Arches National Park Self-Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour

Overview

Explore Arches National Park with an app-based, self-guided GPS audio driving tour through towering sandstone fins, dramatic viewpoints, and some of Utah’s most famous natural arches. There’s no in-person guide—your phone leads the way with turn-by-turn navigation, stories, and directions as you explore highlights like Delicate Arch, The Windows, and Devils Garden. Shaka Guide tours are created by real people who know and experience the destinations they guide, bringing Arches to life through engaging stories, geology, history, and local insight. Choose the stops and hikes that interest you, skip others, and spend as much time as you like exploring. One purchase covers everyone in your vehicle. Download the Shaka Guide app and tour before you go; once downloaded, the audio and map work offline, and GPS-triggered narration plays automatically as you drive.

Itinerary

1. Arches Visitor Center

   The Visitor Center has necessities like water, snacks, and restrooms. This is a good place to fill up your water and purchase a few snacks. There is no other place in the park that sells food and the only other place that has drinking water is all the way at the end of the road at Devils Garden.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

2. At the Moab Fault viewpoint, you can see the result of enormous pressure that separated the area of the viewpoint with the cliff wall on the other side of the canyon.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

3. Park Avenue Trail

   City folks say you get the same feeling standing among the rock formations in Park Avenue that you do standing next to the towering skyscrapers in New York city.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

4. La Sal means the salt in Spanish. The mountains got their name in 1776 when Spanish explorers thought the snowy peaks looked like giant piles of salt. The highest peak, Mount Peale, is over 12,000 feet around 3,600 meters high

   · 20 min· Admission not included

5. Courthouse Towers

   Here you’ll find a series of huge sandstone rock formations like the Three Gossips, The Organ, and Sheep Rock.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

6. This is a vast landscape of these sort of lumpy rock formations. It may not look like it at first, but they are actually sand dunes, like on the Sahara. More specifically though, these are petrified sand dunes, meaning that the sand actually solidified into rock around 200 million years ago.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

7. Balanced Rock Trail

   Balanced Rock stands over 120 feet or 11 stories tall. This giant Hoodoo has a ball on top that appears to be perfectly balanced on the spire below.

   · 20 min· Admission not included

8. This area features more than 30 different magnificent arches including The Windows, Turret Arch, and Double Arch, which was featured in the opening scenes of Indian Jones and the Last Crusade.

   · 20 min

9. The Garden of Eden is a great place to wander around. This is an open terrain dotted with fins, windows, and miniature arches, or even arches still being formed. There's no designated trail so be sure you watch your step for any biocrust. You can find the owl rock just a short distance from the parking lot.

   · 20 min

10. Pothole Arch

    Pothole arch is unlike the rest of the arches you’ll see on the tour because, while those arches are vertical, this arch is horizontal.

    · 20 min· Admission not included

11. From this high vantage point, you can see for miles and miles in several directions. To the north is Devil's Garden and the Fiery Furnace. To the south you can see Elephant Butte, the highest point in the park at 5,600 feet.

    · 20 min

12. Optional Hike: Visit Delicate Arch Trailhead for the strenuous 3-mile roundtrip hike to one of the park’s most famous landmarks. Allow approximately 2–3 hours for the hike. If you prefer an easier option, visit the separate Delicate Arch Viewpoints instead.

    · 2 h

13. If you don’t have time or don’t have a reservation to make the three-mile hike to Delicate Arch, you can still see the arch from two viewpoints. The trail to the lower viewpoint is just a short 100-foot walk from the parking lot. The second trail is to the upper viewpoint, about a half mile round trip.

    · 20 min

14. The Salt Valley was once called the paradox formation because early geologists couldn’t determine how it was created. It’s a good thing you’ve got Shaka Guide to make everything clear.

    · 20 min· Admission not included

15. This place got its name because the rocks here glow as if they're on fire when the sun is at the right angle. There is a permit-only hike through the Fiery Furnace but permits are limited and must be reserved online. We don’t recommend the hike on our tour due to its difficulty, but if you really want to hike it, you can make a reservation here.

    · 20 min

16. Explore Sand Dune Arch on a short walk through deep sand between towering sandstone fins. You can extend your visit toward Broken Arch if you have more time. Longer backcountry-style hikes such as Tower Arch require substantially more time and additional driving.

    · 30 min· Admission not included

17. This large arch sits just above the horizon framing the sky as a wonderful window arch. No hiking is required, but if you want, just 10 minutes on foot will get you up close to the arch.

    · 20 min· Admission not included

18. Walk around and check out the arches. The hike is short - about two miles - and it's well-worth it. You'll also find picnic tables and a restroom if you want to relax for a while. ​​The most famous formation at the Devils Garden Trail is definitely the Landscape Arch, the longest arch in North America.

    · 1 h· Admission not included

How to use your ticket

HOW TO REDEEM YOUR TOUR: Thank you for purchasing the Arches National Park Tour. Before you start your adventure, you'll need to redeem and download the tour in the Shaka Guide app. Follow the instructions below: *Please Note: The redeem code is the 10-digit booking reference number on your ticket (located under the barcode). 1. Download the Shaka Guide App in the App Store or Google Play Store (or use the link at the bottom of this email) 2. Open the app and sign in/create your account 3. Go to Support → Retrieve Purchases 4. Tap on Redeem Purchases 5. Enter your Redeem Code (10-digit booking reference number on your ticket located under the barcode) 6. Tap on Redeem Purchases 7. Download your tour(s) Once you've redeemed your tour, you'll find it under "My Stuff" in the app. For a smooth ride, download the tour with wifi before you go. Should you need further assistance or have other questions, email us at aloha@shakaguide.com or call (808) 201-8138 DOWNLOAD THE APP HERE: www.shakaguide.com/download

Meeting point

What to know before you go

• Service animals allowed
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• This is a self-guided driving tour. Transportation and a driver are not included, so you’ll need your own vehicle or rental car.
• The tour can be started from either the northbound or southbound approach to Arches National Park. Follow the starting-point directions in the Shaka Guide app.
• Download the Shaka Guide app after booking and use the redemption code provided in your confirmation to access your tour.
• Download the tour over strong Wi-Fi before entering the park. Cell service is spotty throughout Arches. Once downloaded, the audio and map work offline, and GPS-triggered narration plays automatically as you drive.
• The itinerary is flexible. Stops, viewpoints, and hikes are recommendations, not requirements. Skip stops, stay longer at places that interest you, or choose shorter hikes based on your available time.
• Arches National Park requires a separate entrance pass. Park admission is purchased separately from the National Park Service and is not included with the Shaka Guide tour.
• Advanced timed-entry reservations are not required at Arches National Park in 2026. However, entrance delays or temporary vehicle diversions may occur when the park becomes congested, and parking at popular stops can fill. Arriving early and remaining flexible is recommended.
• The Shaka Guide tour visits the Fiery Furnace Viewpoint only. Entering the Fiery Furnace requires a separate ranger-guided reservation or self-guided permit from the National Park Service and is not part of this tour.
• Hiking is optional. Trail difficulty varies significantly, from short viewpoint walks to strenuous hikes such as Delicate Arch. Choose activities that match your ability, available time, weather, and current trail conditions.
• Accessibility varies by stop. Because this is a self-guided tour using your own vehicle, accessibility depends on your vehicle and the locations you choose to visit. Many trails include sand, uneven rock, steep grades, or other terrain that may not be wheelchair or stroller accessible.
• Desert conditions can be hot and exposed. Bring plenty of water, sun protection, and appropriate footwear.
• Bring a fully charged phone. A car charger is recommended for a full day of exploring.

Travelers

Pricing per vehicle (up to 15 people).

Cancellation policy

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

• From 1 days before : 100% refunded
• From 0 days before : 0% refunded

Reviews

Product code: 102020P34

Activity offered by Shaka Guide Apps via Viator.