Best of Utah Inn-Based

• Shuttle to trailhead: 1.5-hour drive from St. George, Utah
• Hiking Mileage: 5 miles
• Difficulty: easy to moderate
• Accommodations: Zion Mountain Ranch or Cliffrose Lodge

This Inn-based hiking tour of Zion, Bryce, and Grand Staircase-Escalante begins in St. George, Utah where we make our way directly to Zion National Park. After arriving in Zion we’ll make our way to the first day’s hike. Starting at the Temple of Sinawava, we’ll hike up the Riverside Walk trail and then continue hiking 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 the towering walls of Zion, crystal clear spring water, brilliant red sandstone and rocks polished over tens of thousands of years. After our hike we’ll check-in to our cabins at Zion Mountain Ranch and settle down for a great dinner, a possible evening hike 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.

• Hiking Mileage: 8 miles
• Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
• Accommodations: Zion Mountain Ranch or Cliffrose Lodge

Day 2 features a hike you’ll never forget! We’ll make our way 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!

Important Note: due to rock fall damage and temporary consequential trail closure, for the foreseeeable future the hike of Observation Point (described above) will be rerouted to a combination of Scouts Lookout and the Watchman. These alternate hikes provide comparable elevation gain and distance, and incredible views of both the upper and lower Zion Canyon.

• Shuttle to Bryce NP: 3-hour drive from Zion
• Hiking Mileage: 5.5 miles
• Difficulty: moderate to strenuous
• Accommodations: Slot Canyons Inn Bed and Breakfast

On Day 3 we’ll make our way to the Escalante country, visiting Bryce Canyon National Park en route. We’ll hike one of the lesser-traveled 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 enjoy a restaurant dinner near Bryce and then make our way to the stunning destination for our final 3 days – Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

• Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
• Difficulty: easy to moderate
• Accommodations: Slot Canyons Inn Bed and Breakfast

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 lodge to clean up and then enjoy a delicious Canyon Country dinner.

• Hiking Mileage: 7-10 miles
• Difficulty: moderate
• Accommodations: Slot Canyons Inn Bed and Breakfast

This day takes us down the historic Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the Devil’s Garden National Recreation Area. This is a great spot for young and old alike as it’s a fairyland of small knobs, arches, and other eroded landforms. After lunch we’ll continue 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 hiking with your daypack in your hand. Peek-a-Boo is also brilliant but quite different; it’s filled with interconnected potholes, arches, and grottos.

• Hiking Mileage: 2.2 miles
• Difficulty: moderate
• Shuttle Time: 4.5 hours

On our last morning we’ll eat breakfast, check out of the lodge, 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!

Extend your adventure with a day hike in the amazing “Miniature Zion Canyon” – Snow Canyon State Park! Click here to learn more.