This Utah vacation package explores the wonders of southeast Utah's un-tamed landscapes from the ‘deep time’ lens of earth history and how the landscapes influenced Native Americans, early explorers, miners, outlaws and Mormons settlers
Reviews from Recent Runs
“The tour was just magic!” SM
“Some trips are memorable for the destinations. Others are memorable for the experiences. This tour was both!” KB
Southeastern Utah holds a wealth of fascinating geological and cultural stories. Join geologist Russell Davies 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 gateway 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 and visit early Mormon settlements along shady tree-lined streams.
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 hike across settings featured in countless Westerns.
We end our journey back in Grand Junction.
Activity Level: Easy. Walks are generally less than ¼ mile (½km), with the option of walks up to 2 miles (3km) on several days (view activity level definitions).
Transport: We will use a comfortable coach suited to the number of attendees.
Accommodation: We will be lodging in hotels with iconic views of red rocks, landscapes and rivers. See our list of hotels in the Need to Know tab.
Weather: Spring and Fall days in southern Utah are generally mild to warm, with cool nights. Rain, and even snow, is always possible.
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The group will meet mid-morning at a location in central Grand Junction for an overview of the tour and then depart for a 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.
Overnight in Torrey. Group dinner at Hunt & Gather, "One of the Best Restaurants In The State" (OnlyInYourState.com), featuring slow-cooked meals from local ingredients.
Visit Capitol Reef National Park, beginning with a stimulating walk to the spectacular Hickman Bridge, a large natural arch (1.5 miles / 3km, 400 foot / 120m elevation gain), seeing a Freemont pit house and granary ruin along the way. After a brief stop at the visitor center we will visit the old town of Fruita, view Fremont petroglyphs in the cliff faces along the Fremont River and have a picnic lunch. We then drive along Slickrock Drive to Capitol Gorge, absorbing the landscapes, geology and history of the park. Depending on the road conditions we may drive down to Capitol Gorge Trailhead and for a short hike into the narrow, impressive gorge (1 mile / 1.6km roundtrip, no elevation change) to view petroglyphs and see Register Rock with names of early explorers.
Return to Torrey for a group dinner. If the night is clear after dinner, return to the park for star gazing. The park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park.
Overnight in Torrey. Free evening for dinner.
Leave our 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.
Overnight in Bluff. Group dinner outdoors with views of the red rocks.
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 drive to Gooseneck State Park for spectacular views of the meanders in the San Juan River, and then on to the Navajo Tribal Park in Monument Valley, known for its rock spires as backdrops to westerns, for a tour from a Navajo guide.
Dinner at the View Restaurant in Monument Valley.
Overnight in Bluff.
We begin with a stop at a renowned site of petroglyphs along the San Juan River and then head to Blanding and the Edge of the Cedars Museum, adjacent to rebuilt ruins and kivas. Our visit will include a back-room tour to see many artifacts not normally on display.
We then 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.
Overnight in Moab. Free evening for dinner.
Breakfast in the hotel and early departure for Arches National Park.
Morning and picnic lunch 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 expert 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. Our visit will include a short walk to the Delicate Arch viewing point (1/2 mile / .8km). The park has become increasing crowded and some adjustments may need to be made for scheduling based on park service admittance.
Drive north to Dead Horse Point State Park, with dramatic views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. Depending on time, stops to see classic Fremont Petroglyphs along the river or dinosaur tracks.
Overnight in Moab. Final group dinner.
Leisurely morning at the hotel to enjoy the sunrise along the cliff faces and the peaceful views of the river. For early risers, 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.
Tour ends, participants can be delivered to a downtown hotel to continue their exploration of the American West or to the Grand Junction airport.
Note: this provisional itinerary is subject to change as specific locations and accommodations release more information regarding access for 2024.
Supplement for single occupancy of a double room is £685 / $855
The activity level is rated as MODERATE, requiring an average level of fitness (view activity level definitions). Most stops will require walks of less than ¼ mile (1/2km), but days 2, 3 and 5 will include walks of up to 1 ½ miles (2km) with modest elevation gains (up to 400 ft / 120m). Some walks will take place on irregular surfaces, so sturdy footwear is required. The activity level will be described at each stop and participants can decide whether to participate.
Spring and Fall days are generally mild to warm (18–28°C/65–82°F) with cool nights (10–18°C/50–65°F). However, changeable conditions should be anticipated, with rain or snow possible, and a wind- and waterproof jacket is recommended. Tour elevations are between 4000–6000 ft (1200–1800 m).
Transport will be in a comfortable vehicle suited to the number of attendees.
Nights 1 and 2: Capitol Reef Resort, Torrey, Utah
Located at the doorstep of Capitol Reef National Park, with stunning sightseeing and gorgeous mountain views.
Nights 3 and 4: Bluff Dwelling Resort and Spa, Bluff, Utah
Bluff’s newest hotel is nestled among the majesty and solitude of hundred-million-year-old sandstone cliffs, where history whispers ancient legends from ancestral Puebloan-inspired dwellings.
Nights 5 and 6: Fairfield Inn, Moab, Utah
This newly-renovated property is the closest hotel to Arches National Park. Its comfortable rooms offer dramatic views of the park and of the Colorado River.
Note: If required for reasons beyond our control, GeoCultura reserves the right to substitute alternate accommodations. All attempts will be made to substitute hotels of equal quality.
Deposit: A deposit of 10% of the tour price is due upon registration for a tour.
Final payment: Full payment is due 60 days before a tour begins, or upon registration if within the 60-day window.
Cancellation by participant: A participant may cancel a registration after securing a confirmed place on a tour for any reason. The following refund terms will apply:
Cancellation by GeoCultura: GeoCultura reserves the right to cancel any tour due to low enrolment, inability to run the tour or concerns about the safety, health or welfare of participants. If a tour is cancelled before it begins, all monies paid will be refunded (including any deposit).
Please refer to our Terms and Conditions page for additional details.
Russell Davies splits his time between homes in Dallas, Texas, and Grand Junction, Colorado. He developed an interest in the rocks around Moab, Utah, over 30 years ago and has been leading geological field trips to the area ever since.
Russell is employed as a global geological advisor to the oil and gas as well as alternative energy sectors. He works on consulting projects for a range clients, teaches and has published papers on the structural geology of areas around the globe, including on the deformation of rocks across the Colorado Plateau.
He finds time each year to explore the high desert plateau and deep canyons of SE Utah, searching for ruins, rock art and new hiking trails and unraveling geological mysteries, making geology more of an avocation than a vocation. In his spare time he reads, hikes, bakes bread, rock crawls in a jeep and spends time with family.
The town of Grand Junction, a good place to begin exploring Colorado National Monument, the Grand Mesa and points beyond.
A room with a view, Capitol Reef Resort (Source: Capitol Reef Resort).
The trail to Hickman Bridge offers hikers an easy, spectacularly scenic trek up to this large natural arch.
The Hite Crossing Bridge over the Colorado River informally marks the upstream limit of Lake Powell.
John Ford’s Point, featured in many of his movies, overlooks a vast expanse of Monument Valley’s desert and sky.
A view of Castle Valley near Moab from La Sal Mountain.
House of Fire, named for its color under certain light, is an Anasazi cliff house near Blanding, Utah.
Iconic colors along the banks of the Colorado River.