Horseback Riding in Arizona/Utah
THREE PARK SPECTACULAR |
The ride begins in the Pariah River Canyon and winds north to skirt the corner of Bryce Canyon, giving an unusual perspective of the phenomenal pink spires and hoodoos. The trail follows the Virgin River, crosses the southeast corner of Zion's maze of sandstone domes and twisting gorges, and heads south across vast open sagebrush country. Few trails have as dramatic an end as this one, at Toroweap where the chasm of the Grand Canyon exposes eons of geologic time. The compact camp is moved each day by vehicle, freeing riders to explore at a pace determined by the ever-changing terrain.
What surprised us the most--because it wasn't stressed in the information--was the varied and spectacular scenery. We had no idea that our camps would be that gorgeous and isolated. We didn't realize that the trails would travel through such a fascinating variety of terrains and even climates. Our views of Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon were amazing. It was the most primitive and pristine trail ride we could imagine. An unforgettable trip, we would go again tomorrow.
- Lou and Susan Consalvo
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| Itinerary |
| Day 1: | Pickup in St George, Utah at 2:00pm and transfer to the first camp. This camp is located in the Pariah River Canyon near an old movie set where westerns were filmed.
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| Day 2: | Ride north through Red Rock Canyon. Take a break at an old wagon stop where the early pioneers wrote their names on the cliff face with axle grease. After a cold drink from Crack Springs, ride on to camp in the Sheep Creek Canyon.
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| Day 3: | Follow Willis Creek toward Bryce Canyon National Park. At some points, the canyon is only 6-10 feet wide. Leave the canyon behind, and follow the old ranger trail along the boundary of the National Park (horses are not allowed in the Park). The trail winds through stands of pinon pine and juniper. Camp in a small meadow with the pink cliffs of Bryce Canyon in the background.
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| Day 4: | Ride up onto the Bryce Plateau, where you can canter through meadows and stands of ponderosa pine. The trail continues to climb through aspen and fir forests to elevations of 9,500 ft where there are spectacular views. Ride down to meet up with the trucks and trailers and transport to the next camp along the Virgin River.
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| Day 5: | Ride along the Zion formation through deep sand and sagebrush, surrounded by white cliffs. Pass through Elephant Cove. In the late afternoon, transport the horses again to a "cow camp." In ranching terminology, a "cow camp" is a permanent camp where cowboys live while herding cattle in that area.
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| Day 6: | The terrain today is flat as far as the eye can see. You can either ride your saddle horse, or take a turn driving a team of mules hitched to an authentic covered wagon. The elevation here is about 4,500 ft. Ride off the Yellowstone Mesa, through Antelope Valley to Hat Knoll. Camp in a stand of ponderosa pines, which is like an oasis at the base of an extinct volcano known as Mt. Trumbell. The sunsets and sunrises in this wide-open country are spectacular.
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| Day 7: | Ride to the top of Mt. Trumbell, from where you can see over a hundred miles in every direction. Previous riders have described this as "a place where you can look two days into the future, and one day into the past." Follow a trail south along ancient lava beds to Tuweep Valley. Take one last canter down the valley to Toroweep Point, an overlook of the Grand Canyon. This seldom-visited area is a spectacular location for viewing the most famous of all canyons. Here one has a sense of how the early Spanish explorers must have felt when they first rode to the edge and look into the chasm. Turn the horses back and ride about a quarter of a mile to where the final camp is located.
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| Day 8: | After one last spectacular sunrise and breakfast from the cook wagon, transfer back to St. George. Arrival time in St. George will be no later than noon.
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| THIS ITINERARY IS FLEXIBLE. CHANGES MAY OCCUR DUE TO WEATHER OR OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES. |
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| Pricing and Dates |
| Meeting Point | St. George, Utah |
| Length of Ride | 8 days, 7 nights and 6 days riding. |
| Riding Ability | Strong Intermediate Intermediate |
| Group Size | Minimum-5 Maximum-12 |
| Riding Per Day | 6-7 hours |
| Pace | moderate |
| Tack | western |
| Horses | local ranch bred |
| Weight Limit | 210 lbs |
| 2008 Dates | May 17-24, Aug 30 - Sept 6 |
| 2008 Price | $1,615 |
| Single Supplement | $135 |
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