Idaho. Super 8 (3-star) or similar, 1 night. (The Grand Targhee chairlift is typically open from mid June to mid September. If closed, the group will have to walk uphill to get to the views). Drive time: 280 miles / 450 km or 4 hrs Hiking: 3-4 hrs, 3-4 miles / 5 km, elevation difference: +/-200 m (more if the chairlift is closed) Day 3 - Yellowstone, B, L Today we head towards Yellowstone National Park. We walk at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone on the lovely Wapiti Trail at the south side of the Canyon. We have a chance to walk into the canyon at Uncle Tom’s Trail and enjoy the amazing waterfall views. On our way to the hotel we will search for herds of bison, wolves, and look for bear in Hayden and Lamar Vallies. Super 8 Cooke City or similar (3-star), 2 nights Drive time: 200 miles / 320 km or 4 hrs Hiking: 3-4 hrs, 4.5 miles / 7 km, elevation difference: +/-200 m Day 4 – Yellowstone NP, B, L Yellowstone National Park is the world’s oldest National Park. It protects the world’s largest geothermal area. We start exploring the Mammoth Hot Spring area and walk over the terraces at the remote northern end of the park. Then we head to the Upper and Lower Geyser Basin, which showcase the best of Yellowstone. We will spend most of the day walking and exploring this amazing place. Grand Prismatic Springs impresses viewers with intense colors of orange and blue, while other springs bubble, hiss, and steam. At Old Faithful we will walk on boardwalks past erupting geysers and of course, will not miss the eruption of Old Faithful. Traveling time: 200 miles /320 km – all day Hiking: 3-4 hrs, 5-7 miles / 8-12 km, elevation difference: +/-100 m Day 5 – Grand Teton NP, B, L Another day in this spectacular area awaits us. We head to West Thumb at Lake Yellowstone, where we walk on the boardwalk over steaming hot pools. Then we head into Grand Teton National Park from the east side. We walk along Jenny Lake from String Lake and enjoy amazing views of the towering peaks above us. While the group takes the ferry across Jenny Lake (included) your tour director will shuttle the vehicle to end of the hike and meet the group at the visitor center. There is time to stroll the historic streets of the bustling western town of Jackson, Wyoming, before we settle into our hotel in the small cowboy town of Pinedale. Baymont Inn and Suites or similar (3-star), 1 night. Drive time: 250 miles / 400 km or 6 hrs Day 6 – Colorado’s Rockies to Aspen, B, L Today we pass the Oregon Trail Ruts on our way to Colorado. The next stage of our adventure is Aspen, Colorado. Our comfortable hotel is just outside of Aspen at Snowmass. There is a free shuttle to the town of Aspen. Stonebridge Snowmass or similar (3-star), 3 nights. Drive time: 430 miles / 680 km or 7 hrs Day 7 – Maroon Bells, B, L The Maroon Bells grace many postcards and rightfully so. They are beautiful peaks reflected in tranquil alpine lakes. We hike towards these proud peaks through dense aspen forests. (Due to wilderness regulations this hike is self-guided). The afternoon is free to enjoy in Aspen. Choose to visit the famous boutiques, sip a coffee watching people, or enjoy the pool and hot tub at the hotel. Hiking: 3-4 hrs, 6 miles / 10 km, elevation difference: +/-200m Day 8 – Durango, B, L We follow remote mountain roads south through the Rockies to Mesa Verde. Soon we reach the Million Dollar Highway, considered by many to be one of the most scenic highways in North America. You have the opportunity to either take the famous Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge railroad (optional, approx. $125 pp) or spend time in Durango. We spend the night at the entrance to Mesa Verde. Holiday Inn Cortez or similar (3-star), 2 nights. Drive time: 280 miles / 450 km or 4-5 hrs Day 9 – Mesa Verde NP, B, L We have all day to explore Mesa Verde, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll take a ranger-led walk through 1000-year-old ruins and hike the rims and mesas to impressive viewpoints through Spruce Canyon and Petroglyph Point Trail. We have time to explore the remote Weatherill Mesa where various trails lead to ruin sites and overlooks. Hiking: 3-4 hrs, 5-6 miles / 8-10 km, elevation difference: +/-300 m Day 10 – Monument Valley & Horseshoe Bend, B, L Today we travel through the amazing red desert of the Colorado Plateau. A short drive brings us to magical Monument Valley of the Navajo Indians. We recommend you take an optional Jeep tour to see the beauty of this remarkable place. We then continue to Page on Lake Powell. We walk to Horseshoe Bend, an entrenched meandering cut into deep red sandstone. Quality Inn Page or similar (3-star), 1 night. Drive time: 200 miles / 320 km or 3.5 hrs Hiking: 1 hr Day 11 – Antelope & Grand Canyon, B, L This morning we recommend you explore Antelope Slot Canyon, an impressive canyon chiseled into soft sandstone by powerful flash floods (not included, approx. $40). Now we head for the grandest of all canyons: the Grand Canyon. There is time for an afternoon walk along the rim of this amazing canyon, waiting for sunset. Our hotel is at the entrance to the Grand Canyon NP. Red Feather Lodge or similar (3-star), 2 nights. Drive time: 130 miles / 200 km or 2.5 hrs Hiking: 2-3 hrs along the rim, 5-6 miles / 8-10 km Day 12 – Grand Canyon, B, L We have all day at Grand Canyon. We recommend you walk along the remote West Rim for an ever-changing, colorful panorama of the canyon or take a self-guided walk into its depths to the famous Plateau Point. Due to park regulations, all walks are self-guided inside Grand Canyon NP. Kaibab Ridge: 3-4 hrs, 3 miles / 5 km, elevation difference: +/-300 m Plateau Point: 8-12 hrs, 12 miles / 20 km, elevation difference: +/-1150 m Hike along the rim: up to 4 hrs, 8 miles / 13 km, elevation difference: +/-50 m Day 13 – Las Vegas, B, L In the morning, there is time for optional hell flights. Next we explore Seligman on Route 66 before reaching Las Vegas, where our tour concludes. You have all night to spend in the city that never sleeps. La Quinta or similar (3-star), 1 night. Drive time: 270 miles / 433 km or 4 hrs Day 14 – Departure, B The hotel offers a free airport shuttle. You depart on your own.
IMPORTANT FACTS:
This wonderful itinerary is designed for people wanting to explore the famous national parks and hidden wilderness areas away from mass tourism. Many sights are best explored on foot and we advise that you should be reasonably fit to do at least some walking. There is plenty of time to optional walks and extensive photography on this tour. All of the hotels are centrally located, so little time is wasted getting to the attractions of the parks or the trailheads. There is a great combination of famous parks and little-known wild areas of amazing beauty. Even though we visit a large area, the tour is restful as we spend several nights in each of the major locations and parks. However as we are spanning several states, please be prepared for some longer drive days.Some hikes are self-guided due to National Park and National Forest regulations, such as Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Fish Creek Falls and Maroon Bells. The guide will organize these walks for the group.
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