On the Road: Sedona's Red Rock Country and the Grand Canyon

4:30-5:15 p.m. Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in the hotel conference room to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. All field trips will be led by our Group Leader unless specified otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

In our hotel conference room we will have a meal with a choice of a non-alcoholic drink. Alcoholic beverages will be available at the hotel bar.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Hotel Continental Breakfast with Coffee and Tea.

We’ll be joined at the hotel by a geologist for a presentation on the geologic story of Sedona, Grand Canyon and the surrounding area.

Catered meal at the hotel.

Setting out for a riding exploration of Sedona with our Group Leader. We will see some of the town’s most beloved sites. During our exploration, we will learn about the history, geology, climate, flora, and fauna of the area. As we explore, we will have photo opportunities at some scenic vistas.

Catered meal at the hotel.

In the evening we will be joined by a local expert for a presentation on a topic of local interest.

Hotel Continental Breakfast with Coffee and Tea.

We will travel with our Group Leader for a field trip to Montezuma Castle National Monument. This 5-story, 20-room cliff dwelling is nestled in a limestone recess high above the flood plain of Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley. It is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America, constructed approximately 600 years ago by the Sinagua Indians. While here, we will observe the ruins from below and take note of Wet Beaver Creek’s unique ecosystem as we walk the paved loop trail. Then, we will depart for the Verde Valley Archeology Center and Museum as we accompany a docent to learn about the incredible and diverse accomplishments of the people who inhabited the Sedona/Verde Valley area for over 12,000 years.

Plated meal at a near by restaurant.

Enjoy a 4X4 "Pink Jeep" adventure in the beauty of Sedona's Red Rocks Wilderness. Drivers who are well-versed in the geology, flora, fauna and pre-historic details of the region will guide you on this truly exceptional experience. Expect some sections of road where there may be jostling in the vehicle as the driver navigates dirt roads, sandy washes, and/or slick rock. Vehicles are very comfortable, seat up to 7 people, and have grab bars to hold on to with every seat. We will go on some short walks with our drivers away from the jeeps as we visit viewpoints and they provide informative commentary on the area’s ancient, modern, cultural, and natural history.

Plated meal at a nearby Mexican Restaurant.

At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel Continental Breakfast with Coffee and Tea.

Once checked out of the hotel, we will transfer to the Grand Canyon via scenic Oak Creek Canyon and Flagstaff. As we travel, we will marvel at the change of life zones and scenery as we move from the Sonora Desert Colorado Plateau. Continuing, we’ll make our way past the San Francisco Peaks Volcanic Field and the site of Arizona’s highest point – Humphreys Peak – reaching an elevation of 12,633 feet. As we drive, our Group Leader will provide commentary on the regional geography and natural history. Having arrived at the South Rim, we will see Grand Canyon Village. Many of the impressive structures in the historic village were designed by Mary Jane Colter, a renowned architect and designer for the Fred Harvey Company and Santa Fe Railroad. We may even see an endangered California condor soaring overhead as we gaze into the Canyon's depths.

Along the Grand Canyon’s rim, we will have sack lunches including a sandwich, chips, and fruit.

We will then stop at a few more amazing viewpoints, have the opportunity to walk along the rim, and visit Grand Canyon Village all led by a local expert. Highlights of the village include the Kolb Studio where the Kolb brothers took photos of mule riders into the canyon. The buildings of Santa Fe Railroad and Fred Harvey, and architect and designer Mary Jane Colter’s work including the Bright Angel Lodge, Lookout Studio, and the Hopi House. At the east end of the Village, we will visit the El Tovar Hotel, built in 1903 and one of the great hotels in the National Parks. From the village, we will be able to see the North Rim and various spires and monuments rising from the canyon floor. We will also have time to explore rim trails and admire canyon vistas. Keep your eyes out for the endangered California condor soaring overhead as you gaze into the Canyon's depths below. Next, we will transfer to our lodge on the south rim and check-in.

Cafeteria style meal served at the Yavapai Lodge restaurant.

At leisure.

At the lodge dinning facility, we will have a cafeteria style meal featuring choices such as an egg dish, breakfast meats, cereals, and fresh fruit, plus milk, juice, coffee, tea, water.

In the morning we will check out of the lodge and head to breakfast. Then, it is time to continue our Grand Canyon learning adventure with time for a walk along the canyon’s rim with our Group Leader as they discuss geology as well as natural and human history. Following you will have time to explore independently. The National Park Service includes a free shuttle along the West Rim Drive to Hermit's Rest with access to numerous scenic viewpoints (Powell, Hopi, Mohave, and Maricopa points to name a few) with sweeping views of the canyon and the Colorado River. You might also like to go for a rim walk, hike further into the Canyon, attend an NPS ranger program, or just find a quiet spot to contemplate and gaze out at the Grand Canyon, taking in all of its grandeur.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like from a variety of venues on the South Rim. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

After rendezvousing at a predetermined time and place, we will board the vans and transfer from Grand Canyon National Park to our accommodation along a historic stretch of the famous Route 66. En route, we will keep a look out for Burma Shave signs, enjoy wide open views, and drive through a classic site of Route 66 nostalgia – Seligman – with its focus on American road touring in the 1950s. Seligman is the town which Radiator Springs, from the Pixar movie “Cars,” was based on. In late afternoon, we will arrive at our accommodation and have access to the more remote and wild western end of the Grand Canyon.

At the hotel restaurant, we will enjoy a dinner featuring a salad bar and home-cooked entrees. Coffee, iced tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

In the hotel meeting room, we will hear a presentation given by a local expert about the natural and biological environment of Arizona. Exact topics are dependent on availability of presenters who travel long distances to reach the hotel.

At the lodge, we will have breakfast featuring a variety of hot and cold choices, plus milk, juice, coffee, tea, water.

We will transfer from the hotel to Peach Springs Canyon via vans on the bumpy Diamond Creek Road to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. This is the only drivable road to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, so expect adventure! Along our journey, we will stop at various points of interest while the walls rise higher and higher as we come closer to the Colorado River. We will pass through hundreds of millions of years of geologic history that has culminated in the arrival to the 1.8 billion year old rock that makes up the Granite Gorge. Among our highlights will be a self-led walk along Diamond Creek down to the Colorado River. Alternatively, those who require it can continue to the picnic site via van where we will rendezvous with the walkers for lunch.

On the banks of the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, we will enjoy sack lunches amidst remarkable scenery.

Our field trip at the bottom of the Grand Canyon will continue with a viewing of Diamond Creek Rapids as we look for desert bighorn sheep and watch for river runners in their rafts passing by us on the Colorado River. Our Group Leader will share some of the interesting history, facts and management issues regarding the Colorado River with us as we relax on the beach. We will return to the hotel in the late afternoon.

At the hotel restaurant, we will enjoy a tasty plated meal for our farewell dinner in the company of our fellow participants.

With our Group Leader, we will gather in the hotel meeting room for a program wrap-up and reflect on our experiences. Share some of your favorite memories from the program with new Road Scholar friends. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

Early morning Lodge breakfast.

Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll load our vans and transfer back to the starting hotel in Sedona. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!