Zion Bike & Explore Four Day Tour, Lizard Head Cycling Guides
   
107 Aurum St, Box 855, Ophir, CO 81426 970.728.5891 info@LizardHeadCyclingGuides.com

Zion Bike & Explore Tour

Please click here to jump to the Overview section with all tour details including pricing.

Enjoy one of our shorter and easier tours offering the best that St. George and Zion National Park have to offer in a combined 4-day/3-night road riding and exploration tour through some of the most magnificent terrain in the high desert of southwest Utah.

Zion Bike & Explore Tour: Highlights

High above Zion National Park

Checkerboard Mesa in Zion National Park

A view from above in Zion

Zion Bike & Explore Tour: Tour Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

To easily register for a particular tour, please click the Book Now! link after the tour date listed below. This will select the tour name and the appropriate date on the registration form.

2024 Tour Dates

This tour runs from Wednesday to Saturday unless noted otherwise.

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Why Should you Sign-Up Now and OPEN a Tour Date?
This is the proverbial chicken and the egg conundrum! We need our cyclists to first commit to the date that works for them so that we can commit to that date.

For starters, when you OPEN a date you get to pick your preferred departure date, and there is no penalty if the tour does not run. Once you pick your tour date, Lizard Head closes nearby dates and funnels all additional riders to your chosen date until the tour meets its 6 rider minimum.

BONUS: As an added bonus, we can also hold a spot for you on another tour date of your choosing. There is no fee to switch to another tour date.

In conclusion, if you want a tour to run, we need you to sign up and not wait for others to do the same! Waiting for others may mean that a tour date takes longer or does not confirm. Just Do It! Once a few riders jump into the proverbial waters, others will follow!

Zion Bike & Explore Tour: Overview

Reptile Rewards

Tour Length: 4-Days/3-Nights

Starting & Ending Town: St. George, Utah. Fly in and out of Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS), or St. George Utah (SGU). Shuttle service from and back to Las Vegas available through the St. George Shuttle.

Group Size: 6 to 15 riders

Total Miles: 85 up to 110

Daily Mileage Range: 17 to 36

Ability Level: Intermediate (2/3)  to Upper Intermediate (3) 

Tour Cost: $1,735 per person. Add $450 per person to the Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour (includes 3-Nights).

Tour Discounts: Please see our Reptile Rewards & Tour Discounts page to learn more about Reptile Rewards, Tour Discounts, and Group Discounts. Tour discounts are not stackable with any other discounts or promotions – only the highest valued discount is provided. Please note that for discounts to apply the tour minimum must be met.

Tour Includes: 4-Days guide service, 3-Nights lodging, all meals, entry fees, energy food, liquid refreshments, in-tour shuttles, and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages, bike rental, and massage (if available) are additional.

Lodging Includes 3-Nights: (subject to change based on availability)

Meeting Hotel and Ending Hotel reservations and costs are NOT included unless specified otherwise. Guests are on-their-own to make reservations at the Meeting Hotel or Ending Hotel, or other nearby hotels.

Road Bike Rentals

NOTE: The make, model, and specifications of rental bikes may differ from what is described below. Please contact us if you have any specific needs for a rental bike or have any questions about rental bikes.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent Scott Bikes. The Scott Addict 10 Disc was designed from the ground up with those longer days in mind. With geometry that is less focused on racing and more on enduring, the Addict 10 will be your go to when you’re looking to put the miles in.

The Scott Addict 10 Disc features: Carbon Frame and Fork, Shimano Ultegra 2x11 Drivetrain, 34x32 Compact Gearing, 30mm Tires, and Hydraulic Disc Brakes. Approx. Weight: 16.89 lbs / 7.66 kg (without pedals)

Learn more about our Rental Bikes and Equipment

Road E-Bike Rentals: Click Here for more information on our Road E-Bike Rentals including pricing. Please note that E-Bikes are not available for certain tours including those that involve camping. Please contact us for more information before registering for a tour. NOTE: E-Bikes are great, but our tours are designed to be ridden without motorized assistance. We offer "bumps" along the road so that everyone can stay together.

Tandems and Recumbents: Lizard Head Cycling Guides happily accommodates both tandem and recumbent bikes on our tours.

If you have any further questions, please read more on our Rental Bikes FAQ page. You can also email us at info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com or call us at 970.728.5891

Meals On Tour

Lizard Head Cycling Guides provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted) including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.

Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and occasionally guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being "off the grid", most of our off-road tours feature guide prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called "Guide TV". :)

We also pride ourselves on being able to cater to specific dietary requests and needs, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works best for you during your tour. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, or a someone who loves it all – we will keep you well fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepares healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert... yum! :) Also, while on tour if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

Definition of Ability Levels

= Intermediate (2/3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 1 to 3 times a week for a total of 50 or more miles.
= Upper Intermediate (3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 2 to 4 times a week for a total of 75 or more miles.
= Advanced (3/4) Rides and/or takes spin classes 3 to 5 times a week for a total of 100 or more miles. Has ridden multi-day tours and done a century ride.
= Expert (4) Rides 4 or more times per week totaling 150 or more miles. Rides E.F.I. with regularity. Has done numerous multi-day tours, century rides and races.

How Fit do I Have to Be? If one month prior to the tour, you can ride 2 to 3 times a week equaling a total of 75 or more miles a week, you'll do just fine. We like to jokingly say that "one is ready for a Lizard Head Cycling Tour when they are finished with tour" and this is true! The only way to simulate a week long bike tour is to go on a week long tour.

Our average rider age is 55 years. These are bike tours, not races so we take our time to stop, take pictures and see the sights. We have all day to reach our destination and most riders take "bumps" at some points. We offer reduced mileage options for each day. Of course if someone wants to ride E.F.I. (Every Freaking Inch), we love to show them all the extra climbs, loops and hidden canyons that can be included!

Do the Bump! Daily mileage options allow cyclists of varying abilities to enjoy this tour. One of our favorite options is to give cyclists a "bump" via the support vehicle, or a 10 to 20 mile lift down the road representing an hour of pedal time. After the bump the rider is "off the front" and riding at his or her own pace without feeling they are being left behind the group. They'll then have time to linger and take in the spectacular scenery. All cyclists come together in time for lunch. Afterwards, cyclists can take another bump and/or continue riding.

Seamless Mileage Options: Lizard Head Cycling Guides designs multiple mileage options for each tour – something we're well known for in our business. This technique is similar to heliskiing in that one does not ski everything, they ski the best. 🙂

Slow or Fast? Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then they're surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are truly going fast enough.

If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at 970.728.5891 - we'll more than happy to guide you!

Please also see this blog post for more information.

Zion Bike & Explore Tour: 4-Day Itinerary

*PLEASE NOTE: Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline as to what to expect while on this tour.

Day 0: Arrival in St. George, Utah

Guests fly into Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and arrange for their own shuttle to St. George, Utah via one of the available St. George shuttles (St. George Shuttle; St. George Express) or a rental vehicle. The tour meets at and departs from the Clarion Suites in St. George, Utah at 7:00 AM on Day 1.

Alternatively, guests can also fly into the smaller SGU Regional Airport (SGU) which is serviced by Delta Air Lines from Salt Lake City, Utah and United Airlines from Denver, Colorado.

Day 1: Gunlock Reservoir/Snow Canyon Loop
Ride 36 miles with 2,300 feet of climbing

Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon State Park

On our first day, we will meet early morning, load gear and then depart from the meeting hotel to shuttle a short distance to the start of today’s ride on the west side of Santa Clara, Utah. After unloading gear and setting up our bikes, we head north through the Santa Clara River Valley into Gunlock State Park and past the Gunlock Reservoir.

After passing through Gunlock State Park, we continue north and then begin the loop back south through Snow Canyon State Park riding past its majestic red Navajo sandstone formations and fields of ancient lava flows. Our stop for lunch will be within the park and after lunch, we finish our ride with a short pedal to the Red Mountain Resort, our accommodations for the evening.

Bike way through Snow Canyon State Park

Red Mountain Resort

Elevation Profile: +2450 ft / -2284 ft

Day 2: Zion Canyon Ride
Ride 17 miles with 1,200 feet of climbing

Riding in Zion Canyon

Following breakfast and the loading of gear into the support vehicle, we shuttle an hour east from the Red Mountain Resort to Springdale, Utah. From here we unload and ride along the Pa’rus Trail into Zion National Park where riders will enjoy a seven mile car-free journey along the floor of Zion Canyon past magnificent sandstone formations such as the Watchman, Court of the Patriarchs and eventually to the Temple of Sinawava.

On this day guests pack a lunch and are then on-their-own to choose from a variety of self-guided and self-supported hikes including the Narrows or Hidden Canyon. After your hike, ride back down the canyon, return to Springdale and check into the Cliffrose Lodge.

Deep within the Zion Narrows

The Cliffrose Lodge in Springdale, Utah

Elevation Profile: +1134 ft / -1123 ft

Day 3: Zion from Above, Out & Back
Ride 31 miles with 2,000 feet of climbing

Zion from above

Plan to ride early today as after breakfast we shuttle from the Cliffrose Lodge to the east side of Zion Tunnel to start today’s ride. You will be amazed at the imposing ancient rock formations along this twisty road including the magnificent Checkerboard Mesa. You likely will want to stop many times along the way to take in the views and capture some photos.

We soon depart the east entrance of Zion National Park and turn left onto North Fork County Road up to Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort, and then we turn around to return back to our start location Zion Tunnel. From here we shuttle through the tunnel to the west side entrance where riders are let loose to cruise down the sublime twisties into Zion Canyon to finish the last five miles back to the Cliffrose Lodge. This will be a ride that you will soon not forget!

A gourmet lunch will then be held at the Cliffrose Lodge where we refuel and relax after the morning’s ride. An optional on-your-own self-guided and self-supported hike up and down the nearby Watchman Trail from the lodge is recommended for those looking to take in more of Zion Canyon.

Looking down at the twisties in Zion Canyon

The Watchman

Elevation Profile: +2040 ft / -3282 ft

Day 4: On-Your-Own in Zion National Park

Amazing views in Zion

After a hearty breakfast, guests are on-their-own for further exploration of Zion National Park today. Take the excellent Zion shuttle system bus from the lodge into Zion National Park and are on-their-own to chose from a number of self-guided and self-supported hikes.

Upon your return to town after your exploration, we will have lunch, pack up the support vehicle and return to St. George, Utah to end our adventure. Guests will need to arrange their own shuttle from St. George back to Las Vegas.

Zion Bike & Explore Tour: Logistics & FAQs

Bike Shipping

Lizard Head Cycling recommends shipping with BikeFlights.com. Bikes can be shipped either to our partner bike shop in each meeting town for professional assembly or directly to the meeting hotel for self-assembly. Bike boxes can generally be left at the meeting hotel during the tour. Bikes shipped across the continental US should be shipped 8 days prior to your tour.

Meals
Most meals are included. In total 3 dinners, daily breakfasts and 4 lunches are included.

Breakfasts and dinners are in restaurants where clients either order off the menu or choose from a buffet. Fresh lunches that include salads, local fruit, vegetables and meats are served in roadside parks by the Lizard Head Cycling Guides. Any dietary preferences or allergies should be noted on the registration form. Each of Lizard Head Cycling’s lunches contains gluten free options.

If on any given night a guest is tired or not feeling particularly social, they can choose to eat early and retire. Lizard Head Cycling enjoys hosting its guests for meals each evening, but understands some of us may just need to lie down after a day in the saddle. A meal should not feel like marathon after a big day on the bike.

Ride Difficulty
This tour is designed for intermediate cyclists with various levels of fitness. Each day there are additional mileage options for advanced riders. With gently rolling terrain and only a few steep & long climbs, this tour is an easier tour for most cyclists.

Tour Support
A 15-passenger van and trailer that carries luggage, food and equipment supports Lizard Head Cycling’s tours. Cyclists keep a day bag that is accessible within the support vehicle.

The vehicle will sag and then pass riders to set up aid stations every 20 to 25 miles. This allows cyclists to linger at the back and then take a ten-mile, fifteen-mile or whatever mile “bump” forward to catch-up or get ahead of the group. Energy food, drink mixes, and fresh fruit are available throughout each stage.

The Daily Schedule
Cyclists ride their own pace. Lizard Head Cycling does its best to support riders in their varying desires and efforts. Cyclists can either use our tours to simply support their tour experience or to engage in a guided experience along the route.

Cue sheets with directions, profiles and locations of aid stations are given out for each stage.

General Tour & Cancellation Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and cancellation policies, which can be found by clicking here.

Travel Insurance

If you have not already, now would be a great time to consider adding travel insurance to your tour. You are welcome to use any travel insurance company you would like. We recommend Generali/Trip Mate.

Generally, if contracting COVID causes clients to cancel or interrupt their tour, trip insurance companies would treat it as any other illness as long as it is contracted after the insurance was purchased. Please check your individual plan documentation for details. Please note that quarantine is usually only covered if clients are actually sick with COVID. If a state requires quarantine upon arrival because of standardized state law, coverage is generally not covered. Again, check your individual plan documentation for details.

American Guests - use this link: http://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/get-a-quote.html?partner=LIZA0855

  • The Premium Plan is the only plan which offers Pre-Existing coverage so long as the plan is purchased prior to Final Payment.
  • The Premium Plan is the only plan that offers an optional Cancel For Any Reason - the policy must be purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit, the full trip cost must be insured, and if they cancel for Any Reason, it must be 48 hours prior to departure, and the reimbursement for an Any Reason claim is 60% of pre-paid, insured, non-refundable trip cost.
  • Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-874-2442 for coverage questions and policy modifications or to purchase by phone. Agency Code: LIZA0855

Canadian Guests - use this link: https://tripmate.catravelins.ca/?utm_source=lizardhead

 
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