Golden Cathedral
United States
5.0 (4 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Sinuous Canyons
- Amazing Golden Cathedral
- Lush Desert Oases
- Amazing Native American History
- Pristine, Majestic Camps
- Stunningly Clear Night Skies
Description
We’ll head into the heart of the Escalante Canyons, within the boundary of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, to an unforgettable view. From a remote trailhead we have a short, but steep, off trail descent down in to the canyons of the Escalante River. View scapes narrow as we descend in to the sinuous world of sandstone walls. We will establish a basecamp along the river, putting us in the perfect place to hike and explore the maze of canyons in search of beautiful views, fascinating geology and lush desert oases. Our main goal is the Golden Cathedral, a canyon phenomenon beyond the description of words. If you can stay longer to make this a 4 day tour, you will see other secrets of the area to make your time here even more memorable.
$1465 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip has low mileage days with a layover day and ample time to explore side canyons. It is between Level 2 and 3, tending slightly toward Level 2.
Hiking Distances:
3-4 mi
Backpack Weight:
25-35 lbs
Terrain:
Lightly Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
1100 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 25-35 lb backpack for 4-8 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on lightly rugged terrain
- Crossing creeks, which may require wading
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Utah backpacking a solitude 3. You can expect to see a couple of other groups of hikers per day.
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 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
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsItinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 5.5 hours
- Hiking Distance: 3 miles
- Elevation Loss: 1100 feet
Day 2
- Hiking Distance: 4 miles
- Elevation Gain: minimal
- Elevation Loss: minimal
Day 3
- Hiking Distance: 3-5 miles
- Elevation Gain: minimal
- Elevation Loss: minimal
Day 4
- Hiking Distance: 3 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1100 feet
- Shuttle to St. George: 5.5 hours
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. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
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, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in St. George, Utah to the trailhead and back
- National park entrance fees
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
- A Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and dependents to a discount of 10% off any Wildland hiking trip after your first one (must book directly with us to receive the discount)!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- 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 backcountry – 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 or Mountain Hardware tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
- Mountain Safety Research cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
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. 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 normally before 7 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
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. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip 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 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
Backcountry Sleeping
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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- HIGH - LOW
Christie C
I will continue to trek with Wildland Trekking!
I traveled on my own to Utah to join this backpacking trip and was immediately welcomed into the group by our guide and co-travellers. Josh the guide provided a safe, comfortable, fun and informative trip from beginning to end. He has a wealth of knowledge about the parks, backpacking techniques and has a passion for petroglyphs and pictographs. He is a pretty great cook as well. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. This was my second trip and I will continue to trek with Wildland Trekking!
Dana S
Spectacular!
Can't wait for the next one!! The Golden Cathedral trip was spectacular. The hikes in and out were very challenging, but would probably be easier and more enjoyable if the temperatures were cooler. (my trip was mid-September). Take the training tips seriously people!!! The day hikes in the backcountry were fun and varied - river hiking, bushwhacking, regular trails, switchbacks, bouldering, pretty much every kind of hiking imaginable - it was always fun and exciting. We even did a night hike! The sites each day kept getting better and better. The Golden Cathedral is the prime destination of this trip but really, the entire thing was spectacular. Hard to pick a favorite experience. Our guide, Kelsi, was kind of a dream. Would like to clone her and have her guide me around my day-to-day life. She was extremely knowledgeable about the area's history, geology and horticulture. She always had a smile on her face, was never flustered or short tempered, and the meals she prepared were amazing. I'm already starting to think about where to go on my next trip.
Jennifer C
Amazing
Our backpacking trip was amazing from the gear provided to the meals that were well planned and executed. Our guide Kelsi far exceeded our expectations. She was a wealth of knowledge of the area, history, landscape and honestly so many things. She taught us how to tell time using the stars! Can’t wait to go on the next adventure with Wildland and will be requesting Kelsi! Thank you!
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