Taking a commercial tour offers alternative ways to visit the national parks. Hire a private guide or go in a group. Taking a tour will help keep congestion down.
Don’t have a vehicle or looking for a guided tour? Canyonlands By Night & Day’s informative guides give you a scenic bus tour filled with the history, geology, and botany of Arches National Park. 435-259-5261, canyonlandsbynight.com.
There is a sunset bus tour of Arches from Moab Adventure Center that is a perfect trip for all ages. 435-259-7019, moabadventurecenter.com.
Join Tom Till, Dan Norris, or Bryan Halle with Tom Till Tours to photograph Moab’s classic scenic wonders and lesser known canyons, mesas, rivers, arches, and mountains, at the best time of day and year. At night, shoot some of the best starscapes in the world with them as guides. Teaching and encouragement is also provided for all skill levels. 435-259-5327, 435-260-2885, tomtilltours.com.
See the wonders of Utah from the air. Redtail Air Adventures is the only permitted tour company that can show you the national parks from the air.
Or, travel by air to see the spectacular Monument Valley or run the Colorado River by air and see it all.
435-259-7421, flyredtail.com.
Pinnacle Helicopters is able to accommodate aerial photography flights over Canyonlands National Park. Remove the aircraft doors and photograph unobstructed views and crystal-clear images of the spectacular landscapes (while tethered in). 435-220-0041, pinnaclehelicopters.com.
see the backcountry
NAVTEC Expeditions tours Arches National Park on both the main road or on the less-crowded 4×4 roads. NAVTEC also offers a broad scope of driving-only or combo 4×4/hiking tours in all three districts of Canyonlands.
Take a guided 4×4 tour over famous Elephant Hill, or a single- or three-day tour around the White Rim Trail. In The Needles district or The Maze district, NAVTEC offers multi-day camping trips or 4×4/hiking trips.
They have many options so check them out. 435-259-7983, navtec.com.
There’s an App for That
GyPSy Guide is an app that turns your tablet or smartphone into your personal tour guide. With automatic commentary while you drive, the app gives important information on the local ecosystem and geology, as well as historical facts about the settlers who made this place what it is today.
GyPSy uses cutting-edge technology and, once downloaded, doesn’t require data or a cellular network as it uses a GPS signal. Easy-to-follow routes have been created by professional tour guides, which makes route-finding simple: all you have to do is listen to the instructions and entertaining commentary.
This low-cost app will make for an enjoyable day in both national parks. gypsyguide.com.
Need help finding the right location for that perfect photo? eFotoGuide is a series of ebooks providing the most comprehensive information available for photographing America’s national parks and other scenic areas.
The ebooks are PDFs accessible on all electronic platforms including smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
moabphotoworkshops.com/efotoguide.