For our big trip in 2015, we spent eight days exploring the national parks and birding hotspots of northern Arizona and southern Utah. After landing in Phoenix, we grabbed some Whataburgers and started our drive toward Flagstaff.
Our first birding stop was at Tappan Spring, a historic watering hole for outlaws and settlers. As always, the presence of water meant a great birding opportunity. We found a Black Phoebe, a Say’s Phoebe, a Black-throated Sparrow, and a lifer for our list: a Violet-green Swallow.
Grand Canyon
The first stop on our Grand Circle tour was none other than the magnificent Grand Canyon. With so many overlooks along the road to Grand Canyon Village, it was impossible to stop at them all. Since it was our first time, we were completely in awe of the incredible views. We checked into the historic El Tovar Hotel, a beautiful lodge built in the early 1900s, dropped our bags, and immediately hopped on a park bus to Mohave Point to catch the sunset. While we see plenty of sunsets in Florida, nothing could have prepared us for the stunning color changes in the canyon as the sun went down.
The next morning, we grabbed our coffee and walked out behind the El Tovar to watch the sunrise. As the canyon came to life, we did some birding through the juniper and pine scrub. We were thrilled to find a Western Scrub-jay, a White-throated Swift, and a Juniper Titmouse. We also spotted a Dark-eyed Junco (the Gray-headed variety) and three different types of nuthatches. It was a perfect start to our day at the canyon!
Zion National Park
Later that day, we arrived at the entrance to Zion National Park, a place that would quickly become one of our favorite spots on earth. If you ever get the chance to visit, we highly recommend staying at the Zion Lodge. Their cozy cabins offer stunning views of the canyon walls, and the on-site restaurants and friendly staff make it the perfect basecamp. The view here is the opposite of the Grand Canyon; instead of looking down, you’re constantly looking up at the towering cliffs.
Of course, we were up at the crack of dawn to bird before breakfast. We spotted a Lucy’s Warbler, a Yellow Warbler, and a Spotted Towhee, along with the Juniper Titmouse. Taking the bus up the canyon, we watched in awe as rock climbers scaled the sheer cliffs—one climber gave us a good scare, swinging freely 500 feet above the ground! At the north end of the canyon, known as The Narrows, we found our lifer American Dipper jumping from rock to rock and diving into the swift current of the Virgin River.
The next morning, on our way to get coffee, we were surrounded by chattering wrens and several male Wild Turkeys in full display, trying their best to impress a lone female.
Bryce Canyon
On our drive to Bryce Canyon, we couldn’t resist a roadside stop that offered great views of Meadowlarks, Swallows, and a striking Black-billed Magpie. When we finally arrived at Bryce, we were completely mesmerized. If it’s even possible, the rock formations here—known as “hoodoos”—were more stunning than anything we had seen at the Grand Canyon or Zion.
The birding at Bryce was just as incredible. We were thrilled to add a Red-naped Sapsucker to our life list! After leaving the park, we checked out the City Ponds, where we spotted Cinnamon Teal, a couple of beautiful Western and Mountain Bluebirds, and a flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds in a nearby cow pasture.
The next leg of our journey took us along the breathtaking Highway 12 East. We stopped for some delicious sandwiches at Escalante Outfitters and, during a quick stop at the nearby Calf Creek campground, we were treated to a flock of Lesser Goldfinches.
Our final destination for the day was Green River. We hoped to grab a bottle of wine before checking into our hotel, but that proved to be more difficult than we expected. Our phones told us the nearest liquor store was 50 miles away! We finally understood a sign we had seen earlier: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may be in Utah!” It was a funny and fitting end to our day.
Canyonlands and Arches National Park
Our day started with a bit of unexpected excitement as we drove south toward Moab. We passed a group of Pronghorn Antelope racing along a fence line, with a Park Ranger in hot pursuit, trying to safely usher them back into the preserve.
Our first stop was Canyonlands National Park, the fourth national park on our trip. We made our way to Grand View Point for a stunning view of where the Colorado and Green Rivers meet. Birding here was good, and we spotted a Say’s Phoebe, a Black-throated Sparrow, and a beautiful Black Rosy-Finch.
Next, we headed to Arches National Park, one of the most photographed destinations in all of Utah. We took incredible photos that we’ll cherish forever on our hikes to both Turret Arch and the world-famous Delicate Arch. We were also thrilled to finally locate several Rock Wrens, a bird we had been searching for over the last few days.
Wednesday night, we stayed at the Red Cliffs Lodge, about 12 miles east of Moab. The lodge is on the grounds of a working winery and has a highly rated restaurant. The scenery is so iconic that many Western movies, including Rio Grande starring John Wayne, were filmed here.
The lodge offers a wide range of activities, from horseback riding and mountain biking to whitewater rafting and, of course, birding. As the sun set, we were treated to a stunning sight we’d only ever seen in paintings: a truly blue sky at night. It was an amazing end to another great day.
The next morning, we headed south toward Arizona, taking a detour onto a dirt road that led us to Recapture Reservoir. This stop proved to be a great one for birds, and we found a variety of ducks, Lark Sparrows, and an Eared Grebe.
From there, we turned west on Highway 95 at Blanding, on the hunt for Butler Wash, the site of an Anasazi Indian ruin. We hiked along a creekside and up a hill to find the Target Ruin, one of several ancient dwellings in the area. It was amazing to think about the people who lived and survived in these cliff dwellings so long ago. The cave walls still had visible petroglyphs, and we could see remnants of their fires on the ground.
After crossing back into Arizona, we arrived at the breathtaking Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. This is another one of those iconic places we’ve all seen in Western movies. We took a self-guided tour over the reservation’s often-rough and always-dusty roads. The views were absolutely stunning, with towering buttes and mesas in every direction. At one point, we even saw a cowboy silhouetted on a distant ridge, a perfect image straight out of a film.
It was a fantastic way to end our Grand Circle tour of the national parks. It’s truly impossible to put into words the sights we saw over the last few days—you just have to experience it for yourself.
Next up: It’s getting Verde Birdy
Trip : Total Species: 84 Year Birds: 36 Life Birds: 6
2015 : Year Birds: 267 Life Birds: 12
Here’s the list: 2015 Bird List
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