UCSB Adventure Programs is proud to offer an amazing road trip to the national parks and canyons that make the American Southwest famous! Our first destination will be Zion National Park. Zion is an ancient Hebrew word meaning a place of refuge or sanctuary. LA Times describes it as “A symphony of stone, where nature is the maestro.” Located in southern Utah at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert, Zion boasts 229 sq. miles of dramatic landscape including sculptured canyons and soaring 2000-3000 foot cliffs. Our circuitous route through the Southwest will include Bryce Canyon, Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Along the way, we will try to sample all the splendors that this vast land of the Colorado Plateau has to offer before returning through Monument Valley and skirting the South Rim of the Grand Canyon before heading back home to the California coast.
We will enjoy a number of the incredible sites by day hiking from our car-camping style campsite. No hiking experience is necessary as long as you are in good physical condition. Weather permitting, some hikes can be up to a strenuous 9 mi roundtrip with a significant elevation gain/loss. We will depart on Saturday morning and return the following Sunday evening.
Fees include transportation, camping, permits, and all breakfasts and dinners while camping. You need to supply your own lunches, snacks, and personal gear.
For more information, email us at adventure@essr.ucsb.edu.