Canyonlands Needles District Self Guided Driving Audio Tour

Duration2h - 3h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Discover Canyonlands’ Needles District on a self-guided driving tour through Utah’s rugged red rock wilderness. Marvel at ancient petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock, then follow scenic roads to windswept Pothole Point and the iconic Wooden Shoe Overlook. Hear stories of ancestral Puebloans, cowboy legends, and geologic wonders as you explore remote canyons and colorful spires shaped by time.

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

After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point.

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.

This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.

What's included

Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
Access your tour in our separate audio tour app after booking.
Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.

No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.

What to expect

Bears Ears National Monument
15m

Before we arrive at Canyonlands National Park, we’ll be passing through a section of Bears Ears National Monument, or not, considering the boundaries of this national monument are a little complicated and subject to change.

Note: The tour is over 40 miles long, with more than 20+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete.

New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Newspaper Rock Recreation Site
15m

We’re definitely going to want to stop and see this. I don’t want to give too much away so I’ll just say that several different cultures have passed through this spot over the last 2000 years and many of them left their mark on this rock.
Pass by

You’ll pass Glamping Canyonlands on the right—it's a great landmark and a popular stay for visitors. From here, simply follow UT-211 west as we begin our journey through the dramatic landscapes of the Needles District in Canyonlands National Park.
Pass by

We’re about to get our first sweeping views of the Indian Creek Corridor. This area is quite the mecca for rock climbers - it’s one of the most popular spots to climb cracks in the United States, if not the entire world.
Pass by

When Heidi Redd and her former husband Robert purchased the Dugout Ranch in 1967, the road was all dirt from the U.S. Route 191, climbers had yet to descend on Indian Creek in droves, and this part of Canyonlands National Park saw very few visitors. Until recently with the advent of satellite internet, the Dugout Ranch never had a TV or telephone.
20m

The northern one is called North Six shooter Peak and it’s a bit taller and larger than its southern neighbor cleverly known as South Six shooter Peak. About a mile and a half separates the two peaks and well, someone thought they looked like a pair of revolvers pointing upwards into the sky so that’s how they got their name.
Pass by

We'll see the turnoff to the right for the Lockhart Basin Road. This road can take us all the way to Moab but we'll need a serious off-road vehicle to make the trip.
Needles District Visitor Center
Pass by

The Visitor’s Center is coming up quickly on our right. It's always a good idea to stop in here and make sure the trails we want to visit are all clear. There's water and washrooms here too of course.
Cave Spring
Pass by

The first pull-out on our left is for Roadside Ruin. I recommend skipping this one for now, we'll catch it on our way out. Shortly after that, we’ll find a sign for Cave Springs pointing toward a road on the left.
Pass by

Keep straight past the ranger residences and we’ll see a dirt road in a little less than a mile. We’ll see a sign pointing toward the Cave Springs Trail. Be sure to return to the main park road this same way we came, or we'll end up missing a bunch of the stops in the park.
Wooden Shoe Arch overlook
Pass by

It’s called the Wooden Shoe Overlook and well, I'll let you see for yourself why it was named after the classic Dutch shoe. You heard me right - an arch here at Needles in Canyonlands National Park.
Pass by

The Needles Campground and the unpaved Elephant Hill Road. Six miles down Elephant Hill Road is where we’ll find the trail to Druid Arch. Many backpackers and hikers hoping to make it to Chesler Park begin from either the Elephant Hill Trailhead or the Salt Flat Trailhead near the campground.
Pothole Point Trail
Pass by

We’re approaching the Pothole Point Trailhead. It’s called Pothole Point because the slickrock here is covered with pockets in the rock called potholes or ephemeral pools.
Slickrock Cinemas 3
Pass by

We're just a few minutes from the end of the road, shew, that was quick - I did say the Scenic Drive in the Needles district was pretty short. Our next stop is the trailhead for the Slickrock Foot Trail.
Big Spring Canyon Overlook
Pass by

We're just about to the turnaround point of our Needles District Tour. At the turnaround up ahead, we’ll find yet another trailhead - the Big Spring Canyon Overlook Trail which leads to the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers and also connects to the Chesler Park area trails. I’d skip these trails in favor of the others I mentioned so far and let's start making our way back toward the park entrance.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Start on Hwy 211 just after turning off US-191, with Glamping Canyonlands on your right. This is the suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses. The audio starts automatically as you pass—check your email/text for setup details.

End point

Additional information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
NOTE: Check current road conditions and closures before your visit.
Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
Private tour: Explore in your own vehicle without crowded buses or large tour groups.
At your own pace: Start anytime and pause for hikes, picnics, photos, or scenic stops.
Works offline: Once downloaded, the tour works using GPS without Wi-Fi or cellular service.
Good value: One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle, not each person separately.
More ways to save: Choose a single tour, a nearby bundle, or access to 200+ tours.
Download in advance: Download the Tour Guide app by Action and tour while connected to Wi-Fi or a strong cellular signal.
Follow the route: Begin at the suggested starting point or join anywhere along the route shown in the app.
Lifetime access: Preview the tour before your trip and revisit the stories, photos, and details afterward.
Supported devices: iPhone with iOS 15+, Android with version 9+, or a GPS-enabled iPad/tablet with cellular capability.
The app’s audio will play through your car’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto display, while the app’s map will display on your phone. You can connect your phone to the car via Bluetooth to listen to the commentary through the car stereo.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.