Utah's Grand Circle - 5 National Parks

Day 1

tuesday, may 14, 2024
Grand Island

Join us this morning from the available departure location of your choice, meet your friendly on-board host, and begin your westward journey. Pass through western Iowa into Nebraska with rest and refresh breaks along the way, as needed, as well as a stop for lunch, on your own. This evening, arrive in Grand Island for an overnight stay and enjoy dinner, on your own, at a nearby restaurant.

Day 2

wednesday, may 15, 2024
Denver / Silverthorne

This morning, after breakfast at the hotel, continue your travel west to North Platte for touring of the Golden Spike Tower and Visitors Center. The tower rises eight stories above Union Pacific’s 2,850-acre Bailey Yard for wonderful views of the world’s largest train yard. After a stop for lunch, on your own, near Ogallala, bid farewell to Nebraska as you cross the Colorado border. Stop in Denver to meet our tour director, and then continue west into the Rocky Mountains to Silverthorne, a beautiful mountain community on the Blue River, nestled high in the breathtaking Rockies. Your evening is free to explore and enjoy dinner, on your own.

Day 3

Thursday, may 16, 2024
Arches/Moab

After enjoying breakfast, we depart and descend from the mighty Rockies today and enter into the red-rock country of the Colorado Plateau. Cross the border to Utah’s Canyon Country and take a scenic drive to Dead Horse Point State Park for a picnic lunch and one of the most spectacular scenes in the southwest. You will see the expanse of Canyonlands National Park stretching to the south and the mighty Colorado River 2,000 feet below. Then, you are off to nearby Arches National Park for sightseeing. The 18,000 square-foot visitors’ center will introduce you to the unique geologic forces that created the highest concentration of natural arches in the world with over 2,000 named arches within its 73,000-acre boundary.


Visit all the park highlights including Park Avenue, Balance Rock, The Windows and Delicate Arch View Point. In the late afternoon, join the group for a unique experience as you take a Jet Boat Ride on the mighty Colorado River through spectacular red rock canyons. As the sun dips in the west, the canyon colors come to life while you learn about the river’s ecosystem, geology and history. After a thrilling ride, enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner served on the banks of the Colorado River.

Day 4

Friday, may 17, 2024
Capitol Reef/
Bryce Canyon

After breakfast this morning, depart Moab and travel west through the San Rafael Swell. Then arrive at Capitol Reef National Park for sightseeing of ancient petroglyphs, beautiful rock formations, deep canyons and pioneer history followed by a wonderful picnic lunch under towering cottonwood trees. Next, enjoy a drive on one of America’s most spectacular roads. Scenic Highway 12 has been designated as an “All American Road,” the crown jewel of the Scenic Byways system. Drive up and over Boulder Mountain reaching altitudes over 9,000 feet with incredible views of Capitol Reef, the Circle Cliffs and the Henry Mountains. Stop in the town of Boulder for touring of Anasazi State Park with its ancient Indian ruins. Then travel through Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument, with vast expanses of cream and rose colored Navajo sandstone. There are dramatic cliffs, high mesas, beautiful streams and deep canyons in multi-hued colors across the 1.9 million acre monument. In the later afternoon, arrive at Bryce Canyon National Park for sightseeing. The hues and intricate shapes of Bryce Canyon carry even the most mature adult away into a fairyland fantasy. The Paiute Indians used a word to describe Bryce that translates into, “red rocks standing like men in a bowl-shaped canyon.” Mormon settler Ebenezer Bryce, for whom the canyon was named, described it as “a hell of a place to lose a cow.” Check into your hotel located just outside the park with the evening free for dinner on your own.

Day 5

Saturday, may 18, 2024
Zion/Kanab

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning, then return to Bryce Canyon National Park for a morning view. Then, take a short drive to see Utah’s oldest and most famous national park, Zion National Park. An early Mormon settler described the park’s massive formations as “temples built by hands, not of man.” The Paiutes believed mischievous spirits live among the 2,000-foot high towers and would not enter the canyon alone or remain there after dark. There will be time for lunch, on your own, and to explore Zion Canyon, a brilliant green canyon set against the backdrop of sheer red cliffs, with an occasional lacy waterfall fanning out from the rocks. The shuttle system will allow everyone to explore at their own pace. In the later afternoon, depart Zion for a short drive to


the small town of Kanab, also known as “Little Hollywood” due to the many movies and television shows filmed in the area. Your evening is free to explore and enjoy dinner on your own.

Day 6

Sunday, may 19. 2024
Grand Canyon/
Lake Powell

After breakfast, depart Kanab and travel across the Arizona Strip before climbing the beautiful Kaibab Plateau. Reaching elevations over 8,000 feet, the Kaibab was a favorite of Teddy Roosevelt and is home to a rich variety of wildlife including elk, deer, turkey and the unique white-tailed Kaibab Squirrel. Then, enter Grand Canyon National Park North Rim, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for sightseeing. This 1.2 million-acre national park hosts a vast variety of wildlife and scenic wonders. You will learn about the geology and history of the canyon while taking in its breathtaking beauty. The North Rim receives one tenth the number of visitors compared with the more developed South Rim and thus provides a much quieter and more natural Grand Canyon experience. You will also have time to enjoy lunch, on your own, with a view at Grand Canyon Lodge. In the afternoon, return north and stop along the

way at Jacob Lake Lodge, an old-fashioned family run lodge started in 1923, for a rest stop and a presentation on Navajo Arts & Crafts. In the later afternoon, arrive at Lake Powell National Recreation Area and enjoy a Scenic Cruise on Lake Powell. A combination of emerald waters, towering red rock cliffs and blue skies create a unique and breathtaking scene. Then, check into your lakeside hotel and enjoy the remainder of the evening free, on your own.

Day 7

Monday, may 20, 2024
Monument Valley / Canyon de Chelly

After enjoying your breakfast at the hotel this morning, depart for Monument Valley, a sacred place to the Navajo. Today, you’ll be immersed in the rich cultural heritage of the “Dineh” people.
Arrive at the historic Goulding’s Lodge to meet our Navajo Guide and board a 4-wheel drive vehicle for a scenic tour of Monument Valley, a location for scores of famous Western films, television programs and commercials.
As you travel through the valley and visit famous locations such as John Ford Point, Artist Point, and The Totem Pole, you’ll also learn more of the Navajo traditions and way of life. After an

amazing tour, enjoy an included lunch at Goulding’s Lodge where you can try a Navajo Taco or traditional Navajo stew.
This afternoon, continue across Navajo Country on your way to the small town of Chinle for a rim tour of Canyon De Chelly National Monument. Enjoy unobstructed views of a curving red rock canyon and magnificent giant monoliths, stoppn for photographs and viewing ruins. Your hotel is just outside the park and dinner will be on your own at the hotel this evening.

Day 8

Tuesday, may 21, 2024
Acoma/ Santa Fe
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning then depart Chinle and take a journey south with a stop at historic Hubble Trading Post in Ganado. Leave the Navajo Nation behind and enter the “Land of Echantment,” New Mexico, as you travel to Acoma Pueblo Sky City. There will be time for an included lunch at the culture center and to expore the Haaku Museum. Then, meet your local guide for a tour of the acient pueblo. Acoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths. Since 1150 A.D., Acoma Pueblo has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America. The mesa-top settlement is known worldwide for its unique art and rich culture.
This afernoon, travel across new Mexico passing through Albuquerque on your way to the fist stae capitol in the United States, “The Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis,” better known as Sante Fe. Founded in 1609, the city offers many historic, cultural and scenic delights. Enjoy the rest of the day, free to wander through the many fun shops, art galleries and restaurants surrounding the historic plaza.

Day 9

Wednesday, may 22, 2024
Santa Fe/
Oklahoma City

Depart Santa Fe after breakfast this morning as you begin your journey home. Retrace the path of Old Route 66 as you head east with a stop at Tucumcari, home to many of the iconic Route 66 sights such as the Blue Swallow Motel, Tee Pee Curios, and a shining monument to the Old Road. Departing Tucumcari, we continue on the iconic road with a picture stop at the famous Cadillac Ranch. Stop in Amarillo to explore the Historic Route 66 district and have lunch on your own. In the afternoon, continue east on Route 66 with a stop in Elk City for touring of the National Route 66 Museum. This evening, arrive in Oklahoma City and check into your hotel. Explore the Bricktown area and enjoy a dinner on your own.

Day 10

Thursday, may 23, 2024
Oklahoma City/ Springfield

After enjoying breakfast this morning, say goodbye to your tour director as you depart Oklahoma City and head to the new First Americans Museum. Here you’ll learn about the cultural diversity, history, and contributions of 39 distinctive First American Nations in Oklahoma in an innovative museum and culture center. After a wonderful visit to the First Americans Museum, we continue our journey home with picture stops at the Blue Whale of Catoosa and Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park, home of “The World’s Largest Concrete Totem Pole.” In Miami, Oklahoma, enjoy a guided tour of the Coleman Theatre. This iconic theatre is a piece of Oklahoma history. From the day it opened in 1929, this legendary theater has been entertaining audiences with impressive theatrical productions and structural beauty.

Day 11

Friday, may 24, 2024
Springfield/Home

After enjoying one last breakfast this morning with your fellow travelers, today we travel back to Iowa with rest and refresh breaks along the way, as needed, as well as a stop for lunch. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride home as you relive what an incredible journey you’ve had through the Canyonlands of the Southwest!