Let's Build Your Trip

Do you want to visit special places in the Southwest that locals never share with tourists -- the ones that took decades of relationship building and fieldwork to find?

I spent my entire career working as a licensed professional guide — 40+ years — rowing whitewater in Colorado and Utah, leading photography workshops in Arches and Zion, and driving small group tours to Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, and the Grand Canyon.

Over the years I collected a database of special places the way some people collect baseball cards. That database now contains thousands of cliff dwellings, rock art panels, slot canyons, hot springs, and waterfalls spanning Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico — most of it built the hard way, on foot. I've turned a fraction of that knowledge into guidebooks. Now I'll build a dream trip personalized just for you. 

What You Get

A custom itinerary, built specifically for your group, your dates, and your interests. Not a template with your name swapped in. Not a repackaged top-10 list. A day-by-day plan built from firsthand knowledge of the actual terrain — what's worth the drive, what's overhyped, what to skip, and what to see at sunrise instead of noon, and why that matters.

How It Works

1. Free 15–20 minute call.
No cost, no obligation. We talk through what you're after. I'll ask about:
Your budget
Number of people traveling, and their ages
What you're into — hiking difficulty, archaeology, photography, geology, slot canyons, solitude vs. well-trodden trails
Anything that has to be included — and anything that has to be avoided.

2. You get a quote, based on trip length.
If we both agree at the end of the phone call that my services are a good match for your needs, only then will I build the itinerary. Payment is due before I start building — this is what lets me put real time into a plan personalized specifically for you, rather than a generic template.

3. I build your itinerary.
Using what we cover on the call, I put together a day-by-day plan: where to go, when to go, how to get there, what to bring, and the context you need to actually appreciate what you're looking at once you arrive.

4. You get a plan you can follow, complete with a GPS map.
Delivered digitally, ready to take with you. I'll suggest budget-appropriate lodging, restaurants, tours, and rental car locations, as well as let you know about any permits where required — but you'll book your own reservations. What you'll never have to guess about is where to point the car next, because you'll have a customized GPS map of the whole itinerary laid out for you, plus an offline ready file so you're never lost without signal.

Pricing

Itinerary pricing is based on trip length. My basic rate is $75 per day for trips up to 14 days, with a 3 day minimum. The rate drops to $65 per day for each day after 14, with a 30 day maximum. Extra fees may apply -- for example if your itinerary includes travel outside of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, or if you need the itinerary on short notice. The consultation call itself is always free. Payment is due upfront once we've agreed on the exact scope and price, before I begin building your itinerary.

Not Ready for a Custom Itinerary?

Start with one of my guidebooks and plan the trip yourself.

Ready to Talk?

Email me at thewanderersguide.co@gmail.com and we'll set up a time to talk. Be sure to include your rough trip dates, group size, and where you want to go. I'll get back to you within 2-3 business days.