Canyonlands National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1

  In such a beautiful landscape, you can’t escape the lure of exploring off the beaten path. But watch out! If you do go off the path, you might be trampling on soil that’s alive. You might think I’m joking, but throughout Canyonlands, Arches, and Moab is something called a biological soil crust.

  1 hour • Admission ticket free
• Cataract Canyon (Pass by)

  Cataract Canyon is a 46-mile-long canyon of the Colorado River located within Canyonlands National Park and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Utah.

  Admission ticket free
• Green River Overlook (Pass by)

  The Green River Overlook offers some of the most unique views of Canyonland’s Island in the Sky District. You’re able to see the Green River continuing its work on the canyon walls. The river is the largest stream in Utah at 730 miles. The name probably comes from the green soapstone that can be found along its banks.

  Admission ticket free
• Island in the Sky (Pass by)

  Stop by the Visitor Center coming up ahead. It’s a great place to grab supplies, use the bathroom, and fill up your water bottles. As you’ve already seen, this park doesn’t have much infrastructure, and being dehydrated out here is no joke.

  Admission ticket free
• Canyonlands National Park (Pass by)

  Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah is known for its dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River. Island in the Sky is a huge, flat-topped mesa with panoramic overlooks. Other notable areas include the towering rock pinnacles known as the Needles, the remote canyons of the Maze, and the Native American rock paintings in Horseshoe Canyon. Whitewater rapids flow through Cataract Canyon. Note: The tour is over 62 miles long, with more than 37 audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

  Admission ticket free
• Corona Arch Trail (Pass by)

  Corona Arch is a natural sandstone arch near Moab. The arch is located within the same rock formation as Pinto Arch and Bowtie Arch.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  This overlook offers views from three sides. It may be a bit daunting if you're afraid of heights since there’s nothing between you and the Canyon. However, the incredible view is worth it.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  Coming up on your left is a turn out for Plateau Viewpoint. Pullover if you want photos of some spectacular views! There’s also a handicap accessible toilet and an information panel on anthropological work in the area.

  Admission ticket free
• Dead Horse Point State Park (Pass by)

  Dead Horse Point — it’s a creepy name, isn’t it? According to local legend, wild mustangs used to be corralled here to be broken in the early 1800s. Once all the desirable horses had been broken and claimed by the cowboys, the undesirables were left to go free.

  Admission ticket free
• Monitor and Merriamac Rock Formations (Pass by)

  Look to the right. All you can see at the moment are tall rock walls. That’s because we’re near the floor of Sevenmile Canyon. As we continue to drive, we’ll emerge from the canyon and be able to see two very distinct features in the distance to the right -- the Merrimac and the Monitor.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  The trail that leads to Murphy Point Overlook is quite easy, adding up to 3.5 miles roundtrip. While the hike itself doesn’t offer much in the way of scenery, the overlook provides a stunning view of Stillwater Canyon and the Green River.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  A lot of natural landmarks and trails in Canyonlands are named by or after cowboys and ranchers. In fact, Ned Chaffin’s father and one of his brothers had a spring named after them.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  Coming up on your right is Big Mesa Viewpoint. Pause for a quick look at some stunning scenery. The enormous mesa looks like it was plonked down here by accident, and then forgotten.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  What makes this trail special? Simple: the granaries left here by Native peoples. They’re visible from the base of the last hill if you just keep your eyes open. These granaries are hundreds of years old, so be careful when approaching.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  In front of you is perhaps the world’s largest whale. Don’t see it? The whale’s head is on the left side of the rock. There’s an easy one-mile hike that takes you up along the whale’s back. When you get on top of this cetacean, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the Upheaval Dome.

  Admission ticket free
• Mesa Arch (Pass by)

  Ahead, pull over for Mesa Arch. This is a must-do at Canyonlands. Once you’ve parked, walk along the short trail to the arch. As you walk, notice the juniper and pinyon trees around you. These are popular in Canyonlands so keep an eye out for them elsewhere too.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  In the distance, do you see three giant candles sticking out of the landscape? That’s Candlestick Tower! Doesn’t this sandstone formation look like a layered birthday cake, topped with candles? * The bottom layer is white, the middle a reddish-brown, and the top is red.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  Despite being relatively small, there’s a lot to do here. First, what might catch your eye is the overlook itself, which has a view of the Colorado River. There’s also a cafe to reenergize.

  Admission ticket free
• Buck Canyon Overlook (Pass by)

  Here you’ll see spectacular views of Buck Canyon and the La Sal mountains. The short trail is paved, making it one of the most accessible places in the park. There’s also a rail that stands between you and the canyon, so if you are scared of heights, this overlook is perfect for you.

  Admission ticket free
• White Rim Overlook Trail (Pass by)

  This is a great place to rest and enjoy a quick meal! There are only eight tables, so be sure to claim one if there are any available.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  The cowboys used the Orange Cliffs extensively. They called a part of these cliffs “Under the Ledge” — since it was a distinct area that sorta appeared to be underneath a huge, rocky ledge.

  Admission ticket free
• Grand View Point Overlook (Pass by)

  We’re now at the end of the Canyonlands National Park tour. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey! If you enjoyed the tour, check out our other tours of nearby Arches, Bryce, Zion, and more!

  Admission ticket free
• Upheaval Dome (Pass by)

  Remember how the park’s rocks have been formed in layers? In most of the park, these layers haven’t been disrupted since their formation. What you see is what was deposited, all those hundreds of millions of years ago.

  Admission ticket free
• 2

  The area we’re traveling over is known as the Neck. Why? Well, remember that this Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands is a huge mesa surrounded by lowlands. Well, there’s a strip of land that connects this mesa to other mesas — just like a natural bridge!

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
• How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
• Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
• Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you

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