2026 High Adventure — Foothills Ward

Day by Day

The Itinerary

1 Tue

May 26

Travel & Setup

4:00 PM Depart Foothills Ward — ~4.5 hour drive north through the Arizona high desert
Evening Arrive at Lee's Ferry Campground and set up camp under a sky full of stars

2 Wed

May 27

Backhaul & Kayak the Colorado

5:00 AM Depart camp — unload kayaks and gear at the boat dock, then park vehicles
5:30 AM Ready at the dock — it's a long walk from parking, don't be late!
6:00 AM Meet Kayak the Colorado — jet boat backhaul upriver to Glen Canyon Dam (Mile 15). Boat captains share history and highlights along the way
Morning Inflate rental kayaks, unload personal kayaks, safety talk — then set off downstream. Everyone paddles with their own gear — your small backpack and duffel load right into the kayak!
All Day Paddle through breathtaking canyon country — crystal clear water, towering sandstone walls in shades of red, orange, and gold
→ 🪨 Petroglyphs at 10 Mile Beach — ancient rock art carved centuries ago
→ 🐴 Watch for wild horses on the left bank
→ 🏊 Swimming in the crystal clear (cold!) river
→ 🎣 Fishing for wild rainbow trout
Evening Camp at 9 Mile / Horseshoe Bend Campground — right inside the famous bend with people looking down from the overlook 1,000 feet above!
🕯️ Evening campfire devotional — young men lead testimony sharing

3 Thu

May 28

Finish Kayak & Travel to Page

Morning Safety talk, then paddle the remaining ~9 miles back to Lee's Ferry
On the Way Two unmissable stops on the return paddle:
→ 🌊 Waterfall Slot Canyon at 4 Mile — 1.5 mile hike into a stunning slot canyon with a 500-foot dry waterfall. A perfect preview of Buckskin Gulch!
→ ⛵ Charles Spencer Sunken Steamboat — at the last bend before the boat ramp, the old steam boiler is visible just beneath the water's surface. A piece of Wild West history right beneath your feet!
Afternoon Return rental kayaks and load up vehicles
Page, AZ Horseshoe Bend Overlook — a stunning 270° bend in the Colorado River, 1,000 feet below. One of the most photographed spots in the American Southwest — and you just paddled right through it yesterday!
Evening Drive ~1–1.5 hours to Buckskin Gulch / Stateline Campground. Set up camp and feel the anticipation for tomorrow's hike
🕯️ Evening devotional — reflecting on God's creations and the beauty of the river

4 Fri

May 29

Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon Hike

          Buckskin Gulch is the longest slot canyon in the world — 12.5 miles of narrow gorge with walls soaring 100–200 feet high, sculpted from Navajo Sandstone over thousands of years. In some sections the canyon is barely 10 feet wide and sunlight only reaches the floor for a few minutes each day.
        

Morning Enter via Wire Pass Trailhead — the most popular and dramatic entry point
1.7 mi Hike through Wire Pass wash and slot canyon to the Buckskin Gulch confluence — petroglyph panel right at the junction
All Day Explore as far into Buckskin Gulch as the group wants — most day hikers cover 4–8 miles inside and spend 5+ hours in the canyon
Total ~8–10 miles round trip
Evening Camp at Whitehouse Trailhead Campground
🕯️ Evening campfire devotional — priesthood leadership and brotherhood

5 Sat

May 30

Return Home

Morning Pack up camp and load vehicles — carrying home memories that will last a lifetime
Flagstaff Lunch stop in Flagstaff
3:00 PM Arrive back at Foothills Ward — tired, sunburned, and changed for the better

What to Bring

Packing List

⚠️ Two bags max. Each person gets one small backpack + one small duffel bag or dry bag, each lined with a garbage bag to keep everything dry. Multiple small bags are easier to pack and load into kayaks than one medium bag. Leave room — food and supplies will be added to your pack.

💧

River Clothing (gets wet)

Swimsuit
2 long sleeve shirts (sun protection on the river)
Sun or baseball hat
Bandana
Shoes that can and will get wet — old tennis shoes or sturdy strapped sandals

🏕️

Camp Clothing (stays dry)

Hoodie, light jacket, or fleece (nights and river water are cool)
1 pair of pants
1 pair of shorts
2–3 shirts
4 pairs of socks
4 pairs of underwear
Camp sandals or flip flops

🎒

Gear

Sleeping bag — lightweight & packable
Sleeping pad (lightweight)
Headlamp + extra batteries
Sunglasses
Sunscreen SPF 50+
Lip balm with SPF
Small towel
Insulated water bottle
Whistle
Prescription medications (original containers, notify a leader)

✨

Optional

Trip journal
Bug repellent
Fishing gear + valid Arizona fishing license

🚫

Leave at Home

Phones, tablets, gaming devices — technology-free trip!
Large suitcases, large duffel bags, or backpacks

Provided by leaders: Kayaks, life jackets, group cooking gear, tents, food, electrolytes, and all emergency/first aid supplies. ★ = must-have items

Required

Permission Form

A signed permission slip is required for every participant — youth and adult leaders alike. Due by April 26th.

Use the form app below — your personal info saves automatically to your device so you only fill it out once. Next activity, just open it, select your name, and generate a new form in seconds. Works for families with multiple participants too.

📋 Open Permission Form

How it works:
1. Open the form · 2. Click ＋ to add a participant · 3. Fill in their info and click 💾 Save
4. Click 📄 Generate Form — a filled PDF downloads instantly · 5. Print, sign, and return to a trip leader
Next activity: open the link, your info is already there — just generate and print.

Questions? Reach out to a trip leader

HighAdventure

What Awaits