Family Canyons Adventure (8 Days) 

     We’ll meet in St. George, Utah, on the outskirts of Zion National Park. (D)

     Bryce Canyon is an especially fun place for kids. Exploring the hoodoos is like wandering through a giant maze. Our journey into the otherworldly mystique of Bryce Canyon National Park reveals natural amphitheaters, rock spires, and giant sandstone monoliths. Narrow canyon walls reach 200 feet in height, and countless rows of colorful hoodoos (sandstone spires rising hundreds of feet in the air that were carved by millions of years of erosion) cast shadows. Our accommodations are at the historic Bryce Canyon Lodge, one of the few accommodations located within the park itself. Set amid ponderosa pines and perched along the rim of the canyon, the hotel is a member of the National Historic Register. It has been restored to its original 1920’s splendor, right down to the replicas of the lodge’s original hickory furniture. (B, L, D)

     Zion National Park is a wonderful outdoor classroom, featuring stunning scenery, sandstone cliffs that are among the world’s highest, diverse plant and animal life, and ancestral Puebloan, Paiute, and Mormon pioneer history. Multicolored canyons and sheer red-and-white sandstone cliffs reach upward 2,500 feet into the desert sky. Explore the banks of the Virgin River and marvel at the sandstone domes, each carefully carved by water over millions of years. We’ll wander the trails as birdlife unique to the American West presents itself. We may encounter the haunting cries of canyon wrens, golden eagles and prairie falcons, as well as find American dippers and black and Say’s phoebes along the willow-fringed river. At Flanigan’s Inn, we’ll relax in comfort and reflect on the day as night falls on one of nature’s most beautiful creations. Storytelling by campfire provides us with an opportunity to learn about the early inhabitants of this area. (B, L, D)

     No trip to the American West would be complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon. In order to avoid the crowds, we’ll travel to the less-visited North Rim of the canyon. After absorbing the views, we’ll walk or hike to Bright Angel Point or Roaring Springs. As we explore this ancient sea floor, we’ll search for fossils and learn about dinosaurs and other ancient creatures that once roamed the Earth. We’ll stay at the wonderfully situated Grand Canyon Lodge. Its limestone walls and timbered ceilings complement the North Rim’s rustic beauty. For those who are interested, there is an optional mule ride into the canyon (minimum age is 10). (B, L, D)

     Today we’ll bid farewell to the canyons of the American West. We’ll arrive back in St. George in time for our afternoon flight home (1:30 p.m. or later). (B)