Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Red Cliffs Lodge. A transfer is included from Grand Junction Regional Airport to Red Cliffs Lodge in Moab, Utah. The "Spirit of the Desert" defies just one single definition. It's the spirit of the moment, a mood, a feeling harmonious with nature yet transcendent of earth and sky. It moves the senses to create, the mind and soul to soar, adventurers to be bold. And, starting tonight, you will become part of its amazing story. Learn about the days ahead through filmed vignettes by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, who explains:

"If you really want to witness the national parks when they're most beautiful, you want to see them at sunrise and sunset - the times when we typically shot most of the footage for our film. Nothing quite compares to those parts of the day. From 10 am to 3 pm, standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon is certainly awe-inspiring; but standing on the rim as the first rays of light hit the canyon, or when the last rays of a sinking sun move through it, is an experience beyond words."

In the vignette, Dayton introduces the "Dawn Patrol" and "Sunset Scouts," independent explorations that take place at these optimum times of the day; optional, they create an emotional connection to the parks that deepens your appreciation of all they offer. Following pre-dinner drinks featuring hot and cold canapés, join us for a "cowboy cookout" dinner at Red Cliffs Lodge as Tauck's Spirit of the Desert begins.

A tour this morning of Arches National Park provides many unexpected sights. You won't believe your eyes as you travel through the park – there are more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches here, the world's largest concentration. You'll find several varieties of arches as well as pinnacles that absolutely soar skyward, tafoni, and wildlife that has acclimated to the desert landscape. The land was declared a national monument in 1929, taking 40+ years to achieve national park status. You're sure to recognize Balanced Rock along with a variety of other sensational geological formations during guided sightseeing before a visit to the fun little town of Moab for lunch. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure at your Colorado River lodge, where activities such as horseback riding can be arranged individually (additional cost). You may wish to take a walk before dinner; your evening is spent at the lodge, which is steeped in the authenticity of its architectural style that truly defines what "the West" is all about.

Join your Tauck Director for a different type of exploring – a scenic float trip along the Colorado River* where rock towers, colors and light reflect upon the water like mirror images. Depart for the fun little town of Moab, then on to Canyonlands National Park, whose countless canyons, mesas and buttes shadow the Colorado River and the Green River. These rivers divide the park into four districts – and today you'll explore the northern section, Island in the Sky. There is no better way to experience Canyonlands than at sunset – and the setting sun, during a picnic dinner at Dead Horse Point overlooking the U-turn in the Colorado River, is nothing short of inspirational.

Enjoy some free time this morning – you might want to rise early and catch a beautiful sunrise, or explore the Film Museum at the Lodge. For the past 70 years, many of the most famous western movies were filmed in and around Moab – learn about the filming locations and the stars who brought them to life. Vignettes today include Dayton Duncan's insights on the best way to access the major sights in the national parks; some are available at a turnout, while others require back-country hiking or an aerial overview... like the way you'll see Capitol Reef National Park today, on a flightseeing excursion. Cross the Waterpocket Fold, which is sort of a "warp" in the Earth's crust that runs nearly 100 miles, and see Strike Valley, the spectacular sandstone Capitol Domes, colorful cliffs, soaring spires, odd monoliths and more. Arrive at Bryce Canyon National Park, home to some of Earth's more whimsical geologic formations; spend some time at the Visitor's Center and enjoy some free time before dinner.

You may want to rise early this morning to catch the shocking array of colors illuminated by the first rays of light throughout the park. More of a series of horseshoe "amphitheatres" than a canyon, morning walks reveal millions of pinnacles positively glowing... This afternoon, depart for Zion National Park; en route you'll learn about the park's complicated creation via a film vignette by Ken Burns, who shares his favorite memories of the park. Tour the park by narrated tram through Zion Valley, traveling to the Temple of Sinawava and the Great White Throne, then return to the lodge for dinner. 

"I was so impressed by the red cliffs and wilderness surroundings of Zion Canyon that I determined we should... have it made a national park." The words of conservationist Horace Albright set the stage for the expansion of national park designations in the Southwest, and the creation of Zion National Park in 1919. Zion's most striking images are unique sandstone cliffs that range from towering monoliths to narrow canyons, changing in color from light cream to pink to red. Today you are free to do as you wish; walk the trails to the Emerald Pools and the Court of the Patriarchs, perhaps do some hiking, or pursue other activities that interest you – there are a lot of possibilities within Zion including the Virgin River, which is a tributary of the Colorado River that earned the designation "wild and scenic."

A film vignette by Dayton Duncan tells the story of Grand Canyon National Park, and how it exemplified the struggle that often occurred when creating a new national park. Leave Zion, and en route to Grand Canyon National Park get a guided tour of fascinating Pipe Spring National Monument to learn about Paiute Indian and Mormon pioneer history. Your adventure continues with a short drive to Kanab where you'll board your plane for a flightseeing trip over the Grand Canyon toward our next destination - the South Rim, home to some of the most popular and iconic views in all of the park. Upon arrival, enjoy lunch at the historic El Tovar Lodge before enjoying time this afternoon to spend as you wish seeing some of the South Rim's most iconic sights and views. 

The South Rim is extraordinary at sunrise – well worth the early wake-up to see the canyon awaken with light. In the first still moments of morning, the vast chasm lies veiled in blue and lavender shadow, quiet and impossibly still. Then, as the sun breaks the horizon, light sweeps across the rock in waves of gold and rose, igniting spires and cliffs that seem to glow from within. Naturalist John Muir wrote: The dawn, as in all the pure, dry desert country, is ineffably beautiful; and when the first level sunbeams sting the domes and spires, with what a burst of power the big, wild days begin. Few places capture that power like the Grand Canyon, where the scale alone defies comprehension. You'll explore additional viewpoints, including some of its most breathtaking such as Mather Point – a favorite for its sweeping panorama that changes with every passing hour. Condors often glide along the cliffs, the Colorado River gleams far below, and the wind moves through stands of juniper and pinyon, carrying the clean scent of desert air. As the sun arcs higher, the canyon's colors deepen from coral to crimson, shadows shifting with every turn of light. Your afternoon is free to enjoy the park as you wish, perhaps lingering at an overlook, walking a short trail, or simply taking in the silence and scale that make the Grand Canyon unforgettable (some activities available at additional cost).

Today begins with one last chance to watch the sun rise over the South Rim of the canyon – a fitting finale to days spent in the presence of such grandeur. Your final film vignette offers reflections from Ken Burns, reminding us that what we carry home from the national parks are not just the views themselves, but the memories of those with whom we shared them. Dayton Duncan adds perspective on the parks as a legacy held in common – treasures entrusted to us all, with a responsibility to preserve them for generations to come. From the canyon, the journey follows historic Route 66, the "Mother Road" so memorably named by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath for its role in the Dust Bowl migrations and the wartime westward tide. By afternoon, the road delivers you to Las Vegas, long styled the "Entertainment Capital of the World." Here, your travels draw to a close with a farewell reception and dinner at the Four Seasons, shared once more with companions who have become part of the journey.

Tour ends: Las Vegas. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas to Harry Reid International Airport. Checkout time is 12:00 noon. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.