USA National Parks Vegan Adventure 2023

Zion National Park is often said to be the most beautiful place in America. “Spectacular” is uttered time and time again as eyes are raised to view the vast monoliths of the best of Utah’s National Parks. Zion unveils its eight layers of sandstone, displaying what has taken two-hundred-million years to carve and mold. This spectacular corner of Southern Utah is a masterpiece of towering cliffs, deep red canyons, mesas, buttes, and massive monoliths. Zion’s fame is due to not just its beauty, but also its incredible geology, hiking, backpacking, and scenic drives.   Like the Grand Canyon to its south, Zion has grandeur, and like Bryce Canyon to its northeast, Zion has delicately sculpted rock. Plus, within the park’s 229 square miles lies a spectacular cliff-and-canyon playground. Sharp sandstone cliffs soar 2,000 feet above a labyrinth of narrow canyons cut through the soft sandstone by the Virgin River. In places, the deep canyons are barely 40 feet wide.   Zion’s complexion changes with the seasons, from the cascades of snowmelt pouring over cliff walls in spring, to the lush green and colorful wildflowers of early summer, to the Technicolor wonder of autumn, and the deep snow-covered winter silence. 

7:00am: Breakfast 
8:00am: Depart for Zion National Park (Approximately 1-hour drive)  
*Bus ride will include National Park lectures from our naturalists, special guests, and video presentations 
9:00am: Arrive in Zions/Hiking 
*Zion hiking program will be divided by ability level all led by our guide/naturalists  
Sample Hikes: Scouts Lookout, Emerald Pools  
12:30pm: Lunch in the field 
1:00am: Park Hike 
4:30pm: Depart for St. George 
5:30pm: Arrive at hotel, free time to enjoy the pool and facilities 
6:30pm: Dinner 
7:30pm: Evening program 

Thousands of delicately carved spires rise in brilliant color from the amphitheaters of Bryce Canyon National Park. Millions of years of wind, water, and geologic mayhem have shaped and etched the pink cliffs at Bryce, which isn’t a canyon but the eastern slope of the Paunsaugunt Plateau.  Your first view of Bryce Canyon is dramatic, as rows of pine trees veil the color and grandeur of the canyon until you reach the rim. Here the brilliant hues come alive, especially with the rising and setting of the sun. 

7:00am: Breakfast 
8:00am: Depart for Bryce National Park (Approximately 3-hour drive) 
*Bus ride will include National Park lectures from our naturalists, special guests, and video presentations 
11:00am: Begin hike of Bryce Canyon with stop for lunch in the field.   
Sample Hikes: Navajo Loop, Queens Garden & Sunrise Point. 
2:30pm: Stop at Ruby’s for shopping before return to St. George 
3:00pm Depart for St. George 
6:00pm Arrive in St. George 
7:00pm Dinner 
8:00pm: Evening program 

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary “Save Them All”: This is no ordinary experience. This is no roadside diversion. This is Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a lifesaving haven for hundreds of adoptable animals, nestled in between the sprawling red rocks of Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks. Lengthen your leash and experience with us the nature and nurture of the largest sanctuary of its kind in America.   Anyone who visits the Sanctuary will tell you there’s just something special about this place. On any given day about 1,600 animals call Best Friends Animal Sanctuary a home-between-homes. Dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, horses, pigs, and other animals come here from all over the country, each one seeking a haven where they can find refuge, love, and acceptance.  Every inch of the Sanctuary — from the majestic red rocks to the spacious animal communities — is filled with hope and kindness shown by caregivers, thousands of volunteers, and so many compassionate people like you.  There truly is no place else on earth like Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Join VCC Adventures to experience the magic for yourself. 

8:00am: Breakfast 
9:00am: Depart hotel to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary 
10:30am: Best Friends animal Sanctuary program 
12:30pm: Lunch in the field 
3:30pm Depart for hotel/St. George 
5:00pm Arrive at hotel 
6:00pm Dinner 
7:30pm: Private Trampoline Park Experience 
9:30pm: Depart for hotel

Unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms decorate a canyon that is 277 river miles (446km) long, up to 18 miles (29km) wide, and a mile (1.6km) deep. Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size.  The North Rim offers a serene and enthralling Grand Canyon experience. It is more remote and less developed than the South Rim, therefore it attracts far fewer tourists. Many people think its viewpoints are the most spectacular, since they are located at a higher elevation.  The North Rim fits nicely into a multi-park tour that also includes Zion and Bryce.  The North Rim forms the edge of the Kaibab Plateau, with elevation ranging from 8,000-8,800 feet above sea level. Access is via Highway 67, through a majestic conifer forest and past scenic Jacob Lake. The drive is beautiful, even before you reach the National Park. Your first stop should be at the visitor center where you can orient yourself and enjoy one of the most spectacular views in the world. 

7:00am: Breakfast 
8:00am: Depart for Grand Canyon 
*Bus ride will include National Park lectures from our naturalists, special guests, and video presentations 
11:00am: Arrive Grand Canyon, begin hike of the North Rim 
Sample Hikes: North Kaibab Trail, Bright Angel Point, Uncle Jim Trail 
12:30pm: Lunch in the field 
2:30pm: Depart Grand Canyon 
5:30pm: Arrive St. George 
7:00pm Dinner 
8:00pm: Evening program

9:00am: Breakfast 
10:30am: Optional transfers to Las Vegas