Canyonlands National Park Needles District by 4x4
Description
Explore the awe-inspiring landscape of Chesler Park, located in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. This full-day tour by 4-wheel drive (4WD) visits remote sections of the pristine wilderness. Your expert guide drives over some of Utah's most rugged off-road tracks to highlights such as Elephant Hill, Devil's Kitchen, Devil's Lane and SOB Hill. Take an optional 3-mile (4.8-km) hike on the incredible Joint Trail to experience even more of this national park’s breathtaking beauty up close.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Make your own way to the conveniently located meeting point in Moab, then hop into the sturdy and comfortable 4WD vehicle for the scenic 2-hour drive to Chesler Park, located in the heart of the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park.
The Needles District offers awe-inspiring landscapes and scenic vistas at every turn. Admire towering multicolored rock formations, ancient rock art, desert landscapes dotted with cactus and the vibrant blue southwestern sky. Keep an eye out for a variety of critters including birds, lizards, mule deer and big horn sheep, and enjoy the scent of pinyon, juniper and sage brush in the desert air.
Your guide expertly maneuvers the 4WD over Elephant Hill, known as one of the most challenging 4WD trails in southeastern Utah. Pass Devil's Kitchen and cruise down Devil's Lane before encountering SOB Hill, another challenge to the driving skills of your guide.
At midday, enjoy a delicious buffet-style picnic lunch at a gorgeous viewpoint. Afterward, have the option to hike the Joint Trail to the spacious meadows of Chesler Park, one of Canyonlands' most spectacular spots. Expect to walk a 3-mile loop on a well-groomed trail that passes between enormous boulders and side canyons. The trail has a good walking surface and steep uphill pitch in parts, making for a challenging hike suitable for strong hikers. Or skip the hike and simply relax at the vehicle with time to soak up the beauty around you. Either way, your 4WD tour takes you to some of the more remote parts of the Canyonlands so that you can experience this stunning landscape firsthand.
In an area filled with challenging mountain passes, technical terrain and plenty of level 2, 3 and 4 hikes, the Rock Art Sites of Moab offer travelers easy access to ancient drawings scattered along paths even a novice can navigate.
After a full day of exploring by 4WD, your guide returns you to your starting point in Moab to end your tour.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Things to Bring: reusable bottle (your guide will have lots of extra water available), sun protection/camera/suitable attire and footwear for the weather
- NAVTEC Expeditions is an authorized concessionaire of Canyonlands and Arches National Park
- If you have an Annual National Parks Pass, please bring this for your park entrance fee, otherwise you will need to purchase a day pass for $15
- Every 4x4 tour needs a minimum of 3 individuals to run. If your trip does not meet the minimum the day prior, you will be offered other tour options or get a full refund (Another option is to pay for the 3rd fare)
Reviews(301)
This was truly an amazing experience. The offering was very exciting. Being out in the needles and having so much opportunity to see some special places was wonderful. Charlotte was such an awesome driver was a wonderful guy giving us so much information on the area. We had a wonderful lunch also. Highly recommend this tour.
Hello, We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. Thank you for your review and recommendation. We'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Charlotte. We hope to have the opportunity to lead you on another expedition on your next visit to Moab! Best, Corey
Matt was one of the best trail guides that we have ever met . Very experienced and confident at navigating the terrain in a large vehicle- making you feel safe and at the same time extremely knowledgeable about the surroundings. He definitely has the right personality for the job.
It was an epic adventure! This amazing 4x4 excursion allows you to experience the Needles district of Canyonlands which isn’t possible to see on your own for most Moab visitors. The rock formations are out of this world and the hike was what we were hoping for. We’re active hikers in our mid-late 60’s. Cody who was our driver and guide was an outstanding host. He was informative, friendly and his driving skills were top notched—handling the rugged terrain with precision. Highly recommend it with NavTec Expeditions-they are true experts in off the road excursions.
I went during slow season so the company switched me to the White Rim trail full day tour instead. Our 4x4 tour of Island in the Sky and White Rim was absolutely incredible! We were literally by ourselves and avoided the crowds. The views were breathtaking, but what made it unforgettable was our guide, Adam. He was hilarious, full of fascinating facts, and made everyone feel comfortable and engaged the whole time. His stories brought the canyon’s history to life, and his humor kept us laughing even on the bumpy trails. You can tell he loves what he does! If you’re visiting Canyonlands, do yourself a favor and ask for Adam — you won’t regret it!
We had a great time on our 4x4 trip into the Needles district of Canyonlands National park. We had a great guide and driver in Matt who knew a great deal about the area. The hike to Chester park during the middle of the trip was fantastic,=. I would highly recommend this trip. I may do it again in the future with other family members.
We so enjoyed our time on the tour . We would highly recommend this adventure. From the 4x4 drive through the park to an enjoyable hike it did not disappoint. Then our guide followed up our hike with a delicious healthy lunch for all of us . This was a fun learning experience with breath taking views.
Expect a challenging hike . Lunch was very good. Driver guide was very helpful. Stunning scenery all day.
What a great day with our guide Charlotte. She took us into the Needles District in a 4x4 Landcruiser. She was very skilled and safe, taking us out to the backcountry through Elephant Hill Trail. She was very knowledgeable about all aspects and questions about Canyonlands and other things and Moab. There was another couple with us so pretty much a private tour
Thank you for the great review! We’re so glad Charlotte made your Needles District adventure both safe and exciting with her skillful driving and extensive knowledge of the area. It’s wonderful to hear the small group setting gave you that almost private-tour feel—what a perfect way to experience Canyonlands!
What an awesome tour! Our guide, Charlotte, was fantastic. We've done many jeep tours over the years and many locations --- we like to see things and go into areas you can't access by your personal vehicle and that we might not see otherwise. This was, by far, the best jeep tour we've been on. Charlotte has tons of experience and her love of the area really shines through when she's telling about the geography and history of the area. The "road" we traveled on was way more than just a rough jeep road! Charlotte's navigation and driving of the tour was impressive. We had a great lunch, wonderful hike on the Joint Trail up to Chesler part area. Fantastic views --- just incredible. I am not a super avid hiker and Charlotte was really patient and gave me some great tips about how to navigate the slick rocks and climbing. Highly recommend this tour; worth every penny!
NAVTEC tours TURNS IT UP TO 11....in the spirit of THIS IS SPINAL TAP Sooooooooooooooo WOW!!!! It was awesome! When in Moab, you must go here; you must use NAVTEC; and you must ask for Charlotte!!!!! the off roading was beyond belief. The Land Cruiser traversed terrain I hadn't experienced since Afghanistan. Charlotte was a perfect guide, giving us great info about the places, the history, and her perspective of the place. The lunch she fixed was perfect. There is no other way to do this fantastic place.
