The Undiscovered West
The Undiscovered West- Utah, Nevada and Arizona14 nightsFrom £1585 per person
Price Includes: Flights, accommodation and car hire
Day 1 Fly from the UK to Salt Lake City
The city is surrounded by mountains and the views are spectacular. Salt Lake City is the world headquarters of the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra. The Historic Temple Square area is the city’s top attraction with guided tours of the historic sites, interactive exhibits, art displays and parks and gardens. For anyone interested in genealogy, a visit to the Family Search Center is a must.
Stay one night in Salt Lake City
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Day 2 Drive to Ely, NV, approx. 240 miles
At the eastern end of Highway 50, Nevada’s Loneliest Road, Ely is a graceful mining town where vintage buildings have been revitalised through a city-wide mural project. More than 25 murals decorate the town, providing a glimpse of Ely’s colourful and ethnically diverse history, which included the Spanish, French, Italian, Slavic, Asian and Greek. Enjoy a visit to the Nevada Northern Railway and Museum where you can take a trip on the Ghost Train – an early 20th Century mining railroad.
Take a side trip to Great Basis National Park, where you can take a guided tour of the underground passages at Lehman Caves or hike to Bristlecone Forest, where some of the ancient trees are nearly 3000 years old. Known for its high mountain terrain, the park boasts cascading mountain streams, Alpine lakes and even a small glacier.
Stay two nights in Ely.
Day 4 Drive to Eureka, NV, approx. 80 miles
Take Highway 50 – the Loneliest Road in America. While it is known for its desolation, Highway 50 has been at the heart of Nevada history, particularly in Pony Express times. The route travels through cowboy country and small towns that are a million miles away from the Nevada’s most well known city, Las Vegas.
Eureka prides itself on being the ‘Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road’ and is a lovely small town with many beautifully restored historic buildings, including the Eureka Opera House, County Court House and Sentinel Museum. One of the other great highlights of Eureka is the great outdoors – hiking, biking and fishing all abound in the area.
Stay one night in Eureka
Day 5 Drive to Tonopah, NV, approx. 165 miles
Tonopah, site of one of the West’s biggest silver strikes in 1900. Explore the Historic Mining Park where you can see the actual mines that created the town, and visit the Central Nevada Museum. Surrounded by wilderness, you can hike, mountain bike, bird and wildlife watch in a number of places around the town, visit a nearby ghost town such as Belmont or rent an ATV and go off-roading. In the town you can shop in unique stores, discover local artists and enjoy local brews. Because it’s so far from the bright lights of any major city, Tonopah’s night skies are considered among the best in the country for stargazing.
Stay one night in Tonopah
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Day 6 Drive to Mesquite, NV, approx. 260 miles
Located only 80 miles north of Las Vegas, Mesquite is nestled in the picturesque Virgin River Valley surrounded by scenic vistas and flat-top red mesas. You will find some larger resorts and a selection of championship golf-courses, yet Mesquite retains a friendly small town atmosphere, and gives you access to plenty of outdoor recreation and state parks. Discover more of the area’s history at the Lost City Museum or Virgin Valley Museum.
Stay one night in Mesquite.
Day 7 Drive to Zion National Park, UT, approx. 80 miles
Cross the border into Utah and head for Zion National Park. Enjoy the park’s deep, narrow canyons, towering cliffs, streams, waterfalls, hanging wildflower gardens and majestic, forested mountains. Hiking maps and guides are available from the Visitors Center, including for the popular Narrows.
Whether you stay in the park itself or in Springdale, at the entrance of the park, you will be close to an abundance of outdoor recreation. Springdale offers a great choice of restaurants and shopping, as well as a number of adventure companies who can take you on guided hikes, canyoneering or ATV trips.
Stay two nights in Zion National Park.
Day 9 Drive to Page, AZ, approx. 115 miles
On the edge of Lake Powell, this town overlooks the crystal clear lake and boasts beautiful views. Photo opportunities abound here with Tower Butte, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, the Rim Trail and Glen Canyon Dam. A boat trip on the lake is a must as well as a tour to Antelope Canyon, part of the Navajo Nation, to discover more about the mysterious and haunting beauty of the slot canyons there. You can play golf or relax on a lakeside beach.
Stay one night in Page.
Day 10 Drive to Bryce Canyon, UT, approx. 155 miles
The Bryce Canyon region is great for hiking, horseback riding, photography, ATV riding, camping and other activities. The Canyon itself has been carved by wind and rain and offers some amazing rock formations called Hoodoos. The Bryce Canyon area offers a myriad of slot canyons which are great for hiking, and other hiking trails, which do not require permits, unless you are planning an overnight backcountry trip (these are available from the park on the day). The Visitor Center also offers information on a variety of ranger-led programmes that are available. You can also visit Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument from here.
Stay two nights in Bryce Canyon.
Day 12 Drive to Torrey, UT, approx. 125 miles
This is your base for discovering Capitol Reef National Park. This park has long been labelled one of Utah's best-kept secrets. It is just as scenic as the other parks, but far less developed and with fewer annual visitors. It offers a myriad of slot canyons which are great for hiking, high Navajo sandstone domes with huge red rock cliffs amazing photo opportunities. The park surrounds a long wrinkle in the earth known as the Waterpocket Fold, with layers of golden sandstone, canyons and striking rock formations. Among the park's sights are the Chimney Rock pillar, the Hickman Bridge arch, and Capitol Reef, known for its white sandstone domes. In the north are the towering monoliths of Cathedral Valley. The park has been designated a Gold Tier "International Dark Sky Park" by the International Dark-Sky Association.
Stay one night in Torrey.
Day 13 Drive to Provo, UT, approx. 180 miles
Provo is nestled between the 95,000-acre Utah Lake and the scenic Wasatch Front, and has long been regarded as a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The Provo River cleaves through the mountain range, forming Provo Canyon, and serving as the setting for scenic fly-fishing, kayaking and float trips. The surrounding mountains cradle an extensive network of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and mountaineering. Provo Canyon features Bridal Veil Falls, Vivian Park and the Provo River Parkway. A great way to see it all is to run or ride the Parkway, a paved trail from Vivian Park in the canyon to the Shops at Riverwoods. It's about 8 miles one-way to the mouth of the canyon, and a very scenic ride along the Provo River. It's possible to continue the ride through town all the way to Utah Lake.
Stay two nights in Provo
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Day 15 Return to Salt Lake City, approx. 45 miles
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