Exploring the Grand Canyon's North & South Rims With Your Family

Program Registration: Anytime between 4:30 – 5:15 p.m., come over to the Road Scholar desk, located in a hotel meeting room, to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.

At the hotel, we’ll have plated meals.

Orientation: 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. Transportation will be provided by a combination of passenger vans and motorcoach, unless otherwise noted. Some activities en route will require family members to work together. This is a Road Scholar Family program. Adults are responsible for their children. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Children are never to be left unsupervised. 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. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

Once checked out of the hotel, we’ll transfer to Sedona and see how the Arizona landscape changes as we travel from the Sonoran desert, with its famous saguaro cactus, up to the high elevations of the Colorado Plateau region. Our Group Leader naturalist will point out the differences in plants and geography as we travel. Upon arrival in Sedona, we’ll climb into our 4x4 vehicles by drivers who are also well-versed in the geology, flora, fauna, and pre-historic details of the region, then head off on our open-air 4x4 adventure to an off-the-beaten-path location in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. 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. There will be some short walks from our vehicles as we visit viewpoints, historic attractions, or archaeological sites.

At a Sedona restaurant, we’ll choose plated meals from a menu of entrees with kid-friendly selections available.

We’ll then travel through scenic Oak Creek Canyon on our way to the Grand Canyon, traveling through the San Francisco Volcanic Field and past Arizona’s highest point, Humphreys Peak, which reaches an elevation of 12,633 feet. The afternoon will find us arriving at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and the brink of the world-famous chasm. After taking in our first view of the canyon, we’ll check in to our hotel. If you've never experienced it before, get ready for a thrill! Through activities together over the next few days, our expert leader will help us to experience and understand this natural wonder. Can you see the North Rim Lodge from the South Rim? See if you can find it! We'll be standing there in a few days, over a thousand feet higher in elevation, looking back towards the South Rim.

At the lodge dining hall.

Depending on sunset time, we’ll rendezvous either before or after dinner and drive to Mather Point for a Grand Canyon sunset! Mather Point will offer late evening shadows, golden light bringing out the different colors of the canyon's many rock layers, and sweeping rim views. Following the sunset, we’ll head back to our lodging. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure.

At the lodge dining hall.

After boarding our motor coach, we will drive to the Grand Canyon airport outside the park to weigh in and then board a 19-passenger, fixed-wing aircraft for a thrilling flight over the Grand Canyon. The size of the canyon is immense and, while hiking into the canyon and standing upon its rims gives great perspective, the view from high above the canyon are truly amazing. Upon returning to the park after the flight, we’ll set out for a walking field trip through the historic Grand Canyon Village with our Group Leader naturalist. During our walk along the rim, we’ll learn about the formation of this natural wonder and its "layer cake of stone," as well as see famous Grand Canyon Village landmarks including Kolb Studio, Bright Angel Lodge, Lookout Studio, Hopi House, and the El Tovar Hotel, one of the great historic lodges in the National Park system. A discussion on free time options and activities for the upcoming afternoon will be included.

At one of the lodge restaurants in Grand Canyon Village.

After lunch, the remainder of the afternoon is free for independent exploration the South Rim. Using the park pocket guide and map, choose from a variety of activities and viewpoints. The historic Grand Canyon Village, walks along the Rim Trail, the Hermit Road shuttle to various viewpoints, Yavapai Point and Geology Museum, and bicycle rentals are all popular activities. The free park shuttle system allows anyone to access various points on the South Rim. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. There are a number of dining venues to choose from in the park. If you are interested in dining at the famous El Tovar Hotel, please note that advance reservations are required for both lunch and dinner. These reservations are best made as far in advance as possible (up to one month before). Call 928-638-2631 and ask for the El Tovar dining room, or visit https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/dine/el-tovar-dining-room-and-lounge/.

Participate in an optional evening Ranger program or choose to rest for the next day's adventure. Note that Ranger evening programs may not always be available - please consult current park program schedules or ask your Group Leader about what programs the park is currently offering. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the lodge dining hall.

Once checked out of the lodge, we’ll begin an epic day by loading the vehicles and continuing our journey along the Grand Canyon's Desert View Drive. Upon arrival at Desert View near the park's east entrance, our Group Leader will lead us to the rim where we’ll marvel at amazing canyon views, including some of the best vistas of the Colorado River. We'll also have the opportunity to climb the famous Desert View Watchtower designed by Fred Harvey architect Mary Colter. Climb the Watchtower on your own – can you find the petroglyphs adorning some of the rocks built into the tower? Next, we’ll exit the park and enter the western edge of the Navajo Reservation, traveling through the Painted Desert en route to Lee's Ferry and the Colorado River.

During our rafting trip, we’ll enjoy sack lunches with sandwiches, fruit, chips and a cookie.

After meeting our river guides, we’ll have a safety orientation, then board our rafts and head upriver through picturesque Glen Canyon and around the famous Horseshoe Bend of the Colorado River. We’ll then land just above Horseshoe Bend at Petroglyph Beach, where we can take a short walk to see amazing petroglyphs, estimated to be approximately 1,000 years old. We may even catch sight of a chuckwalla lizard sunning itself nearby. Before reboarding the rafts for our spectacular trip back downriver, we may wish to jump into the chilly waters of the Colorado River! As we float back downstream watching the walls of the Canyon rise above us, we’ll look for fly fishermen casting for rainbow trout. The water is so clear, we may see them swimming! Keep watch for golden eagles, California condors (North America's largest flying bird), hawks, ospreys, herons, and turkey vultures. After rounding Horseshoe Bend a second time, we’ll wind up back at Lee's Ferry, where the Grand Canyon officially begins. As we finish up our journey, we may see other boatmen readying their rafts for their exciting trips through the Grand Canyon and its many rapids. After arriving back at Lee's Ferry, we'll board our bus for the drive to Page, AZ, where we'll check in to our hotel.

At the hotel, we will enjoy a plated meal.

We’ll then gather for a secret "Kids Only" activity led by our Group Leaders! Shhhhh! While the kids are engaged, the adults may wish to relax by the pool or engage in purely adult conversation.

Hotel buffet.

Get ready for another fun and adventurous day! We start our day with an excursion to Horseshoe Bend Overlook (4 mile drive from our hotel). This iconic 1.5 mile round-trip hike follows an easy dirt path over a small hill to the edge of a 1,000-foot cliff looking down on an amazing 270° bend in the Colorado River. In fact, you were at the bottom of this very cliff, rafting through Horseshoe Bend on the river, just the day before! Photos from this world famous view are one of a kind. Following our early morning hike to Horseshoe Bend, we will load the bus and depart for the North Rim of Grand Canyon. Along the journey, we will once again cross Navajo Bridge over Marble Canyon and the Colorado River, then travel along the base of the colorful Vermilion Cliffs before rising up into the cool, verdant forests of the Kaibab Plateau. After a pit stop at the historic Jacob Lake Lodge to stretch our legs, we will continue our drive across the Kaibab Plateau through forests of Ponderosa pine, spruce, fir, and quaking aspen, as well as many open grassy meadows—more reminiscent of Montana than Arizona. As we travel, we will climb to over 9,000 feet in elevation and may see the unique Kaibab squirrel, wild turkey, deer, and bison.

Depending on timing, we'll enjoy sack lunches at either Jacob Lake or after our arrival at the North Rim.

After lunch, we will set out for a short hike on the Transept Trail led by our Group Leader naturalist. As we travel along the rim, we’ll enjoy views down into and across Grand Canyon, marveling at the many differences between it and the South Rim. We’ll even see remnants of where early peoples lived on the rim and talk about their way of life. Alternatively, those who would rather not hike may wish to attend a ranger program or enjoy a relaxing afternoon taking in the views of the canyon from the veranda at Grand Canyon Lodge. After our hike along the rim, we have one more highlight before checking into our rooms! Easily reached via a half mile paved walkway, Bright Angel Point has spur paths where visitors can enjoy sweeping views of Bright Angel Canyon far below, various peaks and buttes of the North Rim, the South Rim 10 miles across the canyon, and the San Francisco Peaks far to the south. This is an awe-inspiring viewpoint of the North Rim and not to be missed. We will then check into our historic cabins in the late afternoon.

Plated meals at Grand Canyon Lodge.

After dinner, you may wish to attend a presentation given by a National Park Service Ranger in the lodge auditorium (dependent on park scheduling - may not always be available). The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. With an adult, you may wish to visit some of the amazing viewpoints below the lodge. If the sky is clear, you may want to look at the stars and planets from the lodge veranda after darkness falls. Be sure to have a flashlight, as the night skies at Grand Canyon are very dark. Can you see the Milky Way? Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Lodge buffet.

After breakfast, we’ll check out of the hotel and begin our transfer back from the Grand Canyon to Phoenix, with a stop at the historic Navajo Bridge. During our stop at the Navajo Bridge, we’ll walk across it to marvel at the 500-foot chasm and the waters of the Colorado River below. Led by our Group Leader, we’ll keep an eye out for California condors sunning themselves or perching under the newer adjacent bridge, and we may even spot fishermen down below, giving us a real sense of the immensity of the canyon. Returning to our vehicles, we’ll continue to the historic 1916 Cameron Trading Post, where we can see Native American arts and crafts, as well as some ancient dinosaur tracks!

At the Cameron Trading Post, we’ll have plated meals featuring standard lunch menu selections as well as their famous "Navajo Taco" – a light, crispy fry bread loaded with traditional taco toppings. It's a memorable experience!

After lunch in Cameron, we’ll travel to Flagstaff, through the Verde Valley, and onward to our Phoenix hotel.

Hotel plated meal.

We’ll then gather for a program wrap-up session with our Group Leaders, including reflections and farewells to new friends of all ages from across the country. It will be a great time to share our memories of the week spent together exploring the Grand Canyon region. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

Hotel buffet. 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!