Zion and Bryce Canyon Cycling

Zion & Bryce Canyon Cycling Itinerary:

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• Day 1 Arrive in Henderson, NV and transfer to Springdale, Utah, the gateway to Zion National Park. Orientation to a week of spectacular riding among the red rocks of the Southwest!

  Our trip begins at 1:00 p.m. at the REI store in Henderson, NV (Las Vegas). Your trip guides will provide a detailed review of the week's itinerary and discuss gear and packing considerations. Shop for any last minute items you may need before we transfer 3 hours by van to majestic Zion National Park. Along the way, your guides share stories and answer questions about the geology and history of this unique corner of the American west. Driving along the Virgin River, we're on the lookout for mule deer seeking water and shade under the hanging valleys and willow trees. Upon arrival in Springdale, the gateway to Zion National Park, we enjoy a casual dinner a favorite restaurant. We then proceed into the park and check into our lodging. The last item on today's agenda is a brief bike fitting and cycling safety discussion. Dinner included.

• Day 2 Hike Angel's Land or Echo Canyon in the morning, and choose from various cycling route, including the famous "Tunnel Climb", as you explore Zion National Park by bike this afternoon.

  We start the day with a hike to either Angel's Landing or Echo Canyon (depending on the season). Both hikes are Zion classics and afford incredible views of the entire canyon. Along the way, search the crags above to spot one of the Bighorn sheep who hide away in the nooks and crannies. At the conclusion of our hike, a delicious picnic lunch is prepared by our guides back at the lodge. Next we set out on our bikes for an afternoon filled with great riding options, including cycling the flat canyon bottom beneath towering cliffs or tackling the steep "tunnel climb" for a more challenging ride. All meals included
  
  Hiking: 5-8 miles over steep terrain. Note: The final section of our hike to the top of Angel's Landing is along a steep, narrow trail set on the spine of a sandstone fin rising almost 1,500' above the canyon floor. Chains, for use as handholds, have been installed along the trail for hiker safety on this airy route. The final exposed section of the Angel's Landing hike is optional and not recommended for those with acrophobia.

• Day 3 Hike the renowned Emerald Pools, then pedal through lovely Red Canyon as it climbs through pines, near red rock pinnacles, and across the open plateau outside Bryce Canyon.

  An optional sunrise hike to Emerald Pools is a wonderful way to greet the day. Following breakfast we drive through Zion Tunnel to the trailhead of Red Canyon. Unlike Butch Cassidy, who dodged a deadly beating from a posse he'd upset in Panguitch (purportedly for kissing a girl), we're not here to hide, we're here to ride! Today's 20 miles of idyllic pedaling follows a paved path through Red Canyon as it climbs through the pines, near red rock pinnacles and across the open plateau outside Bryce Canyon before ending on a high note with a long downhill past Mossy Cave. A short walk here provides our first glimpse of hoodoos – picturesque, skinny spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins and "broken" lands. Tonight we stay at the Bryce Country Cabins. All meals included.
  
  Hiking: 2.6 miles; Cycling: 20 miles; Terrain: rolling hills; Elevation gain: 800', elevation loss: 1,500'.

• Day 4 Cycle Kodachrome Basin, with its lovely multi-hued sandstone layers, and complete the day with a sunset walk along the Bryce Amphitheatre Rim Trail.

  Awaken to the smells of sage and pine and head out for an optional hike to a viewpoint that offers lovely views of the park in the morning light. After breakfast we cycle to Kodachrome Basin. This area might boast the name of a popular Paul Simon song, but the real story behind the naming of Kodachrome has more to do with a 1948 National Geographic Society expedition, whose members related the area to the color film because of the multi-hued sandstone layers on display here. After biking and hiking among the dramatic sedimentary pipes, we head back to Bryce Country Cabins and muse over the day's adventures at the historic Bryce Lodge dining room before a sunset stroll along the famous amphitheater rim trail. All meals included.
  
  Optional hike: 6 miles; Terrain: mostly flat. Cycling: 15 miles; Terrain: Gradual downhill and rolling combined with some short, steep sections, losing 650' total. Optional cycling: return to the Bryce Country Cabins via the same route for a total of 30 miles. Or, ride 30-50 miles on Highway 12 out-and-back through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

• Day 5 Ride one of many options to explore the maze of canyons and towering sandstone spires comprising legendary Bryce Canyon National Park.

  Today is full of options to explore the maze of canyons and towering sandstone spires comprising legendary Bryce Canyon National Park. We begin at the Visitor Center and set out first on a hilly ride to Rainbow Point where we gaze down thousands of feet and hundreds of miles across the aptly named Grand Staircase. Options to fit your personal interests and fitness include: Bike the 1,200' climb to Rainbow Point, hike the spectacular Queen's Garden and Wall Street trails, spend the afternoon pedaling back to the Bryce Country Cabins with some very scenic overlooks, or enjoy the views from the relatively flat amphitheater rim trail. Tonight, enjoy the grandeur of the night sky while your guides grill a wonderful farewell dinner. All meals included.
  
  Cycling: 17 miles; Terrain: Rolling hills to some steep climbs; Elevation gain: 2,000'. Optional cycling: up to 37 miles. Optional hiking: 1-5 miles, up to 900' elevation gain.

• Day 6 Ride in Kolob Canyons beneath soaring cliffs before transferring as a group to the Las Vegas, NV airport.

  After an early morning departure from Bryce Canyon we traverse the Markagunt Plateau to the little visited, but incredibly spectacular, west side of Zion National Park. We ride the quiet Kolob Canyons Road beneath soaring cliffs and out into the valley below. We then continue on to St. George to enjoy a final lunch together. We end our trip at the Las Vegas airport, arriving between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.; outbound flights can be booked for any time after 6:00 p.m. Breakfast and lunch included.
  
  Cycling: 10 miles; Terrain: Rolling hills with a net downhill grade, losing ~900'. Optional cycling: Up to 6 miles of uphill climbing, gaining ~800'.

Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule above, the itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control, including weather and terrain conditions.

Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip has the necessary minimum number of participants required to operate.

We provide the Trek FX 7.2 Hybrid bike, which is the perfect blend of a fast ride with a familiar, upright riding geometry outfitted for comfort. The Trek includes "Ride Longer" features like a fitness-specific Bontrager Nebula saddle and Bontrager Ergo grips. Or you can choose to ride the Giant Defy 2 (Double) Road bike, which features butted ALUXX alloy smooth welded frameset brilliantly engineered with a new 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" headtube, perfectly balancing weight and front end rigidity.

Bike upgrades are available for an additional cost:

Specialized Roubaix Elite (Triple) - $210.00 additional charge

For road cyclists looking for something with a bit more get-up-and-go. Featuring Specialized FACT 7r carbon frame and Shimano 105 shifting, this bike is seriously smooth and seriously fast.

Trek Madone 5.1 (Triple) - $290.00 additional charge

The ultimate frame technology, this bike offers a hand-built, U.S.-made OCLV carbon frameset, silky smooth Shimano Ultegra shifting, and fast and durable Bontrager Race wheels. It's the ideal ride for the discerning cyclist.

Note: Helmets are required on our tour, and are not provided.

If you are traveling alone and specifically request single accommodations, you will be asked to pay the full single supplement noted on this itinerary. If you wish to share accommodations, we will assign you a roommate if one is available. If a roommate cannot be found, you will be asked to pay a reduced single fee, which is one-half of the full single supplement. Please be advised that there are a limited number of single rooms available on most departures.

Six nights in hotel/lodge/inn (double occupancy); Professional instruction and guiding leadership; support van; meals as noted in the daily itinerary; snacks and water; Trek FX 7.2 Hybrid bicycle ; park entrance fees, permits and local taxes.

Flights to/from Las Vegas, NV; dinner on Day 3; travel insurance; airport transfers; alcoholic beverages; guides gratuities.

This trip is rated Moderate [3]. Trip members should be physically fit, have some experience cycling on paved roads and have a basic familiarity with shifting gears, braking, riding in groups and riding safety, in addition to being comfortable riding for 4-7 hours per day. Our route in southern Utah features some hilly terrain. Ensuring you are comfortable on a bike for daily rides of 20-40+ miles will greatly enhance your ability to fully enjoy all this adventure has to offer. There is a support vehicle on this tour. Hiking experience is also beneficial to your overall enjoyment of the trip.

During most months this high desert region receives very little precipitation. However, please be prepared for the possibility of rain. The temperature difference between Zion and Bryce is commonly 20 degrees. Generally, summer daytime highs average in the 90's in Zion and in the 70's in Bryce. Spring and fall temperatures will be about 10-20 degrees cooler on average and please keep in mind that the dry air and ample shade created by the canyon walls will make the temperatures feel slightly cooler. You should be particularly mindful of this fact in your preparation for cool shady mornings in and around Bryce Canyon with temperatures as low as 40 degrees in summer and in the 30's during the spring and fall.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

This gear list has been created to help you choose the best equipment for the trip. Try to bring only what is necessary, as this will help you and the field staff. The weather and other conditions at the time of your arrival will dictate what clothing and equipment you will be required to use each day and what (if anything) can be left behind. It may be a necessary precaution that you bring certain items on the list, even if it is uncertain whether or not they will be needed.

Weather

The temperature difference between Zion and Bryce is usually 20º F. Summer temperatures average in the low 90s in Zion and in the 70s in Bryce. Spring and fall temperatures will be about 10 degrees cooler. Plan for cool and shady mornings and evenings with temperatures as low as 40ºF in summer and in the 30s during the spring and fall.

Gear Checklist

Things to Consider

• Always pack essential items such as your REI Adventures trip final bulletin, money, eyewear, medications and a change of clothes in your carry-on baggage, in case your luggage is delayed.
• We recommend bright-colored bicycle clothing for visibility and safety.
• Always test your clothing layers before a trip. Your outer layer should fit easily over the inside ones without binding.
• If you are not bringing a shoe and pedal system (optional), you will need a shoe designed for cycling or cross training to be used with the provided flat pedals. Consider these features: lightweight, closed toe, designed with stiffer soles to provide more efficient energy transfer as you pedal. Stiff soles protect your feet while riding and support the full length of your foot to reduce cramping and fatigue.
• If you bring your own saddle, please bring only the seat and not the seat post. Seat posts are not universal and may not fit the bike you'll be riding. You are welcome to bring a gel seat cover for use on the provided saddle.
• Comfortable, casual clothes are appropriate for dinners. We suggest bringing pants, skirts/dresses or mid-thigh or longer shorts in fabrics that are easy to wash and wear.