Hiking Southeastern Utah National Parks
April 13, 2016 – April 24, 2016 (trip# 16xx)
Delicate Arch, Arches National Park
We are glad that you are interested in this exciting trip! Please read the information carefully,
and then contact us if you have specific questions about this trip: Bill Wheeler 860-324-7374;
bwheelsjr@cox.net or George Schott 203-223-1677. For general questions about AMC
Adventure Travel, email AMCexcursions@outdoors.org.
SUMMARY
With five national parks in close proximity, Utah is America’s national park capital. We will
explore three of those national parks, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef. The unique
towering sandstone monoliths, red rock spires, deep canyons and sheer cliffs, and natural arches
and bridges draw adventure seekers from afar. We start and end our journey in Grand Junction,
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Colorado with one day of hiking in Colorado National Monument. We will hike among
towering monoliths, existing within a vast plateau and canyon panorama.
Our next destination is the recreational mecca of Moab, Utah. The town is near the Colorado
River, in a green valley enclosed by high sandstone cliffs. From Moab, we hike two days in
Arches National Park. The park contains the world’s
largest concentration of natural arches, with over
2,000 of the miracles of nature. In addition to the
arches, this red, arid desert is punctuated with other
oddly eroded sandstone forms such as fins, pinnacles,
spires and balanced rocks.
Dead Horse Point State Park will reveal a geologic
layer cake of colorful rock formations. From this
mesa, sheer cliffs drop 2,000 feet below to the
winding Colorado River which has carved winding
canyons. We hike two days in Canyonlands National
Park. One day will find us exploring the area viewed
from Dead Horse Point, the Island In The Sky
District. A number of short drives and hikes along
this mesa will boast views of the canyons carved out
by the Green and Colorado Rivers that lie 1,000 feet
below. The other day in Canyonlands is spent hiking
Shaded area of exploration in SE Utah
the Needles District. Its signature features are
hundreds of colorful sandstone spires, or “needles”, poking up from the desert floor. We will
also explore the Joint, a sheer-walled, narrow canyon among this vast, rugged landscape.
We continue our journey in Torrey, Utah, an attractive little village with a real Western feel.
From Torrey, we hike two days in Capitol Reef National Park. Wonderfully sculpted rock layers
in a rainbow of colors put on a fine show here. The parks central feature, the Waterpocket Fold,
is a 100-mile long uplift of rock formations eroded into spires, curves, canyons and arches. A
drive down Scenic Byway 12 will highlight panoramic views over miles of colorful slickrock
canyons. Lower Calf Creek Falls is our destination in Grand Staircase Escalante National
Monument.
Our return to Grand Junction, CO, can’t be without one last stop at Goblin Valley State Park.
Thousands of goblin-like rock formations with soft red sandstone and even softer siltstone
inhabit this valley. Along our journey, we will hike each national parks most scenic trails, learn
in their visitor centers, explore the towns of Moab and Torrey along with their museums and
participate in an educational jet boat tour on the Colorado River. Come join us on an adventure
to remember!
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TYPICAL PARTICIPANTS
You should enjoy traveling and be comfortable traveling in areas which are unfamiliar to you.
You should recognize that you may find yourself in closer quarters or be less comfortable than
you are used to at home. You should make it a priority to help others on the trip and contribute
to their having a great time. If you do that, we are confident that you will have a great time.
This trip is designed for experienced hikers. You must be able to hike 5 to 12 miles per day at a
moderate pace easily, with moderate elevation gains between 500 and 2,500 feet, while carrying
enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad weather or injury. Hikes are at altitudes
between 4,000 and 7,000 feet.
ITINERARY
Day 1, WED 4/13:
Fly to Grand Junction, Colorado (4,593’) where we will rent cars, gather supplies, have dinner
and spend the night.
Day 2, THU 4/14:
We begin our adventure in
Colorado National Monument
with an end-to-end hike into
the redrock of Monument
Canyon. The canyon is home
to a number of interesting
spires and thumbs that have
eroded away from the
sandstone cliffs into unlikely
Monument Canyon, Colorado National Monument
shapes. We’ll visit the Coke
Ovens, Wingate Cliffs, Independence Monument and Kissing Couple along the way. This 6 mile
hike descends 1,450 feet from rim to rim. After the hike, we drive 2 hours to Moab, Utah
(4,025’) where we spend the next five nights.
Day 3, FRI 4/15:
The 8 mile loop hike through Devils Garden contains eight of the best known sandstone arches in
Arches National Park. Among the many strange and wonderful rock formations is Landscape
Arch, at 300 feet the longest arch in the park. The area is a good place to observe the life cycle
of natural arches as we will pass through a giant maze of long vertical sandstone fins, which will
someday become arches. This hike gains 740 feet of elevation.
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Day 4, SAT 4/16:
We’ll get an early start for our drive to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. This
12 mile loop hike with 1,260 feet of elevation gain explores Chesler Park, a circular flat “park”,
or meadow, nestled amid towering, striped sandstone pinnacles. Along the way, we will explore
the Joint Trail, which crosses slickrock then drops into a cavelike crack in the rock formation.
For a ¼ mile, the trails wanders through increasingly narrow cracks, or joints, between huge
sandstone blocks.
Day 5, SUN 4/17:
Dead Horse Point State Park provides a beautiful mesa in which you can look for miles into
Canyonlands NP or 2,000 feet down to the Colorado River. East Rim Trail, West Rim Trail and
Bighorn Overlook Trail offer a number of short hikes around the edge of the mesa with stunning
views into the deep canyons. We’ll hike up to 8 miles with minimal elevation gains.
Tonight we participate in a Sunset Jetboat Tour
on the Colorado River while learning about the
geology and history of Canyonlands. The
evening is topped off with a delicious dutch
oven dinner.
Day 6, MON 4/18:
We’ll drive to the Isle in the Sky district of
Canyonlands National Park where we embark
on a number of short, but scenic hikes totaling 5
to 8 miles. At Grand View, we will contemplate
how nature transformed what was formerly a
featureless plain into what we see today. At the
peculiar structure Upheaval Dome, we can
debate how rocks buried a mile underground are
now on the surface, in the crater.
Grandview Point, Canyonlands National Park
Day 7, TUE 4/19:
The amazing Delicate Arch has become the symbol of Arches National Park. The out-back hike
to the famous, magnificent natural feature is 3 miles with 480 feet of elevation gain. Time
permitting, we will also do the 1 mile hikes to Park Avenue and Windows Arch. After the hikes,
we drive 3 hours to Torrey, Utah (6,830’) where we spend the next four nights.
Day 8, WED 4/20:
We begin our first hike in Capitol Reef National Park with a visit to Hickman Natural Bridge, a
surprisingly scenic span 133 feet wide and 125 feet high. Our next destination is Rim Overlook.
The historic district of Fruita with its many orchards lies directly below, on the shore of the
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Freemont River. Our best views of the day await at Navajo Knobs, a prominent 6,979’
sandstone peak. From this summit, the Waterpocket Fold extends as far as the eye can see. This
out-back to the 360 degree viewpoint is 9.4 miles and 2,400 feet of elevation gain.
Day 9, THU 4/21:
The drive along Scenic Byway 12 will provide dramatic, panoramic views of Grand Staircase
Escalante National Monument. Our destination is Lower Calf Creek Falls, a stunning 126-foot
waterfall. To get there, we hike a 6.2 mile out-and-back trail through a stream filled canyon full
of flora and fauna. Bring your tevas and bathing suit! Today’s hike gains 370 feet of elevation.
Day 10, FRI 4/22:
Today we’ll hike 9.5 miles through
Capitol Reef’s Waterpocket Fold, a
fairyland of geologic sculpture. These
ancient mountains have been carved
into a tangle of hidden canyons,
monolithic spires and towering cliffs.
Hiking along the Cohab Canyon,
Frying Pan and Grand Wash Trails,
we’ll visit Cassidy Arch, as the outlaw
Butch Cassidy was thought to have
occasionally used the area as a hideout.
We also traverse 0.5 miles through a
slot canyon that in some places is 600
feet deep and only 16 feet wide! This
end-to-end hike gains 1,040 feet of
elevation.
Waterpocket Fold, Capitol Reef National Park
Day 11, SAT 4/23:
Leaving Torrey, we’ll finish the trip with a stop at Goblin Valley State Park. Soft sandstone has
eroded into interesting shaped hoodoos, resembling goblins. In some spots the rock formations
are close together, producing a maze-like playground. The park offers about 5 miles of hiking,
with minimal elevation gains. After the hike, we drive back to Grand Junction, CO (3.5 hour
drive from Torrey) for our Farewell Dinner.
Day 12, SUN 4/24:
Fly Home.
Group size
A minimum of 12 and a maximum of 16, including leaders. A waiting list will be established if
more than 14 people apply for the excursion.
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Expectations/Experience Level for Participants
In order to participate in this excursion, you must consider and agree to the following:
Ability: You must be able to hike an average of 7 miles per day at a moderate pace easily, with
moderate elevation gains, while carrying enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad
weather or injury.
Group Dynamics: You must participate as part of a group and abide by the leaders’ decisions.
You must work towards the group having a good time, be prepared to help your fellow hikers
and spend time with other participants on the trip. In doing so, you will enjoy the trip to the
maximum.
Group Safety: Group safety will be our Number 1 priority. We all must recognize we will be
sharing our trails with abundant wildlife including bears. We will never feed any wildlife for
any reason. We will follow the Park’s safety recommendations with regard to bears. Thus we
will never approach a bear, never hike alone, never plan on hiking after dark, leave the area if we
see a cub, never hike on a closed trail and we will familiarize ourselves with how to behave if we
encounter a bear.
Driving: Some participants will be asked to share in the driving. Please inform the leaders if
you would like to do this.
National Park Rules: We will obey the rules and regulations of the National Parks that we will
be hiking in.
ACCOMMODATIONS
First and last night at a motel in Grand Junction, CO
Five nights at a motel in Moab, UT
Four nights at a motel in Torrey, UT
Accommodations will be two to a room in the motels.
Rooms will be simple, yet comfortable and budget friendly
with two queen beds and private bath, along with a minifridge and microwave, if possible.
Lower Calf Creek Falls,
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
MEALS
All dinners are included. Either before or at the dinners we will talk over plans for the next day
and go over the events of the previous day. Breakfasts and lunches are the participant’s
responsibility. The motels may offer a free continental breakfast. Lunches will be purchased at
supermarkets in town.
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TRIP LEADERS
Trip Leader Bill Wheeler joined
the AMC in 1995 with a goal of
summiting the 48 New
Hampshire 4,000 footers, which
he achieved in 2009. He has also
climbed 98 of New England’s
100 highest peaks. Bill became a
hike leader for the Connecticut
Chapter in 2005 and has led over
100 day hikes, as well as lead or
co-lead over 10 weekend trips to
New Hampshire’s White
Mountains. He has completed the
SOLO basic First Aid Course and
Heart Saver CPR Course. Bill has traveled to 6 Canadian provinces, 7 European countries, India
and New Zealand. He has co-led or participated in 13 Adventure Travel trips on which he
climbed several high peaks in the Western U.S., including 14,497 ft. Mt. Whitney, the highest
point in the contiguous 48 states. Bill has co-led 6 Adventure Travel trips since 2010 to
Bulgaria, Texas/New Mexico, Oregon, Wyoming, Canadian Rockies and Austrian Alps. A prior
trip to southwestern Utah increased his desire to return to Utah for further exploration. Bill can
be reached at 860-324-7374 or bwheelsjr@cox.net.
Trip Co-Leader George Schott is a Connecticut Chapter
Hike Leader certified in SOLO Wilderness First Aid,
AED and CPR. He also completed AMC Mountain
Leadership School. He co-led AMC Adventure Travel
trips to Big Bend National Park in 2012 and Saguaro
National Park / Tucson Mountains in 2014. Over the past
six years, he led or co-led hut hikes in the White
Mountains and Adirondacks, and led day hikes on all
sections of the AT in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Prior to leading, George was an avid hiker (since age 11)
with family and friends in the Adirondacks, Colorado
Rockies and Yosemite National Park. During the 10
years he lived with his family in Europe, he hiked the
Lake District of England, Scottish Highlands, Wales and
Switzerland. George can be reached at 203-223-1677 or
geosteven@aol.com.
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TRIP COST
The cost for the trip is $1,990. This will cover the following items:
All lodging as specified above
All dinners excluding alcoholic beverages
Continental breakfasts included in the motel in Jackson
Car rentals and gas
Park entrance fees
AMC Adventure Travel Fee
Not included:
Airfare from Boston or New York to Grand Junction Airport, approx. $700
All lunches and some breakfasts
The approximate cost for the excursion is based on quotes at the time the trip was submitted to
the Adventure Travel Committee (May 2015). The final cost of the trip will be adjusted in
accordance with any savings we might enjoy or increases we might have to endure.
Please be aware that, in accordance with AMC policy, you are subsidizing some of the leaders’
costs, but not all of them. Any unspent funds will be refunded to all participants. The trip fee
also includes an AMC overhead charge to cover the administrative expenses of offering
Adventure Travel trips.
HOW TO PROCEED
If you would like to go on this trip, complete the Application Form and enclose a check for the
$600 registration fee made out to the Appalachian Mountain Club and mail to:
Bill Wheeler, 2506 Mill Pond Drive, South Windsor, CT 06074
If you are accepted onto the trip you will also be asked to fill out and mail back an
Acknowledgment and Assumption of Risks & Release & Indemnity Agreement, and a
Confidential Medical Form both of which will be emailed to you.
The balance of $1,390 is due by January 13, 2016.
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When registration is complete, the trip leader will send all participants the names, addresses and
telephone numbers of those going on the trip. Trip leaders prefer to use email as a primary
source of communication.
CANCELLATIONS
The AMC cancellation policy is based on the simple precept that your cancellation shall not raise
the cost of the trip to any of the participants or the leaders. Therefore, if you cancel, your refund
will be all that you have paid, less expenses already incurred and future expenses which cannot
be avoided. You may forfeit the amount budgeted for your lodging, car rental and trip overhead,
which is most of the trip fee. If you cancel and the trip still fully books, then your fees will be
refunded in full with the exception that, after airline tickets have been purchased, you own the
tickets and that part of the fee cannot be refunded.
EXPERIENCE AND RISKS
This trip is designed for experienced hikers. On the day hikes, you must be able to hike an
average of 8 miles per day at a moderate pace easily, with easy to moderate elevation gains,
while carrying enough equipment to keep you safe in the event of bad weather or injury.
People wishing to participate in this trip must have previous hiking experience at the
intermediate level or higher. Although the hiking will be at a moderate pace, this is not a trip for
beginners or people who have not hiked during the past year. This trip is not the right time for
getting into shape. You should already be in good physical condition by the time you arrive in
Grand Junction.
Hiking in dry desert climates will require that we pace ourselves and pay close attention to
proper nutrition and hydration. In April, daytime high temperatures in southeastern Utah
average 70 degrees while overnight lows average 40 degrees. We should be prepared with
proper clothing for those temperatures as well as 10 degree variations in either direction.
Slot canyons…
When you participate in this activity you should be both physically and mentally prepared and
equipped with the appropriate gear. You should always be aware of the risks involved and
conduct yourself accordingly. We are not responsible for your safety: you are.
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REQUIRED GEAR
Here is a list of suggestions for what to bring to have a good time on the trip. Most of the items
are things you would bring for a day hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Day pack
Pack rain cover or plastic trash bags
Personal first aid
Rain gear (both jacket and pants)
2 one liter water bottles
Wool or pile hat or balaclava
Wool or pile gloves or mitts
Extra pile or wool layer for warmth
Comfortable hiking boots and socks
Long pants - wool or synthetic
Hiking shorts (zip off pants highly recommended)
Cotton or synthetic T-shirts
Long sleeve synthetic shirt
Sunglasses
Sun hat
Sun protection lotion
Lip protection balm
Leisure clothes for travel and restaurants (moderate amount)
Personal toiletries
Toilet paper
Head lamp with extra batteries
Optional recommendations:
Bathing Suit
Camera
Ear plugs
Short gaiters to keep mud/dust out of boots
Small knife (be sure to pack in check in luggage, not carry on)
Compass
Extra shoelaces
Zip lock bags
Reading material for breaks in the action
We strongly recommend hiking with a pole or poles, but if you don’t like them, that’s fine.
Trip Application can be found below.
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Application for Adventure Travel Trip to
Hiking Southeastern Utah National Parks
Please print everything legibly
Name: ___________________________________ AMC Member ? ________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip: __________________________________________________________
Phones: Daytime: ________________________ Evening: ________________________
Date of Birth (mm/dd/yy): ___________ Gender: _________________ Smoker? ______
Email Address: ___________________________________
Health or disabilities: (Please note any medical or physical restrictions) ______________
_________________________________________________________________________
Name, address, and phone number of person to contact in case of emergency:
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Have you done mountain hiking previously? When and how often?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Please print a brief summary of your recent hiking /backpacking experience on the back of this
application.
How would you describe your physical condition and stamina? ______________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Please print a description of how you maintain your physical condition on the back of this
application. For example, I run 5 miles four times a week.
Have you gone on other AMC Adventure Travel trips? _____ If so, who were the
leaders?____________________________________________________________
If this trip is filled, do you wish to be placed on a waiting list? _____________________
Are you willing to be a car driver on the trip?
_______
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