Zion National Park Self-Guided Tour

Welcome to the Zion National Park Tour

Explore Zion National Park with a self-guided audio tour! Zion’s raw landscape has it all: staggering mountain peaks, stunning natural pools, and gorgeous vistas.  

Note:

Between March through late November, Zion’s Scenic Drive is accessible by shuttle bus only. If you buy our tour, you can use it the same way on the shuttle bus as well. Just plug your headphones into your mobile device and listen in on the audio stories.

About the Tour

This self-guided audio and GPS tour begins at the Springdale Visitor Center before continuing into the park itself. As you drive, you’ll hear about the park’s history and how it got its unusual name. Then, visit one of the best vistas for sunrises and return to when woolly mammoths walked the park. No, really!

At the vista, we’ll point you to the impressive peaks of the Altar of Sacrifice, the Sundial, and the West Temple. They’ve all got imposing names, but I assure you that the mountains themselves are even more intimidating!

After that, we’ll drive past the towering Sentinel and hear about how a tremendous earthquake transformed this mountain. At the following viewpoint, we’ll see the Patriarchs, a trio of mountains so gorgeous that people used to think pictures of them just had to be fake. We’ll also get insight into how the local tribes helped name the park’s best features.

Have you ever seen an emerald-colored pool? You’ll get your chance after the Patriarchs as we swing by sparkling waterfalls and the pools at their base, which turn radiantly green during certain months of the year.

As we continue to Angel’s Landing on the Zion National Park tour, you’ll hear all about what a struggle it’s been to preserve this park. When we see Angel’s Landing itself, you’ll wonder how anyone is brave enough to make the trek! This precarious, death-defying hike is famous for its staggering views and the danger involved in getting to them.

If the landscape seems a bit dry for you, never fear! Next is Weeping Rock, a cliff face that constantly “weeps” and gives life to a bit of oasis at its base. Then it’s on to The Narrows, a one-of-a-kind river hike that’s perfect for photo ops.

Then, we’ll travel along the Riverwalk and hear about the ancient petroglyphs left behind by the people who once called this area home. That will bring us to East Zion, home to some of the park’s most jaw-dropping vistas, offering breathtaking sights of lush canyons and sharp mountain peaks.

When we head through the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, we’ll get the full story of the conflict between the Mormons and the Paiute tribe, then learn how an ingenious Mormon engineer figured out how to transport timber from the canyon’s rim down to its base with a complex pulley system!

As we make our way to the East Entrance Ranger Station, we’ll admire the baffling Checkerboard Mesa and keep an eye out for the park’s famous bighorn sheep. Our Zion National Park tour will conclude at the ranger station.

2022 Updates

As of April 1st, 2022,  all hikers heading to Angels Landing will need a permit. This permit can either be seasonal or through the day-before lottery system, which can be applied on recreation.gov. It costs $6 to apply for a permit. The fee covers an application for up to 6 people.

Please Note: Zion has two parts – the Valley segment and the East segment. 

The Valley segment can be done in your own car ONLY if the park has granted you a driving pass. Please check the park rules before your visit. If you do not get the driving pass, then the Valley segment can be done using the park shuttle as well. Please check the park rules for the shuttle as well. This audio tour works for both car and shuttle (and bicycle), so it does not matter which you choose. 

The East segment is driving only so there’s nothing to worry about!

Starting Point Address: Springdale Visitor Center

East Entrance Starting Point: East Entrance Ranger Station