Best of Utah Basecamp
St. George, UT
5.0 (19 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Hike Zion & Bryce
- Explore Grand Staircase
- Waterfalls & Slot Canyons
- Stunning Views
- Comfortable Camping
- Canyon Country Solitude
- Arches, Spires, Oases & Natural Bridges
- Delicious Outdoor Cuisine
Description
See the best of Zion, Bryce and Escalante, Utah’s most celebrated national park destinations, on our 6-day basecamp hiking tour! Our daily hikes will take you to the must-see highlights of these breathtaking parks. Experience Utah’s spring-fed creeks, deep canyons, diversity of colors, and its array of sandstone sculptures – spires, arches, and towers. In the evenings you can relax, enjoy our fantastic outdoor cuisine, and have access to showers in beautiful, comfortable basecamps!
This trip begins with hikes in Zion and Bryce, and is capped off with our hikes in the amazing Grand Staircase-Escalante. Our first stop is at Zion National Park, where you’ll experience two days of desert rivers, box canyons, ominous towers, and 8 layers of sandstone carved away by millions of years of intense weather. Then it’s on to Bryce Canyon National Park, where we’ll spend a day exploring its famous “hoodoos” (rock spires) and incredible diversity. And finally we end up in Escalante, where for 2 days we’ll explore hidden canyons, oases, arches, and waterfalls in one of Utah’s – and even America’s – best kept secrets.
$1890 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 10 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 2-10 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 2000 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 2000 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Mix of maintained and unmaintained
- Additional:
- In Zion and Bryce the trails are very well maintained. Our hike up the Virgin River Narrows is in the water on slippery rocks. In the Grand Staircase-Escalante the trails are rocky and sandy.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain taking occasional breaks
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Utah basecamp tour a Level 2 for solitude. In Zion and Bryce we’ll be around other hikers much of the time. In the Grand Staircase-Escalante you can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a time.
TRAVEL TO ST. GEORGE
This Utah trip originates in St. George, Utah where you’ll meet your guide and group. St. George has a small airport served by Delta Connection and United Express. From the St. George Airport one can take a taxi into town or some hotels offer a complimentary airport shuttle. The more popular method of travel though is to fly into Las Vegas, NV and take a shuttle (www.stgshuttle.com) to St. George. This is often your cheapest option. It is a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas to St. George on good roads.
UTAH SALES TAX
Utah is the only state we are based in that charges sales tax to outfitters and guides. The sales tax is based on the St. George, UT municipality rates, which are adjusted occasionally but are in the 6-7% range. For all of our hiking and backpacking tours that originate from our St. George, Utah base (Utah trips and Death Valley trips), the sales tax will be applied automatically to your payments. Feel free to call us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions!
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4-5 People: Rate x 1.2
- 6-8 People: Rate x 1.1
- 9-12 People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsItinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to trailhead: 1.5-hour drive from St. George, Utah
- Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Campground: Zion Ponderosa Ranch or Watchman Campground
This Utah hiking tour starts in St. George, Utah where we make our way to Zion National Park. We’ll drive directly to the first day’s hike. Starting at the Temple of Sinawava, we’ll hike up the Riverside Walk trail and then continue hiking right up the river to see some of the best “narrows” sections of the North Fork of the Virgin River. We’ll come prepared to get wet, as the hike up the Narrows is entirely in the water. Your afternoon will be filled with towering walls, crystal clear spring water, brilliant red sandstone and rocks polished over tens of thousands of years.
After our hike we’ll set up camp and settle down for a great dinner, a possible evening walk and a good night’s sleep.
Please note: in the event of high water, the Virgin River Narrows hike will be rerouted to a different trail in Zion. The Park is full of unforgettable hiking and scenery, so it’s easy to find an excellent substitute.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
- Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
- Campground: Zion Ponderosa Ranch or Watchman Campground
Day 2 features a hike you’ll never forget! We’ll hike up a mountainside to one of the best viewpoints offered in Zion. This challenging, thrilling trek is complete with fantastic drop offs and awe-inspiring scenery looking down into Zion Canyon. Our route – on a maintained trail – switchbacks its way up through red Navajo sandstone before cutting into Echo Canyon, a picturesque gorge filled with sandstone pockets. Beyond Echo Canyon the walls drop sharply, allowing truly breathtaking views. Finally at the top, looking down into Zion Canyon at a spectacular scene of stone sculptures contrasted by blue skies, you’ll likely feel that your hard work has never been rewarded this richly!
Day 3
- Shuttle to Bryce NP: 3-hour drive from Zion
- Hiking Mileage: 5.5 miles
- Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
- Campground: Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
On Day 3 we’ll break camp and make our way to the Escalante country, visiting Bryce Canyon National Park en route. We’ll enjoy one of the lesser-hiked trails in Bryce, but one that offers some of the most impressive scenery in the Park. We’ll be in the northern part of Bryce, where we’ll enjoy superb vistas of Boat Mesa, the Sinking Ship formation, Tower Bridge, China Wall, Fairyland Canyon and other amazing rock structures.
After our hike we’ll continue to our Escalante Camp for a tasty dinner and night of rest and recuperation.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Campground: Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Our first hike in the Escalante country will take us to the spectacular Calf Creek Falls. This is a beautiful hike along a flat, sandy canyon bottom. We’ll pass indian ruins and pictographs, and have a good chance of seeing some wildlife. At the end of the trail we can take a swim (if you’re hearty – this water is surprisingly cold) below the 128-foot falls. We’ll eat lunch at the falls, and then have the opportunity to visit the town of Boulder, UT where we can make an optional visit to Anasazi State Park. This site was home to one of the largest Anasazi communities west of the Colorado River. Once done at Anasazi State Park, we’ll drive back to our basecamp and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Day 5
- Hiking Mileage: 7-10 miles
- Difficulty: moderate
- Campground: Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
This day takes through one of the most physically fun hikes in all of southern Utah. Driving down historic Hole-in-the-Rock Road, we’ll hike out to the exciting and fun Spooky and Peek-a-Boo Canyons. Spooky is aptly named as it’s a dark, narrow slot that requires lots of sideways walking with your daypack in your hand. Peek-a-Boo is also brilliant but quite different; it’s filled with interconnected potholes, arches, and grottos. Along our drive back, we’ll take the opportunity to visit the incredible Devil’s Garden. This is a great spot for young and old alike as it’s a fairyland of small knobs, arches, and other eroded landforms.
Day 6
- Hiking Mileage: 2.2 miles
- Difficulty: moderate
- Shuttle Time: 4.5 hours
On our last morning we’ll eat breakfast, breakdown camp, and head west toward the starting point of our trip, St. George, Utah. But the trip isn’t over yet! We’ll stop at Bryce Canyon National Park for a second time to enjoy another classic hike through its famous hoodoos and specacular vistas. Our hike, the Navajo Loop, takes us down from the rim, through the stunning corridors of Wall Street and past the Silent City, before bringing us back to the rim of the amphitheatre. We’ll enjoy lunch on the rim, gazing into the maze of Wall Street and contemplating our incredible week. After lunch we’ll load up and head back to St. George, where we’ll say our goodbyes and start scheming about our next adventure!
Snow Canyon Add-On Hike
Extend your adventure with a day hike in the amazing “Miniature Zion Canyon” – Snow Canyon State Park! Click here to learn more.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and day pack
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- A professional, knowledgeable, certified Utah hiking guide
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in St. George, Utah
- National park entrance fees
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the outdoors – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware sleeping bags
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki or Black Diamond trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
What Gear to Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter water bottles per person and either a headlamp or flashlight per person. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
You will rendezvous with the guide and group in St. George, Utah for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. Your guide will be in contact approximately 2 weeks before your trip starts to specify the orientation location, and we are more than happy to pick you up if the meeting if you are staying at one of our recommended hotels but the orientation is taking place elsewhere. The guide will then pick you up at your hotel the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Utah Tours your guide can meet you at your hotel in St. George or Cedar City, Utah at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Group Size and Age Restrictions
The standard group size on this hiking tour is 6 guests and 1 guide, with a maximum of 10 guests and 2 guides. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Age restrictions are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in The Southern Utah
Weather in Southern Utah
Southern Utah is a high desert. The weather is very moderate: occasional dustings of snow in the winter that melt rapidly, and summer temperatures in the low 90s (°F) that often cool down with thunderstorms. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). The ideal time to be in the Canyon Country is Spring and Fall. Read below for average high and low temperatures in Utah’s Canyon Country:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | |||
|
Month
|
High
|
Low
|
|
|
Dec-Feb
|
43°
|
18°
|
|
|
March
|
55°
|
27°
|
|
|
April
|
64°
|
33°
|
|
|
May
|
73°
|
40°
|
|
|
Jun-Aug
|
88°
|
55°
|
|
|
September
|
79°
|
45°
|
|
|
October
|
67°
|
35°
|
|
|
November
|
53°
|
25°
|
|
Accommodations
Premier Campgrounds
5 NIGHTS
On our signature camping tours we hand pick wonderful campgrounds that put us right in the action for exceptional hiking and camping vacations. They may be national park, state park, or private campgrounds. They may vary by trip date depending on availability and seasonality.
Fantastic Meals
17 MEALS
Basecamp trips include meals for the duration of the tours beginning with breakfast the first day through lunch the final day. Meals are prepared by your guide(s) using fresh ingredients, exclusive Wildland recipes, and we adhere to all department of health outdoor cooking codes.
Comfortable Camping
CAMPING AMENITIES
What amenities do basecamp tours include? Cold and hot drinks, campfires (where/when allowed), camp chairs, access to showers, fresh food, roomy tents, comfortable sleeping pads, comfy sleeping bags, camp pillows and more! Camp comfortably, eat like royalty, and hike til your heart’s content!
Trip Reviews
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- LOW - HIGH
- HIGH - LOW
Brandon L.
Organized and Knowledgeable Guide
Our guide was really organized and knowledgeable about the area. He knows a lot about the ecosystem and history of the area as well as gave great hiking tips and tricks. He catered to all of our groups needs and is very interesting to talk with. The food and cooking was excellent! Our group was incredibly fun and athletic. We all went in as strangers and came out as great friends. I was really impressed with this basecamp setup and will be looking into another to do in the near future.
Chelsea E.
The Most Incredible Experience!
The most incredible experience! Brit and Bob were absolutely amazing, no complaints at all.
Peter S.
Top-notch Guides
Our guides Ruthie and Kelsi were top-notch. I really can't say anything negative about them as they provided me with a birthday cake, a unicorn one at that. And as Kelsi said if anyone asked what was my best birthday, I can say that it was in the desert and there was a unicorn...
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