7-Nights Canyon Adventure: Las Vegas, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon & More

Mesa Verde National Park

Located in southwest Colorado, Mesa Verde is one of the best places to view the ancient cliff dwellings built by the Anasazi. They lived throughout the area from about AD 550-1300, when their dwellings were suddenly abandoned. Other popular sites are at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona and Hovenweep National Monument on the Utah-Colorado border.

Mesa Verde is special because the cliff dwellings can be viewed at close range. Some tours even let visitors enter the structures.

As the name suggests, Mesa Verde is on a mesa; therefore, visitors must make a long but beautiful drive across the upland plateau to reach the ruins. There are great views of the distant San Juan Mountains from scenic pull-offs along the way. The Mesa Verde Research and Visitor Center sells tickets for the guided tours, and the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum offers an introduction to the Anasazi culture and its communities at Mesa Verde. Most of the park attractions are open mid-April to mid-October.

More than 600 cliff dwellings can be viewed in the park, but there are three standouts: Spruce Tree House, Cliff Palace and Balcony House. Spruce Tree House is tucked beneath a cliff just a short walk from the museum; however, rock falls and unstable pueblo architecture have forced park officials to restrict access to this ruin. Visitors can still view it from overlooks near the museum. Cliff Palace is the largest cliff dwelling in North America and can only be reached on a guided tour. A tour is also required to see Balcony House, perched in a cave high above the valley floor. The tour involves climbing up and down several ladders.

A visit to Mesa Verde could fill two days, but a half-day is enough time to make the drive across the plateau and see one or two of the ruins. There's a campground and a lodge in the park for those spending the night.

The park is open daily, and the entrance fee is US$15 per vehicle November-April, US$20 per vehicle May-October for a seven-day pass. Phone 970-529-4465. https://www.nps.gov/meve.

Moab

Located on the banks of the Colorado River, nestled in a fertile green valley between soaring red sandstone cliffs, the town of Moab is truly an emerald in the desert. Moab’s close proximity to several national and state parks has made it a popular destination, and a wonderful location to begin any adventure in southeastern Utah. The majestic LaSal Mountains tower over the southern end of town attaining heights of nearly 13,000 feet. Just five miles north of town is Arches National Park, which contains the world’s largest concentration of natural stone arches. Thirty miles west of Moab is Canyonlands National Park, containing over 500 square miles of incredibly rugged and spectacular canyon country.

Grand Canyon National Park

Located entirely in northern Arizona, the park encompasses 277 miles of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. One of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world, Grand Canyon is unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers to visitors on the rim. Grand Canyon National Park is a World Heritage Site.

Bryce Canyon National Park

At Bryce Canyon National Park, erosion has shaped colorful Claron limestones, sandstones, and mudstones into thousands of spires, fins, pinnacles, and mazes. Collectively called "hoodoos," these colorful and whimsical formations stand in horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters along the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau in Southern Utah.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas is one of the nation's hot spots. There are nightly shows, great dining, and world famous live entertainment to thrill and dazzle every visitor walking down the strip. Las Vegas is the largest city in the nation for gambling and entertainment. Casinos continuously amaze with their shows, attractions, and non stop gaming. Las Vegas has many local attractions and entertainment. World famous shows such as, Tom Jones, David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, and Steve and Eddie are here. Casinos offer live entertainment, fine dining, and all types of gambling to fit everyone's desire. Las Vegas also has great shopping, museums, and some of the nations best golf. Although Las Vegas is primarily known for gambling, everything else is worth offering here as well.