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Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour

45 Reviews |

Recommended by 93% of reviewers

|

Badge of Excellence | Moab, USA

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1 to 2 hours (approx.)

Mobile ticket

Instant confirmation

Overview

Recommended: Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!

Explore the sweeping canyons, deep valleys, and gigantic mesas of Canyonlands National Park with this self-guided driving tour. Discover Mesa Arch and its iconic sunrise, admire a stunning landscape from the White Rim Trail, and learn about the cowboys who once tried to tame this wild and wonderful land. This self-guided tour allows you to explore Canyonlands with maximum flexibility and value.

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

What's Included

Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone

Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Utah 313
Moab, UT 84532, USA

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

Moab
UT 84532, USA

Options & Pricing

Opening Hours • Daily | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

What To Expect

Canyonlands National Park

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: This 62+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Canyonlands National Park in 2-3 hours.Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

5 minutes • 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.

Green River Overlook

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Island in the Sky

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Dead Horse Point State Park

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Corona Arch (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.

Shafer Canyon Overlook

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Plateau Viewpoint

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

White Rim

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Monitor and Merriamac Rock Formations

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Neck

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

Lathrop Canyon

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Big Mesa Viewpoint

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Aztec Butte Trail

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Whale Rock

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mesa Arch

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Candlestick Tower Overlook

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Basin Overlook Parking

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Buck Canyon Overlook

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

White Rim Overlook Trail

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Orange Cliffs Overlook

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Grand View Point Overlook

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!

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Upheaval Dome

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Murphy Point Trail

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.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Show 22 more stops

Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How to access: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a confirmation email and text with instructions: • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password • Download the tour MUST DO 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
Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (MDT). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

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Live Chat, Text, Call, or Email our friendly customer support with your questions.

Activity code: C-267535P8

Traveler Photos

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Reviews

4.77

45 reviews

Average 4.77 out of 5 stars based on 44 traveler reviews collected by City Boat Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars

37

4 stars

4

3 stars

3

2 stars

0

1 star

0

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The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Boat Tours customers.

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour?

A:

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (MDT).

Apr 2025

Q: What's included in the price?

A:

The following is included:

Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!.
Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!.
Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!.
Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!.
Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!.
Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!.
Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone.

The following is NOT included:

Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations.

Apr 2025

Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?

A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure..

Apr 2025

Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?

A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025

Q: Is this an accessible tour?

A:

Accessibility information for the Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour is as follows:

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Apr 2025

Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?

A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour will be included in your confirmation email from City Boat Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

Mar 2024