Fly to Las Vegas, the city of lights, and meet your travel friends and guide at 7 pm. Here we get introduced and then head out for a dinner together and chat about the days to come on your USA hiking adventure. After you can head out on the town, but don’t worry- what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

We depart Las Vegas and head for the Valley of Fire, where we hike the White Domes trail for a taste of the picture perfect desert landscapes that are in store for us. The Valley of Fire is made up of Aztec Sandstone, carved by windstorms over time and after massive inlands seas disappeared. Narrow slot canyons and caves keep every moment of your hike interesting. A second walk at Mouse’s Tank provides further opportunity to stretch our legs and marvel at the ancient petroglyphs that line the canyon walls. This evening we arrive at camp and get settled into desert camping as a group!
Stay: Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort - Camping 2 Nights
Hike: White Domes Trail and Mouse’s Tank- 2 miles, 2 hours
Drive: 3 Hours

This is the ultimate Zion National Park hiking tour, heading for Scout Lookout, where we get ridiculous (and famous) views over the sheer cliff walls and dramatic valleys and peaks that make up Zion. Stark contrasts between white and red rock walls, soaring rock fortresses and the beginning of Angel’s Landing are just some of the sights you can expect on your guided hike in Zion. Once we complete our main walk, we head up the Virgin River trail to explore the Temple of Sinawava and the Zion Narrows, in this area of fierce and unrelenting erosion. The rock walls seem to reach the sky, with the cool stream flowing through the narrow valley bottom, making for some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire country!
Hike: Scout Lookout & Riverside Trail- 6 miles, 1400 feet elevation, 3-4 hours.

We pack up camp this morning and head out, stopping briefly at Belly of the Dragon, for some fun photos inside a surprising and impressive cave carved out by thousands of years of water for our enjoyment! Next up, we head into Bryce Canyon National Park for a guided hike along a combination of Navajo, Queens Garden and Peekaboo Canyon trails to form an astoundingly beautiful loop, ending at Sunset Point. Some of the highlights today are dramatic red rock walls, and a narrow slot canyon that would inspire even the most reluctant photographer! Tonight we settle into a new campground and our base for the night!
Hike: Queens Garden & Navajo, Peekaboo Canyon- 7 miles, 5 hours
Stay: Ruby’s Inn & Campground
Drive: 1.5 hours

After departing our camp we join up with a renown Navajo tour guide to explore the world famous Antelope Canyon. Antelope Canyon (or culturally known as “the place where water runs through rocks” is rooted deeply in Navajo history and serves as a symbol that there are things greater than oneself at work in the universe and a reminder of the power of Mother Nature. As a group you will be entering the sacred canyon at the prime time of day, when beams of sunlight stream down through gaps in the top in the canyon, reflecting off the ochre colored walls and making for some world famous photos!
After your guided hike in Antelope Canyon, we will continue on our trip, arriving at Horseshoe Bend just in time to marvel at the views of the Grand Canyon as it glows in the warm light of sunset. From the viewpoint you will be looking down over 1000 feet into the famous bend of the Colorado River, standing where countless artists and explorers have stood in awe over the past several hundred years. (Just please don’t write us a poem!)
Drive: 4.5 hours
Hike: Antelope Canyon - 1 hour
Stay: Mather Campground- 2 Nights

Today is a free day for you to explore the world famous Grand Canyon on your own, or with some friends from the group. Commercial guides are not allowed to guide below the rim of the canyon, so our guides are there to ensure you know where you are going, have all the information you need and a tasty picnic lunch to bring with you. There are several trails t choose from, ranging from easy scenic walks to lengthy challenging endeavors into the heart of the canyon.. whichever suits you!
Optional activity is a scenic helicopter flight. $379 USD. Your guide can help you arrange this.
Hike: Self-guided hiking options ranging from 2-10 miles, 1-6 hours

Today we begin our journey westward towards Yosemite National Park and the Eastern Sierras. We travel along the notorious Route 66, which has been featured in countless songs and movies over the past several decades.
We stop along the way to break up the drive at Pete’s Gas Station Museum, the old western town of Oatman and Seligman. As we cross the desert region we arrive in Barstow, where we stop for the night and go out for a classic American diner experience.
Drive: 5 Hours
Stay: California Inn- 1 Night

As we continue our journey to Yosemite National Park, we spend the day passing through and exploring Alabama Hills, which is a seldom seen corner of California, taking us far from the crowds further west and to some iconic views, including a mountain range that was featured in the first Ironman movie.
We do a small hike to Mobius Arch, known for the unique and otherworldly rock formation where you can take some cool photos. As we arrive, we settle into our campground for the night with views of the Sierra Mountains and brilliant starry skies.
Drive: 3 hours
Hike: Mobius Arch Trail 1-3 miles, 1+ hours
Stay: Brown’s Town Campgrounds

Capture the morning light at Mono Lake. Mono Lake is unique, being a soda saline lake, which means it has a very high salt content, since there is no outflow for the water to cycle through the lake. As a result, brine shrimp inhabit the lake, which supports a population of some two million migratory bird species in this delicate ecosystem.
Next we head West through Tioga Pass, stopping for a hike at Lembert Dome, one of the granite rock formations that Yosemite is famous for. From the top of the dome, ou can see the park stretching out to the West and the iconic mountains all around.
Our next stop is a Tuolumne Grove for a walking tour through an ancient grove of massive Sequoia trees. Some of the trunks are big enough to drive a car through, and it would take many people connecting hands to wrap around the trees, which tower far above us.
Drive: 2 hours
Hike: Lembert Dome & Tuolumne Grove- 6 mile, 1000 feet, 3.5 hours
Stay: Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Campground- 3 Nights

“The Mountains Are Calling, And I Must Go”.- John Muir.
Today the mountains call and we will go! You have the option to hike with your guide, or venture on your own, with a variety of trail options and sites to choose from.
As a group, we will start out hiking the 3 mile Upper Vernal Falls Trail for some classic Yosemite waterfalls cascading down sheer walls right in front of us!
After this, we transfer over to Glacier Point for a 2 mile hike up Sentinel Dome, with views you will likely recognize from your computer desktop wallpaper and phone backgrounds. As we return to Glacier Point at the end of the hike, we spend some time taking in the afternoon views of Half Dome, which is the most famous rock in Yosemite and arguably in the world. You will see why soon!
Drive: 1-2 hours (local transfers)
Hike: 3+2 miles, 1000+500 feet, 3+2 Hours

Today is our last day to hike as a group, so we make it count with an epic guided hiking trip in Yosemite National Park to North Dome! North Dome is one of the best rated and revered hikes in Yosemite with absolutely epic views of Half Dome and the Yosemite Valley.
Walk through sunny pine forested slopes, until we arrive at the dome, which looks out over some of the most iconic scenery in all of California.
Hike: North Dome Trail- 10 miles, 2700 feet, 6-7 hours

We pack up camp and head to San Francisco, stopping to check out the Golden Gate Bridge on the way. Drop off at Stanford Court at 1 pm.
Drive: 3 Hours
Drop Off Time: 1 pm

During your camping tour in America’s Southwest region you won’t have to stress about weather! We plan our small group tours for the times of year with the best weather, avoiding the dangerous heat of summer (and also the summer crowds).

Nevada, Utah, Interior California and Arizona have very similar weather and climate.

Temperatures range from 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit (10-30 degrees Celsius) during the spring months and fall months. Summer temperatures USA’s desert regions can get up to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).

The best news is that the desert regions are blessed with roughly 345 days of sun each year, so you won’t have to worry about rain on your camping trip!

Another perk to travelling on a USA hiking vacation in the Southwest is that there are hardly any bugs!

Dry climates mean fewer mosquitoes and flies. You really don’t need to put much thought into bugs while on your group tour with us, but if you prefer to be on the safe side, a can of bug spray is never a bad idea to bring!

The hikes on this tour are moderate in level, though hot temperatures can increase the challenge, as well as sandy trails, which can make walking a little more difficult. We have rated this tour a mix of level 2 and 3 in our activity ratings, which means you should be prepared for Level 3 activities. Often the total hiking distance each day is broken into 2-3 hikes, which offers opportunity to rest between walks and possibly even it one out if you are too tired.

Level 3-Active
Hiking: Hiking on established trails with a light daypack. Covering 10-18 km (6-12 miles) with elevation gain up to 1000 meters. Typically hiking for 3-5 hours per day.

Our groups are small and sociable and we believe that our Fresh Family is what makes our tours amazing! We are lucky to attract very warm, welcoming people from all over the world who share a passion for adventure and sharing experiences with new people.

Age Range: 30-75 (Average age around 50)
Gender: Roughly 60 percent female/ 40 percent male
Booking Size: Roughly 60 percent are travelling solo and 40 percent are couples and small groups of 2-3 friends.

You don’t need to carry everything on your back, so you can pack in a suitcase, duffel bag or backpack.

Days are usually warm, though nights can occasionally be cool. Below is a general packing list:

• 2 complete warm layering systems that are not cotton (think fleece, polyester, merino wool etc, for top and bottom) It is best to dress in layers so you can adapt to changing weather. A light base layer, with a warmer layer on top and rain jacket will help you stay warm.

• Rain jacket (anything wind and waterproof will work) Rain pants are helpful too.

• Comfortable hiking boots (Anything comfy, stable & blister free & don't mind getting dirty/ wet)

• Bathing suit and towel (for showers along the way)

• Socks and underwear (you knew that though I hope)

• Small day pack to carry your personal items on hikes

• Any medications you need (like epi pens, asthma or heart meds, insulin) Very important!

• Suitcase/ duffel bag or back pack for your luggage (we have lots of room, bring whatever works- you won't have to carry it)

• Hiking poles if you feel you might need them to protect your knees on rocky paths

• Sunscreen, bug spray, sun glasses, lip chap all help

• At least two 1 liter water bottles

• Travel pillow (or bunch up your sweater) & Sleeping bag rated to 0 degrees C (unless renting ours) This is for camping tours only.

• Headlamp or flashlight (helps during the midnight dash to the toilet)

• Camera for the epic views

Hotels on the tour are 3 star hotels, typically with two queen beds per room and a private bathroom.

For camping stays we pair two people up in a three person tent to ensure there is adequate space.

Tents are spacious, but not big enough to stand up in. There is a vestibule on each side for luggage to be stored.

Bathrooms are nearby and have showers and flush toilets for the most part.

We have a kitchen area with a group tarp, fire ring and picnic tables to relax and socialize at.

We have found over the years that our travelers have a vastly better time on their tour if they pitch in a bit throughout the tour. That being said, this is no military routine and our priority is for you to have fun.

We ask our guests to be in charge of setting up/ taking down their tents at each new campsite. Our tents are easy and usually take less than five minutes to set up, plus our guides are there to help or offer some guidance.

Around camp we ask our guests to help a bit with meals, which usually is in the form of helping chop some veggies/ grate cheese etc on 2-3 meals and help with dishes for 2-3 meals over the course of your entire tour.

This helps ensure your guide is able to focus on delivering a smooth and memorable experience for you!

Our guided group hiking vacations are perfect for solo travelers with our solo-travel policies.

We were awarded “The Best Tour Operator For Solo Travelers In Canada” in 2022!

As a solo traveler on our guided hiking trips, you can opt to share a tent and hotel room with another traveler of the same sex, or upgrade to a single room for more privacy and space- the choice is yours

You will never be forced to pay extra as a solo traveler.

There are a few moments where cash is required on your guided USA walking vacation.

A few of the campgrounds have coin operated showers. Almost everything else can be paid for with credit card.

If you bring $100 USD cash during your walking holiday, you will have plenty and there are ATM’s along the way, so your guide can help you access cash.