Tanner to Grandview along the Escalante Route
Join us on this extraordinary journey if you seek the ultimate challenge, jaw-dropping vistas, and the chance to immerse yourself in natural wonders. This remote exploration of the Escalante Route on the canyon's wilderness trails will challenge your hiking skills.
- Dates: October 29–November 5, 2026
- Difficulty: Expert
- Trip Length: 8 Days
- Cost: $1,700
- Group size: 9
Trip Highlights
- Experience a thrilling adventure through jaw-dropping geology, vibrant flora, and captivating fauna.
- Trek alongside the mighty Colorado River, immersing yourself in wilderness and tranquil campsite settings.
- Challenge yourself with long and demanding days, conquering various downhill sections
- Benefit from the expertise of experienced guides who prioritize your safety and provide expert guidance.
- Discover the grandeur of the Grand Canyon's landscapes, feeling a profound sense of accomplishment and awe.
- Receive a comprehensive 60-day workout schedule from GCCFI, with mobility, strength, and cardio exercises.
- GCCFI provides logistics and transportation to and from the trailhead.
What's included
Price for the class includes:
Expert and educated instructors
Comprehensive gear list
Menu planning ideas
Expedition First Aid kit and Satellite phone carried by instructor
Rat sacks
Backcountry permits for backpacking into Grand Canyon
Food containers are provided in corridor campgrounds
What's not included
You are responsible for:
Transportation to and from the canyon
All of your food and gear, including a water filter
Hotel lodging in the park before or after your trip if you would like
Guide gratuity (industry recommendation 15-20% of trip cost, read this article to receive more guidance)
Itinerary
Meet your Grand Canyon experts
Christa Sadler
Christa has worked with the Field Institute since its inception in 1993. She is a geologist, educator and naturalist with a serious addiction to rivers, deserts and mountains. She has pursued research in archaeology, geology and paleontology across much of the globe, including searching for dinosaurs in Montana, fighting off dust storms and overly curious camels in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and steering clear of annoyed marine iguanas in the Galapagos Islands. Christa teaches geology and guides in the canyons and on the rivers of the Southwest in the spring and fall, and escapes to Alaska in the summers. She also runs This Earth, a small business that takes geology and fossil programs to children around the country, and designs Earth science exercises, programs and field trips for students in grades K–12. Christa’s writing and photographs have appeared in Plateau Journal, Sedona Magazine and Earth Magazine, and she is the author of Life in Stone and The Colorado, as well as the editor of the anthology There’s This River … Grand Canyon Boatman Stories.
Lisa Kearsley
MSLisa Kearsley came to love the Grand Canyon while spending her childhood summers on the North Rim as her father studied Kaibab squirrels. She moved to Arizona in the 1980s to earn a master’s degree in biology at Northern Arizona University and, like many who have come to Arizona, she never left. She has worked for the National Park Service at Grand Canyon as an interpretive park ranger and as a researcher, studying the effects of Glen Canyon Dam on the river, and she wrote and published a river guide book, the San Juan River Guide. She eventually found that introducing people to the Southwest is her true calling. She now focuses on helping people experience the Grand Canyon by getting them prepared for Grand Canyon river trips and by leading hikes and backpack trips into the canyon. She also is a natural science illustrator, working with pen and ink and watercolor.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Please notify our office as soon as possible should you need to cancel your registration. If you cancel or leave a trip early for any reason:
- 60+ Days prior to trip start date: full refund minus a 10% administrative fee.
- 59-45 Days prior to the trip start date: 50% refund will be issued
- Less than 45 days prior to trip start date: no refund
Reserved spots are transferable to different trips, if there is availability. This transfer can occur up to 45 days prior to the trip's start date.
Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute reserves the right to cancel all or a portion of a trip due the following circumstances; failure to meet the participant minimum and loss of scheduled staff due to injury or illness. In this event, participants will receive a full refund.
In addition, Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute may cancel a trip due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather events, natural disasters, park closures, and health emergencies, and there is no alternative trip is available to you. If GCCFI cancels the trip due to unforeseen circumstances 15 days or more prior to departure, the customer will receive a full refund. If the trip is a multiday program and GCCFI cancels 2 weeks prior due to unforeseen circumstances, participants will receive full refund minus 10% administrative fee.
Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute is not responsible for: flight tickets, visa fees if applicable, gear, medical expenses, clothing, and any expenses occurred while preparing for this trip.
We highly recommend the purchase of trip insurance to help offset any cost incurred if cancellation occurs.
Payment Plan Policy
To secure your booking, a 10% deposit of the total tour cost is required at the time of booking. This deposit confirms your reservation and guarantees your spot on the tour. An additional 50% payment of the balance is due 90 days before departure.
The remaining 40% of the balance is due 45 days before departure. Please ensure the final payment is made by this deadline to avoid any delays or complications with your tour.
If you have any questions or need assistance regarding the payment process, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Timely payments ensure we can provide the best possible experience, and we look forward to welcoming you on your tour.
Testimonials
The Zelkovic Family
“Our day with the Field Institute exceeded all our expectations and we came away with a great respect for the canyon and for the work of the Conservancy. It was such a wonderful experience from beginning to end and hope we can return in the not so distant future to participate in one of your multi-day programs.”
The Jankowskis
“Our family’s experience was nothing short of amazing! Slim (our guide) provided a perspective we would have never been able to get on our own and we learned so much. Her passion for the canyon and what she does came through too, which made our time something we’ll never forget!”
Amy Waits
“The guides were awesome – so educational and patient!!! Encouraging & helpful in every way. Such an amazing first visit to the canyon – Life changing to have experienced the GC up close & personal… Thank you so much!”
Joe Sweeney
“I've brought many school groups to the Field Institute and the quality of instruction provides them with an understanding of Indigenous cultures, diverse ecology, and geologic history. Students leave with a stronger sense of self-confidence, an intimate connection to nature, and memories that will last a lifetime.”
Andy M.
“Top to bottom, the Field Institute exceeded all of my expectations .... they ensured we packed wisely for our trip and saved me from lugging around 5 lbs. of junk I didn't need. Overall, it's packed with value that I don't think commercial outfitters would provide and delivered a deeply rich experience.”