The Sierra Club says A backpack trip down the Paria River Canyon is so special that it should be on everyone s list of things to do before they leave this world. And we agree.

The Paria River is a stunning slot-canyon and major tributary to the Colorado River at the border of Utah and Arizona. Our canyon backpack trip is a 5-day, 38 mile journey to the mighty Colorado River.

Imagine an experience of walking into and through mother nature and you can imagine what a trip through the Paria is like. The hike itself is in the riverbed which is filled with water for most of the trip. It meanders in a flowing pattern, starting in the open scrub desert and flowing down through 1600 walls of Navajo Sandstone (the narrows section) and then back out into open scrub desert. We will be crossing and walking in the riverbed itself for most of journey.

We ll meet on Day One at Lee s Ferry, Arizona, where we will split up our group gear and travel by shuttle to our trip start location at the White House Trailhead in Utah. We spend 5 days in the canyon, camping on sandbar ledges and enjoying the beauty and stillness of the experience. Our trip will run expedition style with participants contributing to the camp experience. We ll offer yoga sessions to stretch our bodies physically and evening circles to help integrate the experiences of the day.

Despite hiking in a riverbed, the journey is moderate due to the remoteness, the possibility of deep water crossings, the overall mileage and the need to carry extra water throughout most of the trip. Hiking and camping in this beautiful canyon is a trip of a lifetime and we will take time to appreciate the natural history and the peacefulness it invokes in us.

On our final day we anticipate leaving the canyon at Lee s Ferry by 3 PM allowing time for you to travel to Flagstaff for hot showers and restaurant food. You may also camp at Lee s Ferry or stay at the local lodge.

What is Included: Shuttle between Lee s Ferry and the trailhead; all food from lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 5; all group cooking, tents and water filtering gear.  A shuttle from the Phoenix airport and our start location is also available the day before the trip begins for an additional fee - please contact us for information.

What you will need to bring: Sleeping bag and pad, water bottles/bladders, and personal gear. We will send you a gear checklist once you sign up for this trip.

Activities: Backpacking, day hiking, yoga, journaling, quiet time for meditation and evening group circles to integrate the days experiences.

How to sign up: You can register and hold your spot right now for this trip by contacting the Sol Journeys office — we prefer you contact us to register for any backpack adventure.  Then view the details section of this website, download a trip application Trip Application Form or contact Sol Journeys at (520) 275 4759 or at info@soljourneys.com for more information.  A $500 deposit is required to hold your space on the journey.

Dates: October 7 - 11, 2007 and December 2 - 6, 2007.
You will need to arrive to Lee’s Ferry the day before the trip start date.

Trip Cost: $1095.

Group Size: Maximum of 10 (includes 2 Sol Journey guides)

If you want to buy some books about this area, Here are the titles we recommend:
Hiking and Exploring the Paria River
Hiking Arizona’s Geology
How the Canyon Became Grand
Hiking the Grand Canyon’s Geology
Down the Great Unknown