Canyonlands National Park: Our most recommended tours and activities

From Moab: Half-Day Canyonlands Island in the Sky 4x4 Tour

1. From Moab: Half-Day Canyonlands Island in the Sky 4x4 Tour

Discover the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park on this exciting half-day tour by 4x4 vehicle. After pickup from your hotel in Moab, drive towards the national park, meandering alongside the river. Stop outside the park boundary to explore ancient Native American rock art that was carved into the cliffs by the Ancestral Puebloans. Continue to the jeep trail that leads up to the Island in the Sky district. Along the way, you'll stop at vistas such as Fossil Point and Musselman Arch. See the remarkable Gooseneck Overlook and travel along a section of the White Rim trail. Wind up the switchbacks of the famous Shafer Trail, and enjoy one last look out over the park before driving back to Moab.

From Moab: Full-Day Canyonlands and Arches 4x4 Driving Tour

2. From Moab: Full-Day Canyonlands and Arches 4x4 Driving Tour

Take a 4x4 driving tour through Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. This thrilling adventure includes stops for short hikes and scenic views. Keep your energy up along the way with a refreshing picnic lunch. After pickup from your hotel in Moab, drive towards Canyonlands National Park high atop the Island in the Sky mesa. Descend via the steep switchbacks of the famous Shafer Trail and enjoy a brief stop to explore Native American rock art that was carved into the cliffs by the Ancestral Puebloans.   Continue through Canyonlands along a portion of the White Rim Trail over to Musselman Arch for incredible views of the Colorado River below. Enjoy a few stops with short hikes. Stop at Devils Garden for a delicious picnic lunch. After lunch, enter Arches National Park near Doc Williams Point. Climb a steep rock wall and drive across a valley through sandstone fins and dunes.   Pass the famous Tower Arch, the Eye of the Whale Arch, and the Marching Men — a group of 7 towers lined up in one row. Stop for some short walks to enjoy the fresh air and admire the views of the red rocks. Once you have explored both parks you'll be driven back to Moab, with a brief stop to explore dinosaur tracks along the way.

Moab: Calm Water Cruise in Inflatable Boat on Colorado River

3. Moab: Calm Water Cruise in Inflatable Boat on Colorado River

Experience the Colorado River as you float down some of the most incredible scenery the U.S. has to offer. Glide south of the Moab Valley, where the water is calm, as you take in the majestic sights of Meander Canyon, located in the Canyonlands.   You'll ride in a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) on a half-day scenic tour. Enjoy this small group tour for a relaxed atmosphere, as you make your way through the canyon. Enjoy either morning or afternoon options. Glide under Dead Horse Point and see Native American art and ruins along the way. Hop off the boat for a short walk to see an ancient petrified forest. Take in incredible views of Canyonlands, as you float past the Goose Neck of the Colorado, before completing your tour.

From Hurricane, Utah: West Rim Trail Self-Drive UTV Tour

4. From Hurricane, Utah: West Rim Trail Self-Drive UTV Tour

Hit the trails and climb the high hills of Sand Hollow State Park on a private UTV tour. Drive through a variety of trails including The Funnel, The Cliffhanger, The Squeeze, Big Rock Candy Playground, The Maze, and The Top of the World. The West Rim offers enough variety of trails to match your interests. Follow your guide on trails such as The Funnel, The Squeeze, Top of the World, and Big Rock Candy Playground. Take a 3-hour tour to explore the Cliffhanger Trail, or a 4-hour tour to see the cliffs of the Insanity Trail. These exhilarating tours are suitable for any skill level. Your professional guide will train you up on driving a UTV, and teach you how to best drive around the obstacles you encounter on the trails.

Moab: Canyonlands National Park Morning or Sunset Plane Tour

5. Moab: Canyonlands National Park Morning or Sunset Plane Tour

This spectacular daytime flight will carry you above the fantastic scenery of the northern district of the Canyonlands National Park, known as the Island in the Sky. Majestic 1,000-foot high cliffs rise above the Colorado and Green Rivers, which border it on either side. Serpentine drainage systems are carved into the terrain below the cliffs. Upheaval Dome can be seen at its northern end, the confluence of the two rivers form the district’s southernmost point.  Then, continue to Needles District, the most fanciful and colorful portions of Canyonlands. Pink and white bands can be seen in its many spires and cliffs. It is the home of some of the most remote and famous arches of canyon country. Difficult to reach by hiking and extremely beautiful, Angel Arch and Druid Arches are the best-known landmarks in Canyonlands. Elephant Arch, Kirk Arch, Wedding Ring Arch, and Castle Arch, hidden away in the backcountry, are also included in this one-of-a-kind scenic flight tour.  Hiking to these arches would take several multi-day permitted visits and are beyond the physical reach of many of us. On this flight, you will see them all, jewels among the many wondrous features of this national park. Unlike hikers, you will see their magnificent surroundings from a bird’s-eye view, in the vastness of this remarkable portion of this gorgeous earth. A unique and very special opportunity awaits you on this exclusive flight through the remote arches of Canyonlands.

From Moab: Canyonlands 4x4 Drive and Colorado River Rafting

6. From Moab: Canyonlands 4x4 Drive and Colorado River Rafting

Start your full-day tour with a pickup from your hotel in Moab. Drive to the stunning Canyonlands National Park, and spend the morning exploring the remote areas of the Island in the Sky district of the park in a 4x4 vehicle. Follow the White Rim Trail, and drive along the narrow switchbacks of the Shafer Trail. See incredible rock and fossil formations, and stop along the way for photos opportunities. After your driving tour, enjoy a picnic lunch on the banks of the Colorado River. Admire majestic views of the river and the surrounding canyons. Finish your tour with an adrenaline-filled rafting trip on the Fisher Towers section of the Colorado River. Enjoy some whitewater fun, accompanied by professional river guides. At the end of your rafting experience, relax on the beach as your guides prepare for the short drive back to Moab, where you'll be dropped off at your hotel.

Moab: Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour

7. Moab: Canyonlands National Park Self-Driving Tour

This self-guided audio and GPS tour allows you to explore Canyonlands’ expansive wonders with maximum flexibility. Simply hop in your own car, get the tour guide app set up on your phone, and get started. All audio plays automatically based on location and most stops along the way have images that will help you to visualize what you cannot see such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms. Begin your exploration of Canyonlands as you drive to the visitors center. When you arrive, go to the Moab Giants at the Canyonlands National Park. You’ll immediately be struck by the enormous mesas rising from the sweeping landscape. As you continue driving, explore Mesa Arch, Green River, and the White Rim Trail. Within an hour of booking, you will receive a password and an app. Download the app, enter the password, and download the tour.

Moab: 3-Hour Scenic 4x4 Off-Road Adventure

8. Moab: 3-Hour Scenic 4x4 Off-Road Adventure

Discover the natural landscapes of Moab, Utah on a 4x4 adventure. Embark on a breathtaking experience with a dash of excitement. After meeting your guide, hop in your 4x4 vehicle and head into the landscape. Enjoy an experience focused on the natural beauty of the area and ancient rock art.  See ancient Native American petroglyph panels—rock art and carvings spanning multiple millennia. Some even go as far back as 3500 BC. Use your personal interpretation skills to decipher the images.  Admire views of gorgeous towering Canyons. Also get a look at a handful of arches, red rock spires and towering canyon walls all along the beautiful Colorado River. Have all your needs catered to with some short stops to snack, take pictures, and talk about Moab’s history.

Arches and Canyonlands National Park: In-App Audio Guides

9. Arches and Canyonlands National Park: In-App Audio Guides

Discover Arches and Canyonlands National Parks with interactive guides on your phone. Admire stunning vistas, rock formations, and scenic hiking trails with an app developed by local guides, curated by creative writers, and narrated by professional voice artists. Arches National Park Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app that will function as your audio guide and map all in one. Begin with an adventure into Arches National Park, starting at the visitor center. As you set out, pass the towering formation of the Three Penguins and the geological Moab Fault, offering a fantastic hiking trail. See the iconic Three Gossips and the towering series of formations that form the Courthouse Towers and Sheep Rock. Witness the strangely beautiful petrified dunes while learning about the native Paiute and their legends. Reach the famous Balanced Rock formation, followed quickly by the two most popular stops: the Windows Arches and Double Arch. You’ll make your way to Delicate Arch, the unrivaled highlight of this park. You can also check out the historic Wolfe Ranch and some ancient tribal petroglyphs. Your journey continues through the unique Salt Valley and to stunning formations like the Fiery Furnace, Sand Dune Arch, Arches Forest, Skyline Arch, and Tapestry Arch. Finally, make your way to the farthest point in the park: the Devil’s Garden. Here, you’ll get to visit the famous Landscape Arch. Canyonlands National Park Next, explore Canyonlands National Park, starting at the Moab Giants museum near the park’s east entrance. Head west into the deep red of the desert, where you’ll find the striking formations of Merrimack and Monitor. Then you’ll arrive at your first major viewpoint: Big Mesa Viewpoint. As you head toward the famous backcountry trail of White Rim Road, learn all about the invisible life which thrives in this seemingly desolate desert. Then, on your way to Basin Overlook, offering great views of the Colorado River, you’ll get the scoop on the uranium king of Canyonland. Next up is Dead Horse State Park, home to a legend spooky enough to suit its name. You’ll then enter the national park itself, where the Island in the Sky Visitor Center will be waiting in case you need a break. Visit Upheaval Dome, the formation of which has stumped geologists for decades. Catch the sunset at one of the nearby overlooks. Finally, you’ll arrive at the immensely popular Grand View Point, where your guide concludes. Don’t miss a thing with full itinerary, travel tips, and professionally narrated audio. Start when you want with the option to begin where there is less of a crowd, stop to take pictures, break for hikes, or go for lunch. Take the tour again with an app that is valid for life.

Moab: Canyonlands National Park 4x4 White Rim Tour

10. Moab: Canyonlands National Park 4x4 White Rim Tour

See the best sights of the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park and experience the famous White Rim 4x4 Trail. Your excursion starts from your accommodation in Moab with a professional and knowledgeable tour guide. Travel alongside the Colorado River as you gain elevation and make your way toward Canyonlands National Park. Before reaching the park boundary, you'll make several stops, including pristine rock art panels, overlooks of the Colorado River Canyon, and wide sweeping vistas. Once you reach the backcountry of Canyonlands National Park and the White Rim Trail, stop again and enjoy a short hike to one of the many backcountry arches that the park has to offer, including the unique Musselman Arch.   Continue your trek along the White Rim and down Lathrop Canyon, a side route that will lead to the riverside oasis, where you'll enjoy a buffet-style picnic lunch prepared by your guide. There are several optional hike options throughout the day. On your way back to Moab, your 4x4 vehicle will climb up the famous Shafer Trail that will take you up to the mesa top for one more stunning view.  

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What people are saying about Canyonlands National Park

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 502 reviews

My wife and I had the pleasure of experiencing a breathtaking scenic flight tour of the Canyons in a helicopter. What we loved the most was the personalized commentary we received from our professional and experienced helicopter pilot and guide Tracy. And we could ask questions! It's rare talent to find both a skilled pilot AND one who is passionate and knowledgeable about the changing geographic landscapes and formations that we fly over. The helicopter flight was like no other flights that we experienced. The front seat provides an almost 180 degrees view of the front and it feels like flying through the aerial scenes of a sci-fi movie or Top Gun. Experiencing the canyons, rivers and arches from a bird's eye view is nothing like what you experience from witnessing it from a lookout points or hiking on ground level. There were moments we felt completely overwhelmed with wonder and awe at how majestic the landscape was, as our helicopter cut over the cliffs and circled over arches.

Probably the best way to see Canyonlands National Park. Since there are very few roads in the park. Dan the pilot is not only a superb pilot (both me wife and I are pilots) but also very knowledgeable about the area and points out the various features of the park. The airplane we used is really suitable for sightseeing. Large windows and a low cruising speed allows lingering over the park. The only negative would be the lack of leg room. If the plane has lots of empty seats on the flight I would ask if I could sit in the first row aft of the door because of the increased legroom. That request might be denied by the pilot because of weight and balance issues but I would ask. All in all a great experience. I would love to go again.

This was an informative tour that gave us insight about where to stop ahead of time for the great views. Made our drive through Arches National Park very enjoyable and we learned a few things too. Highly recommend!

Very beautiful off road experience. Guide took time for us to take photos and enjoy the vistas

Love these guides! They really enhance the Park experience