Rocky Mountain National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Description
Purchase only one tour per vehicle, not per person. Everyone listens together! Take an unforgettable drive through Rocky Mountain National Park with this self-guided audio tour! These beautiful peaks are loaded with hiking trails and astonishing vistas, and this comprehensive tour will introduce you to all of them. Visit stunning lakes and mountain passes, hear the history of the remarkable women who helped create the park, and learn about the Ute tribe and their legends. And, of course, don’t forget to snap a few photos along the way! After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Up next are Beaver Ponds, featuring an easy boardwalk through secluded, very pretty wetlands. Note: The tour is over 40+ miles long, with more than 60+ audio stories, and takes about 2-3 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Beaver Meadows Visitor Center, also known as Rocky Mountain National Park Administration Building, is the park headquarters and principal visitors center of Rocky Mountain National Park in central northern Colorado.
The first hiking trail you'll reach is the Deer Mountain Trailhead, which leads up 1,000 feet to some spectacular views from a mountainous summit.
Welcome to Rocky Mountain National Park! This tour will take you through the most picturesque stretch of this majestic mountain range. Get ready for stunning vistas, lush meadows, and prime wildlife-spotting!
After that is Hidden Valley, a boreal forest with some of the hardiest flora in the country.
You'll arrive next at the Many Parks Curve Overlook, which offers stunning views of not one or two but three gorgeous mountain meadows.
The next overlook you'll reach is Rainbow Curve Overlook, which sits right at the altitude beyond which most trees can no longer grow. Suffice to say it boasts some pretty incredible views!
At the next trail, the Ute Trailhead, you'll learn about the Ute tribe which once called the Rockies home.
Continuing on, you'll come to the Forest Canyon Overlook, featuring a vista from 12,000 feet up. You'll also get some facts about the Arapaho tribe while taking in the views.
Your route takes you next to the Lava Cliffs Overlook. You might not think "lava" when you think of the Rocky Mountains, but these 28 million year-old cliffs are sure to change your mind about that!
Next, you'll arrive at the Gore Range Overlook. This ominously-named range gets its name from the deep red coloring it takes on at certain times of the day, and you might just catch sight of that striking image while visiting!
You'll pass the Alpine Visitor Center next. This isn't just a great place to stop for snacks and restrooms, it's also the highest-elevation visitor center in any US national park!
At the Medicine Bow Curve, up next, you won't want to leave your camera in the car! This vista is so high up you can see the state of Wyoming from it!
Ever seen an alpine lake? That's next, at Poudre Lake. This lake is so high up that it freezes all the way through, top to bottom, each winter.
Continuing on, you'll arrive at Fairview Curve Viewpoint, offering an excellent look at the Never Summer Mountain Range.
The next trail leads to some great views of the famous Colorado River. Here, you'll also learn some of that river's surprising history.
The road you'll follow throughout the park wasn't built in a day, and your next stop, the Timber Creek Road Camp Barn, provides a glimpse into the ambitious construction project's past.
More history waits ahead, at the Holzwarth Historic Site. Once the home of a small family, this became one of the nation's first dude ranches before the area was a national park.
Up next is the Bowen/Baker Trailhead, marking the start of one of the park's longest trails. Experienced hikers looking for a challenge will definitely want to check this one out!
The next trail, the Coyote Valley Trail, is a great choice for hikers looking for an easier, shorter journey. This trek also has opportunities for fishing!
The Ute and the Arapaho weren't the only tribes to call the Rockies home. You'll learn about another, the Onahu, at the Onahu Trailhead up next.
The main tour concludes in the town of Grand Lake, which has all the amenities you'll need after a long, rewarding day in the Rockies.
If you chose to take the Bear Lake detour, you'll come first to the Moraine Park Amphitheater, which dates all the way back to the park's earliest days.
At Moraine Park, up next, you'll have the opportunity for some seriously scenic horseback riding.
After that you'll come to Cub Lake Trailhead, where you'll learn about the lasting damage caused by wildfires within the park.
Beyond that is Fern Lake Trailhead, the perfect stop for hikers looking for a bit of peace and quiet away from the crowds.
As you follow the route, you'll find it hard to miss Eagle Cliff Mountain, named for the golden eagles and bald eagles which can frequently be seen in this area.
Looking for a picturesque picnic spot? You'll find it next, at Hollowell Park.
A relaxing destination with many picnic tables and excellent views of Mill Creek Basin below Longs Peak.
Continuing on, you'll come to Sprague Lake, one of the best spots in the entire park to catch the sunrise. If you can get here early enough, it's highly recommended!
After that is the Bierstadt Lake Trailhead. This lake is every bit as beautiful as Sprague Lake, and tends to have fewer visitors, so be sure to stop by if you want to enjoy a bit of wilderness solitude.
The next trail, at Glacier Gorge Junction, offers a great trek through the park's famous quaking aspens. These iconic aspens are among the hardiest trees around!
Finally, you'll arrive at Bear Lake. This immense lake is a phenomenal spot to end your journey, get a few final photos, and bask in the pristine beauty of the Rocky Mountains.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- Important Note: Due to a winter storm, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is temporarily closed to thru travel. The road is closed on the east side at Rainbow Curve and on the west side at Colorado River Trailhead. Old Fall River Road is also closed. Please check current conditions before your visit.
- In 2026, a timed entry reservation is required to enter and visit all areas of Rocky Mountain National Park from May 22 to mid October during certain hours.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
Reviews(100)
Overall, we enjoyed it, and the price was very reasonable. It stopped right before the end of many of the narrations, but we had already heard most of each one.
Tom, thank you for taking my Rocky Mountain National Park GPS driving audio tour. I’m glad you enjoyed it, learned a lot about RMNP, and found it reasonably priced. I’m sorry that some narration stopped near the end; following the route closely and staying close to the speed limit shown in the app can help the GPS audio play more smoothly and prevent it from cutting off. If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to contact me; my support team is available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM ET and is always happy to help.
I downloaded the tour to my phone before going, pushed play upon entering the park and it played the first clip. It didn’t play anything automatically after that and I was only able to get it it to play two more sound clips at all by going into the app and manually hitting play. It was a complete waste of money.
Gretchen, I’m sorry my Rocky Mountain National Park self-guided audio tour didn’t work correctly for you. The welcome audio can play on its own, but location permission must be enabled for the route stories to auto-play. Was that turned on when you set up the app? Since you didn’t get the full experience, I’d be happy to provide a replacement tour; please reach out to me anytime between 9 AM and 6 PM EST.
What a perfect way to experience Rocky Mountain National Park! The audio guide was interesting and included facts about diverse topics including wild animals, park history, Native American lore, and scenic views to stop at. The audio worked seamlessly even without cell service. I’d definitely recommend this tour if you’re driving through the park. It kept things interesting in between stops to enjoy the views.
Calista, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Rocky Mountain National Park GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s wonderful to know the audio guide helped bring the park to life with interesting facts about wildlife, park history, Native American lore, and scenic stops along the way. I’m especially happy the tour worked seamlessly, even without cell service, and kept things engaging between viewpoints. For more adventures, check out my Tour of US West National Parks, featuring audio guides for parks like Arches, Badlands, Olympic, Yellowstone, and White Sands. Happy exploring!
First visit to the Rocky Mountain National Park. Spectacular views of the park from the roadway pull offs. We purchased a self guided tour that plays through an app, and it guides you through the park, educates you on the parks history and lets you know what is at each pull off so you can choose to stop or not. A must see for anyone in the area. Make sure you book your time slot through recreation.gov, cost for the slot is $2. There are additional entrance fees at the gate.
Allibby, I’m glad you enjoyed your first trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with the GPS Driving Audio Tour. It’s great that the app guided you, offered historical context, and highlighted pull-offs for stops. I’m happy the tour made your visit memorable. For more adventures, try my Tour of US West National Parks with audio guides for parks like Arches, Badlands, Olympic, Yellowstone, and White Sands. Happy exploring!
We loved the self guided tour. It gave information about scenic overlooks and trails well in advance of the locations. The audio used shuttle information for Bear Lake Rd. This was a great feature since parking in that section is very limited. Additional information about wildlife and important people in Rocky Mountain National Park’s history was also included. We used the audio over a 3 day period. Nice to go at your own pace.
Nancy, I’m so glad you loved my Rocky Mountain National Park GPS Driving Audio Tour! It’s wonderful to hear that the scenic overlook, trail, shuttle, wildlife, and history information helped you make the most of your visit. I’m also happy you enjoyed using the tour over three days and exploring at your own pace. For more adventures, check out my Tour of US West National Parks, featuring audio guides for parks like Arches, Badlands, Olympic, Yellowstone, and White Sands. We hope to join you on the road again soon!
It was marginally helpful, marginally useful. The coverage is spotty, and gets confused at times. One segment repeated itself three times. It’s no substitute for a docent- or ranger-guided tour.
Marcim, I’m sorry to hear about the issues you experienced with my Rocky Mountain GPS Driving Audio Tour. Could you let me know exactly where the segment repeated so I can look into it? I’m happy to help troubleshoot with you. You can reach out anytime — I’m available daily from 9 AM–6 PM EST.
Like the audio tour and gps offline while driving the park. Saw wildlife near end on return tip to entrance. Only saw 7 miles in to drive as rest closed due to winter.
Gary, I’m really glad to hear that my Rocky Mountain National Park GPS Driving Audio Tour worked well for you, especially with the offline GPS while driving. It’s great that you were able to spot wildlife too—that’s always a highlight. I understand the winter closures can limit how much of the park you can see, but the good part is that my tour is valid forever, so you can always come back and explore the rest when it reopens. I truly appreciate you sharing your experience. For more adventures, check out my Tour of US West National Parks, featuring engaging audio guides at parks like Arches, Badlands, Olympic, Yellowstone and White Sands, designed for freedom and discovery. Happy travels!
This was great except much of the park was closed so we couldn’t complete the tour. I wish it were clearer before we bought it.
Joanna, I’m sorry to hear that much of the park was closed during your visit, which prevented you from completing the tour. I always recommend checking for park closures ahead of time, as they can sometimes be unexpected. Since my tour is valid forever, you can revisit and complete the route whenever you'd like. If you need help planning your next visit or have any other questions, I’m available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM EST.
At first it was great but once we came to the closed roads, it was confusing how to get back on track to see/hear the remaining points. I realize that, as the winter season approaches, roads need to be closed. I’m not sure how to remedy this. The app was helpful in finding some interesting places that we might not have stopped to explore like Sprague Lake. Not as busy this time of year. Beautiful .Watched the brook trout spawning. Saw mule deer, elk, magpie birds and others in the park. Worth it!
Thank you for the kind words—glad my Rocky Mountain self-guided tour helped you discover Sprague Lake and its wildlife. Winter closures can interrupt the main route; if you can share which section was confusing, we’ll tighten our detour guidance for the seasonal shutdowns. It’s always best to check the park’s closure updates before you go. Your tour stays valid, so you can revisit when roads reopen. If you’d like a refund or a replacement, I’m available 9–6 EST and happy to help.
Saves money on tours. It’s your own private tour guide. He even tells you stops for lookouts and hikes. The only bad thing is you do all the driving.
Marvin, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Rocky Mountain National Park Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour. I’m excited that it provided a private tour experience with great recommendations for lookouts and hikes. I understand that doing all the driving can be a bit tiring, but I’m happy to know the tour helped save money and gave you a great experience. If you're interested, my 30+ National Parks Bundle includes self-guided tours of the Grand Canyon, Glacier, Joshua Tree, and more. Happy travels!
