Moab, Arches & Canyonlands Escape

The national parks of the American Southwest are more than scenic wonders—they’re living museums of natural and cultural history. Expedition Leader Arthur Kampmann shines a spotlight on two lesser-known parks in the region: Petrified Forest and Canyonlands national parks. Find out how petrified wood forms over millennia, learn how rivers shaped Canyonlands’ dramatic landscapes, and meet desert-adapted wildlife like bighorn sheep and pronghorn. Plus, discover the origin story of the National Park Service and its early champions, including Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir.

Discover red rock country, Indigenous rock art and desert wildlife on our new five-day small-group adventure across Utah’s most dramatic sandstone landscapes. Expedition Leader Corbin Hawkins details this journey through Arches and Canyonlands national parks, Dead Horse Point State Park and the Colorado National Monument. Find out where we stay (including a luxury lodge on the banks of the Colorado River away from tourist crowds) and what to pack, and meet some of the wildlife we may encounter, such as bighorn sheep, pronghorn, golden eagles and more.

Meet the largest wild sheep in North America: the bighorn. These unique ungulates roam throughout the West, from red rock canyons to grassy prairies. Utah wildlife biologist Toni Proescholdt describes the bighorns’ complex social lives, including their sexually segregated herds (rams only join ewes during rut), lamb-rearing practices and the males’ impressive jousting abilities. Find out where you can spot bighorn sheep in the wild (including on our Glacier, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon adventures), and learn what to look for when observing them in the field.