Bryce Canyon Audio Tour: Self-Guided with GPS

Navigate the hoodoos on your schedule, with narration that plays where you stand

This self-guided audio tour of Bryce Canyon National Park uses GPS to trigger narration and stories at 11 viewpoints across the Bryce Amphitheater and the 18-mile Scenic Drive. Download the Shaka Guide app before arrival, enable location services, and the tour plays automatically as you drive and walk: pause, rewind, or skip ahead anytime. You control the pace and the start time. The app works offline after download and never expires.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Fairyland Point10m
2. Rainbow Point5m
3. Bristlecone Loop30m
4. Farview Point15m
5. Bryce Amphitheater1h
6. Paria View10m
7. Inspiration Point10m
8. Bryce Canyon National Park10m

Explore Bryce Canyon National Park

• Enter Bryce Canyon National Park
• Visit Bryce Canyon Visitor’s Center
• Stop at Fairyland Point viewpoint
• Drive Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive
• Visit Rainbow Point viewpoint
• Walk to Yovimpa Point
• Hike Bristlecone Loop Trail
• Stop at Black Birch Canyon Viewpoint
• Visit Ponderosa Point viewpoint
• View hoodoos at Thor’s Hammer
• Stop at Farview Point
• Walk to Piracy Point
• Visit Swamp Canyon viewpoint
• Explore Bryce Amphitheater viewpoints
• Visit Bryce Point viewpoint
• Stop at Paria View viewpoint
• Visit Inspiration Point viewpoints
• Visit Sunset Point and hike Navajo Loop Trail
• Hike Mossy Cave Trail outside park gates

The experience

The tour covers the main viewpoints most visitors want: Inspiration Point (called "The Silent City" for its frozen rows of hoodoos), Sunset Point where Thor's Hammer rises from the canyon floor, and Rainbow Point at 9,100 feet, the park's highest spot. Along the way you'll stop at Farview Point, where the air is clear enough to see into Arizona, and at smaller overlooks like Paria View, where Peregrine Falcons hunt. The app tells you what you're looking at: how the hoodoos formed, which rock formations resemble animals or objects, and the stories of the people who pushed to make Bryce a National Park.

The Scenic Drive itself is 18 miles one direction, and the tour guides you through seven viewpoints on the return: Black Birch Canyon, Ponderosa Point, Agua Canyon, Natural Bridge, Farview, Piracy Point (unofficially the Hansel and Gretel trail, winding through Ponderosa and Bristlecone Pines), and Swamp Canyon, where a natural water source keeps the vegetation green around the hoodoos. If you want to hike, the app marks trailheads. The Bristlecone Loop is a one-mile walk through some of the oldest trees on earth, and the Navajo Loop from Sunset Point drops 1.4 miles into the canyon itself. You decide which stops to linger at and which to skip.

You'll need your own vehicle or be prepared to walk. The app provides turn-by-turn route guidance but does not arrange transport. The $35 per-car park entrance fee is your responsibility. Start by 8 a.m. if you want to hit all the stops in one day and find parking: earlier if you want to catch sunrise over the Amphitheater. The visitor center, open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., has a museum and a 20-minute film if you want more context. Check the NPS website before you go. Some trails close in bad weather, and RVs cannot park in the Amphitheater lots between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

What’s included

• GPS-triggered audio narration at 11 stops.
• lifetime access to the tour after purchase.
• turn-by-turn route guidance through the park.
• the ability to pause, rewind, or replay any section.
• offline access after downloading the app.
• storytelling based on firsthand travel research.
• self-paced exploration with no fixed start time or group schedule.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcome

Operated by Shaka Guide Apps

Is this one for you?The English-language narration plays automatically as you drive and walk, so you don't need to read a map or stop to look things up. The commentary arrives when you reach each viewpoint. This works best if you have a smartphone with GPS, can download the app before arrival, and prefer exploring on your own schedule rather than with a guide or a group.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can I download the tour before I arrive at Bryce Canyon?

Yes. You must download the Shaka Guide app and redeem your tour before arrival using the link in your confirmation email. Strong Wi-Fi or cellular data is required to download. The tour then works offline, and you can start whenever you're ready once you're in the park.

What is Inspiration Point and why is it called "The Silent City"?

Inspiration Point is a viewpoint in the Bryce Amphitheater where rows and rows of hoodoos stand so densely that they resemble people frozen in time. The tour includes three smaller viewing areas at the point (lower, mid, and high), and a moderate rocky hike connects it to Sunset Point via the Rim Trail.

How long does it take to complete the entire tour?

The tour spans 6 to 10 hours depending on how many stops you visit, which trails you hike, and how long you spend at each viewpoint. Starting by 8 a.m. gives you time to see all the main stops in one day.

Do I need to pay anything beyond the tour purchase?

Yes. Bryce Canyon charges a $35 per-car entrance fee, which you must pay at the gate. The tour itself does not include meals, so bring food and water for the day.

What happens if I want to hike into the canyon? Does the app guide me on the trails?

The app marks trailheads and tells you about popular hikes like the Navajo Loop (1.4 miles, easy-to-moderate) and the Bristlecone Loop (one mile through ancient trees), but it does not provide step-by-step trail narration. You hike at your own pace and risk.

Can I use this tour if I don't have a car?

The tour is designed for self-guided exploration using your own vehicle or on foot. If you don't have a car, you can walk between some nearby viewpoints, but you'll miss the Scenic Drive and the southern viewpoints. Plan accordingly or arrange a rental.