Kayaking —You'll get a completely different perspective on the area from the seat of a boat, and Sherri Griffith Expeditions can put you into a kayak or raft on the Colorado or Green River. Their guides are knowledgeable about both the sport and the surroundings (800-332-2439; griffithexp.com).

Hiking —If you're looking to clock more miles by foot, Fisher Towers is a great option. These sandstone monoliths form a kind of petrified city near the Red Cliffs Lodge, on the Colorado River. There's a 4.4-mile (roundtrip) trail along the base of the rocks; you'll find the trailhead at the end of a dirt road near mile marker 21 on Highway 128. If you want to bring a guide or do some rock climbing, call Matt Moore of Desert Highlights (800-747-1342; deserthighlights.com).

The Packing List:
Sneakers—for mountain biking, horseback riding, and other non-hiking outdoor activities
Hiking boots—essential; bring high boots if you need ankle support, and make sure you've broken them in before the trip
Tevas or other waterproof sandals—for whenever your feet want to breathe
Moleskin—to cover any blisters that might develop from the hiking
Bathing suit—for the pools at the Gonzo Inn and Enchantment
Zipoff pants—a great multi-use item that does double-duty as shorts and pants
Light pants—;for cool evenings
Jeans—necessary only if you plan on going horseback riding
Bike shorts—if you're planning to mountain bike
A "dressy casual" outfit—Enchantment's Yavapai restaurant requires men to wear a collared shirt and slacks for dinner
T-shirts—get them in a quick-drying material so that you can wash them out in the sink overnight
Long-sleeve shirts—layering is the best way to counter daily temperature shifts
Handkerchief—for the blowing sand in Monument Valley, and the perspiration on any hike
Sports bra—an essential comfort for all outdoor activities
Trail mix—for a midday snack or a small breakfast CDs—;for the car rides

The Reading List
A few primers on the region's cultural, natural, and political history.
Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West, by Hampton Sides—Somewhat sensationalist, as the title suggests, but otherwise a good telling of the "taming" of the West in 1840s, 50s, and 60s (Anchor, $16).
Sacred Land, Sacred View: Navajo Perceptions of the Four Corners, by Robert S. McPherson—An enlightening explanation of the Navajo world view (Signature).
Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, by Edward Abbey—Reflections and drawings from the journals that Abbey kept while he was a ranger in Arches National Monument in 1956 and 57; beautiful descriptions of the surroundings, though you might not agree with the author's extreme politics (Touchstone, $14).
The Monkey Wrench Gang, by Edward Abbey—The bible of eco terrorists, about a group of people out to sabotage the machines that are destroying nature (Harper Perennial, $15).
Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water, by Marc Reisner—An account of the decades-long fight for a very limited resource (Penguin, $18).