Ultimate Southwest USA
Group Trip Highlights
This summer an incredible group of 23 people from all over the USA joined me in Las Vegas to depart for an epic 7 day camping trip across the Southwest.
Together we visited 5 national parks (Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches & Grand Canyon!) along with countless other famous landmarks, historic towns and breathtaking landscapes. We all met in Vegas the day before the trip and stayed in one enormous Airbnb together.
We had dinner on the strip and went to see the Bellagio fountains. We didn’t stay out late since the next morning, we were departing early for our first big day of hiking!
Day 1: Las Vegas to Zion National Park
At 8:30am the next day, our two shuttle buses arrived! We met our two guides/drivers, Joe and Chelsea. And we loaded 12 of us into each van. Then we were off! The scenic drive to Zion National Park was a fun one.
A whirlwind of getting to know you games coupled with the jaw-dropping views… by the time we reached our rental place, Zion Guru, it was nearly noon. And we were ready to get out and hike! Nearly everyone committed to hiking the Narrows although a few went for Angel’s Landing.
This famous hike is very popular in the summer since Zion can hit 120 degrees. In the sweltering heat, the other hikes are almost unbearable. But hiking waist high in a river in a shady canyon keeps you nice and cool during the frequent heat advisories in Zion.
Hiking the Narrows
We rented our hiking sticks and we were off! Most everyone opted to hike in their own boots with neoprene socks I had suggested prior to arriving.
Read: HIKING THE NARROWS – 12 TIPS FOR THIS BUCKET LIST HIKE IN ZION NATIONAL PARK
The views in the canyon were spectacular. We had a blast breaking off into groups and trekking through the rock formations. We brought picnic lunches (prepared by our guides!) into the canyon so we could rest and eat along the way.
This hike was a real highlight of the trip. Everything from taking in the views to snapping pictures of one another to cooling off from the heat in the water…. it was simply perfect!
Check out my TikTok about our hike to plan your own trip:
Cooking dinner at camp
After a successful hike, we headed to camp for the night. Since this was an all-inclusive camping trip, the gear was all provided! We set to work setting up camp then all pitched in cooking dinner together.
After dinner, we stayed up chatting and playing games before calling it a night. There was a fire ban in Utah at the time, so sadly we couldn’t have a campfire. But the stars were terrific!
Day 2 Peekabo Canyon & Bryce Canyon National Park
The next morning we tore down camp early and made our way over to an incredibly underrated slot canyon, Peekaboo Canyon.
Peekaboo Canyon
Originally we had planned to go to Antelope Canyon (which is VERY famous) but it had not opened back up for visitors since the pandemic. So instead, we went to this lesser known but equally as beautiful slot canyon.
After a successful morning exploring the orange, yellow and golden hues of Peekaboo, we began the drive to Bryce!
Once we arrived, we set up camp. Then half the group went to the park to hike the Navajo/Queens Garden trail while some others stayed back to swim at the campsite or have ice cream in town.
Bryce Canyon National Park
The towering hoodoos of Bryce Canyon never disappoint!
Day 3 Moab
That morning, we set our alarms early and got up for sunrise in Bryce Canyon. We went in our pajamas and sleeping bags which made for a cozy morning. It was definitely worth the early morning wake up call!
Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon
Moab
We continued on after sunrise to Moab! This outdoorsy town is known for being a hub for adventurers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. So we set up camp for the following two nights since there is so much to see in this area!
Moab Jeep Tour
That afternoon, we went on a Moab jeep tour that was truly fantastic and a highlight for many! Our fantastic guides even pointed out dinosaur tracks along the way.
After the tour, we got dropped off downtown for dinner in Moab.
Most of our meals were prepared around the campfire so it was nice to go out to eat while in town.
Day 4 Canyoneering & Canyonlands
The next morning the group divided: some went canyoneering, some went skydiving and some went to explore downtown Moab!
Moab Skydiving
After the adventurous morning activities, we had lunch back at camp and headed to Canyonlands National Park!
Canyonlands
We hiked to the iconic viewpoint overlooking the valley below and stopped by the visitor’s center for souvenirs. As we were leaving the park, we hopped out at several other sweeping view points. Truly amazing!
Dead Horse Point State Park
Although we were exhausted from such a long and busy day, we made one more stop to see the nearby Dead Horse Point. This is another lesser known viewpoint that totally blows you away. We found a second wind for photos once we saw the spectacular overlook.
Day 5 Arches National Park & Monument Valley
The following morning, we woke EARLY so we could get into Arches National Park. This extremely popular park denies entry to visitors once it’s at capacity and that can happen as early as 9am or 10am. In addition, we wanted to hike to the most famous arch at sunrise.
Sunrise hike to Delicate Arch
It’s a challenging hike but worth every step! Hiking it at sunrise has many benefits. Cooler temperatures, less people (although there were still A LOT!) and great morning light for pictures.
Monument Valley, Navajo Nation
After our morning at Arches, we went back to camp to tear down our tents. We had lunch before hitting the road towards Monument Valley. Some slept, some played car games, others just took in the road trip views… After 3 hours, we arrived at Monument Valley, one of my favorite places in the Southwest.
We did an open air jeep tour with a local Navajo guide before having traditional Navajo tacos for dinner all together on the reservation.
Camping at Monument Valley KOA
We had a beautiful campsite that night with perfect views of the buttes from our tent!
Day 6: Horseshoe Bend and Grand Canyon
The next morning we had breakfast at camp as usual then departed early towards Horseshoe Bend.
Horseshoe Bend
It was another day of perfect sunshine!
We took photos and soaked up the views at Horseshoe Bend before heading on towards the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon National Park
Our 5th and final national park for the trip! The group divided up for hikes or helicopter rides over the canyon. We explored, took photos and ate ice cream on the rim overlooking the scenery.
Pizza sunset picnic
That night we had our final dinner all together on the rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset. Our guide Chelsea picked up pizza from a restaurant in town and it made for the perfect last night.
When we got back to camp we played “rose and thorn”, each sharing our highs and lows of the trip. There was a lot of laughter as we recounted all the great memories from the week.
Day 7 Route 66 & Las Vegas
Our final morning, we began the drive back to Las Vegas via Route 66. And of course, we stopped along the way in Seligman, the historic birthplace of the iconic “Mother Road”. (If you’ve seen the movie Cars, it is based off this tiny town!)
Route 66 & Seligman
We arrived back in Las Vegas late that afternoon. Those who were staying an extra night booked some hotel rooms to share and we all got tickets to Thunder Down Under, ha! We had one big night out in Vegas to celebrate such a fun and successful week.
I am so grateful to everyone who joined this adventurous trip. And even more so, proud of the group for tackling so many big hikes in one week. Camping for 7 days straight is NOT easy but it sure is fun! Thank you to everyone who made this week so memorable.
To join future group trips, check out the “Travel With Me” page!
Past group trips:
- SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- SAIL CROATIA GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS- WEEK TWO
- YELLOWSTONE GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
- DOG SLEDDING IN MINNESOTA: GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS WEEK TWO
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