Utah: Bryce & Zion Canyons
You won’t find a walking tour of Utah’s Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks with more flexibility and local expertise than this classic Country Walkers adventure. Our local guides are steeped in experience in this diverse landscape—with plenty of tricks up their sleeves. Want to avoid the crowds? Your guides lead you off the beaten path to the remarkable petrified dunes at Snow Canyon. Catch the sunrise over Bryce Canyon—witnessing the glow of hoodoos in the serene morning light. Stay cool in Refrigerator Canyon, splash through the Narrows, and tackle the complex switchbacks of Walter’s Wiggles. In the evenings, enjoy a dip in the pool or a relaxing soak in the hot tub at your comfortable hotel—complete with delicious cuisine and the camaraderie of your fellow travelers.
Highlights
- From the edge of the rim, descend into the heart of Bryce Canyon on foot, observing natural amphitheaters and unique rock formations as you go.
- Explore the frontier beauty of Springdale, your home for three nights, and admire the local art inspired by Zion’s soaring backdrop of multicolored sandstone.
- With expert guides, discover how the Ancestral Puebloans thrived in Zion’s extreme climate, and perhaps spot their ancient rock art during your hike.
Positive Impact
Country Walkers is proud to support Wine to Water with a donation on behalf of each guest on this tour. Wine to Water is an international organization providing access to clean drinking water and emergency supplies in water-challenged regions. We believe in giving back to the places that have enriched the lives of our guests. We’re committed to identifying and supporting sustainable initiatives in a variety of areas including education, world health, economic equality, safe drinking water, the environment, and the preservation of cultural traditions.
Accommodations
It was a great trip. The other participants were warm and friendly, the lodging was most comfortable and the food was great. I can't compliment our guides enough. They were very knowledgeable and caring and were always one step ahead in being prepared for the next adventure.
Utah: Bryce & Zion Canyons
Bryce Canyon and Zion tour: Having traveled extensively and made much use of guides, it is more than fair to say that Eric and Heather are the best of the best in terms of hike selection, education, humor, entertainment, etc etc etc. The hotels were outstanding as were the choice of restaurants. This is a one of a kind hiking tour that should not be overlooked but should also not be taken lightly. Participants will enjoy easy to somewhat arduous treks through magical scenery. Not a moment is to be missed, whether hopping streams in Zion’s slots, exploring the depths…
Utah: Bryce & Zion Canyons
Expert Local Guides
Experience your destination like an insider with people who call it home.
Heather Harding
Heather Harding has been guiding for decades on both Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where she lives in the summer, and in the canyons and plateaus of the Southwest, where she earned college degrees in biology and Southwest Studies, and where she continues to explore from her winter residence in Kanab, Utah. Heather brings a world-wide background of whale research and Waldorf teaching to her guiding. When she isn’t guiding, she enjoys life to the fullest with her partner and frequent co-guide Eric Kessler, and she shares her knowledge by training guides and naturalists for the Jefferson Land Trust and the National Association for Interpretation.
Eric Kessler
Eric Kessler studied the natural history of the Olympic Peninsula in college and has explored its jagged peaks and forested valleys as a wilderness traveler ever since. Eric has guided worldwide and pursues his parallel photography career documenting the planet’s native peoples and ecosystems, including a writing/photo project on the Olympic Peninsula’s Elwha River, which was part of the largest dam removal and watershed restoration project in US history. Eric often guides in our National Parks with his partner and co-guide Heather Harding.