Take a journey along the road less traveled. Discover the remote and magnificent landscapes of Utah’s stunning Canyon Country. Find solitude and adventure as you explore the wild and wonderful kaleidoscope of rock spires, domes, arches, slot canyons and a giant wrinkle in the Earth’s surface. This natural showcase of wonders must be seen to be believed!

HIGHLIGHTS

Journey within one of the most remote and surreal landscapes in the least-visited of Utah's Mighty Five national parks

Bike along the rim of Bryce Canyon from one spectacular vista to the next, as you make your way on two wheels to Rainbow Point

Travel through the sedimentary rock layers of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument between Bryce and Capitol Reef National Parks Hike into a valley filled with the world's highest concentration of hoodoos—whimsical, totem pole-shaped rock spires

ITINERARY DAYS 1-2

Adventure and serenity await in Utah's remote canyons, where the relentless power of wind and water have shaped the landscape into something otherworldly | Behold the extraordinary views of Bryce Canyon from its rim, then descend on foot into a labyrinth of delicate red-rock pillars called hoodoos | Temple of Osiris, Queen Victoria and Thor's Hammer watch over our trail before ascending Wall Street, a narrow passage between towering rock fins | Walk to Bryce Point, where every step brings new and impressive geological discoveries and Sinking Ship comes into view | Learn about the Native American legend that led the Paiute people to call this land Angka-ku-wass-a-wits (Red Painted Faces) | Take your cycling prowess to new heights as you pedal to 9,100-foot Rainbow Point | Relax at our hotel situated near the canyon rim | Once the sun sets, Bryce's night sky offers incredible stargazing opportunities.

DAYS 3-6

Coast along a paved bike path where stands of green ponderosa pines contrast with red sandstone pillars | Sit back and enjoy the ride en route to Capitol Reef National Park along Utah’s All-American Road, Scenic Byway 12 | A refreshing dip in the pool awaits at our hotel near the park's entrance | Explore one of Utah’s best-kept secrets, a place the Navajo called Land of the Sleeping Rainbow | Venture toward the Waterpocket Fold, a mammoth buckling of the Earth’s surface almost 100 miles long | Hike amid rock formations resembling the rounded white dome of the US Capitol building, in part the inspiration for the park's name | Trek under and across a picturesque 133-foot natural arch.

ACTIVITY LEVEL: 1-3

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Several routes and a range of levels are offered each day so you can choose how much or how little activity you want to do. Learn more about how we determine activity levels.

ROUTE NOTES

The biking terrain on this trip ranges from level to rolling; some of the walking and hiking routes include a few steep ascents and descents with significant elevation gain and loss. Although hiking terrain on this trip is generally well established, it can range from fully developed trails to pebbles in a creek bed in Capitol Reef National Park. Sturdy footwear is an absolute must in Canyon Country. Please keep in mind that the higher elevations, occasional headwinds and possible extreme variations in weather and temperature can increase the perceived level of difficulty of our activities in the canyons. Most biking and hiking routes take place between 4,000 and 9,000 feet. Authorized Permittee of the National Park Service.