10 hours (approx.)
Daily Tour
12 people
English
Grand Canyon, Wupatki Native American Indian Ruins, and Sunset Crater Volcano triple park tour. Join Canyon Ministries on this exciting Christian tour through geology, archaeology, and history from a biblical creation perspective!* This full-day Triple Park Tour starts and ends in Flagstaff and includes an exciting day of adventure seeing the very best of the Grand Canyon National Park, ancient Native American Indian ruins at Wupatki National Monument, and guided exploration through the lava fields and explosive landscape of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Changing views and stunning scenery are sure to captivate the entire family on this day of adventure. Price includes entry fees to all 3 parks and bottled water. Does not include lunch, which you may buy in the park or bring with you. *More information on what we teach and additional tours, river trips, and backpacking adventures can be found on our Canyon Ministries website.
Departing the Doubletree Hotel in Flagstaff, our journey to the Grand Canyon takes us through scenic views of the San Francisco Volcanic Field, with cinder cones dotting the landscape and views Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona and capped with snow most of the year.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Arrive at the spectacular South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. Price of park entry is included in the tour. Keep an eye out for elk as we drive 10 minutes through the park to our first stop.
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Start near Yavapai Point for a restroom break, followed by our first views of the Grand Canyon with an introduction to the canyon’s features and spectacular geology.
From there, we can see the Bright Angel Trail, Phantom Ranch, and the Kaibab Suspension Bridge, along with views of the Colorado River far below.
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Explore the best of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim and Desert View Drive, with stops at key overlooks.
During our time at the Grand Canyon, we will discuss the accounts of biblical creation and the global Flood found in the book of Genesis, and how it relates to the features and formation of the canyon’s rock layers. We will then talk about the events we believe carved the Grand Canyon—a lot of water, in a little bit of time from massive lake spillover on the Colorado Plateau.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Stop at Grandview Point with distant views of the Colorado River and Tanner Rapid. While there, learn about the Wild West people history of the Grand Canyon, including copper mining and maybe a river trip story or two!
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Stop at Desert View for our lunch break, with food options at the Market and Deli. Featuring hot foods, salads, and sandwiches, along with a small grocery store. You may also opt to bring a lunch with you during the tour, though we may not have room for large coolers on the tour vehicle.
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Descend 3,000 feet from the Kaibab Plateau as we drive down into the lands of the Navajo Nation. With dramatic views of the Little Colorado River Gorge and distant Painted Desert, our journey is filled with stunning scenery and wild west wonderment.
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Explore Native American Indian ruins nearly 1,000 years old, surrounded by the high desert grasses and red rocks of this landscape.
We will talk about the Ice Age and migration of people groups around the world, including the Sinagua Ancestral Puebloans once referred to as the “Anasazi” that lived in this area.
We will see the distant Hopi Mesas where these Ancient Ones (Hisatsinom) moved to. Keep your eyes open, as there’s always the possibility of seeing pronghorn antelope, coyotes, or birds of prey in this landscape.
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Our drive from Wupatki to Sunset Crater Volcano climbs around 2,000 feet from desert rocks and grasses to tall Ponderosa pines as we explore the otherworldly landscape of the San Francisco Volcanic Field.
Our destination is Sunset Crater Volcano, the most recent eruption in the area. Once there, we will embark on a loop trail to get up close and hands-on with the volcanic rocks here, and learn about lava tubes, caves, and spatter cone “hornitos” that surround us.
The trail loop is optional, with additional viewpoints or shorter routes for those not wishing to to the walk.
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
The scenic views continue on our drive back to Flagstaff. With the best views of the San Franciso Peaks all day, the landscape often holds other surprises to see, such as deer, elk, meadows, and fields of wildflowers. We arrive back at the Doubletree Hotel for drop-off typically around 6:00 p.m.
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free