Colorado National Monument Self Guided Audio Driving Guided Tour
Guide With Action
5.0
P9450IHleslieb
145 days ago
The audio tour made the drive through the Colorado National Monument a much richer and more educational experience. I would highly recommend using it as you tour the monument.
Discover red rock country at its finest with this self-guided driving tour through Colorado National Monument. Gaze up at the iconic Independence Monument, a towering spire rising from the canyon floor. Marvel at the natural sculptures of Coke Ovens Overlook, shaped by millennia of erosion. Take in sheer cliffside views at Cold Shivers Point. Wander through rugged formations at Devil’s Kitchen Trail. This drive blends dramatic geology, & wild western beauty. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! 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, & enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits & return trips over the next 12 months. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.
Departure Point
- You can also begin the tour from 3CCG+4RR, Grand Junction, CO, USA. The tour works in both directions, so you can begin in Fruita and end in Grand Junction or vice versa.
- Begin from 47X6+QPP, Fruita, CO, USA. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOR ONE YEAR so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
- Audio guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Book Cliffs ViewGrand Junction, CO 81507This easy hike is only half a mile and takes about 15 minutes, so I highly recommend it. If you have children along, be sure that they stay away from the edge, as it’s quite steep in places. Note: The tour is over 45 Miles long per tour, with more than 35+ audio stories per tour, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Saddlehorn Comfort Station599-501 Rim Drive, Fruita, CO 81521When you look around the Redlands View, take a look at how the rocks seem to have different layers, almost like a cake. These are different types of rock that were exposed over millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River. Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Coke Ovens Overlook1750 Rimrock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521Our next stop features a rock doing a circus balancing act. Balanced Rock View offers a look at a 700-ton boulder seemingly perched precariously atop a rocky pillar.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Red Canyon Overlook2198 Rimrock Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81507Settlers in the 1880s realized that this was the perfect place to grow fruit trees. Peaches, apples, and grapes all love the sheltered valley and plentiful water here.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Grand JunctionGrand Junction, Coloradowe’ll discover beautiful cliffs, ravines, and vistas. We’ll also hear about cattle rustlers, dinosaurs, and the famous “hermit of the Canyons.” Note: The tour is over 45 miles long, with more than 35+ audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Fruita Canyon View16 Rimrock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521The Book Cliffs look almost purple in some places. That’s because Mancos shale makes up the base of these cliffs. That rough, grayish stone gives way to the softer, tan sandstone that makes up the higher levels.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Independence Monument View17 Rimrock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521The Saddlehorn Amphitheater, built during the 1960s. This was part of the “Mission 66 era,” when the Federal Government worked to revitalize national parks after WWII. The amphitheater has hosted live music, plays, educational talks, ranger programs, and community gatherings over the decades.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: AmphitheaterChimney Rock, CO 81147This is a small wooden rest stop for travellers built in 1937. When the Great Depression hit, millions of Americans were unemployed. President Franklin D. Roosevelt developed the Civilian Conservation Corp, putting thousands of young men to work on conservation projects around America. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Devils Kitchen TrailSerpents Trail, Grand Junction, CO 81507When John Otto first started exploring this area, he gave the distinctive rock formations patriotic names. One of the most famous is Independence Monument, a towering monolith that soars above the valley below. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Ute Canyon Nature Trail2158 Rimrock Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81507In Monument Canyon, you’ll see more of the colorful layers of sandstone we’ve been talking about today. These distinctive layers sit on top of the Uncompahgre Plateau. “Uncompahgre” is a Ute word that means “rocks that made the water red.” That description is certainly accurate. The distinctive orange and red-colored rocks come from the abundance of iron here.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Upper Liberty Cap TrailheadGrand Junction, CO 81507While today we might think of a coke bottle, these formations were actually named for the brick ovens that were used to heat coal into coke in the 19th century. Coke is one of the raw materials used to make steel.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Redlands ViewFruita, CO 81521One reason people do this hike is to find petroglyphs, or ancient picture writings carved directly into the stone. Protected under small overhangs of rock, two separate pictographs are carved into the soft sandstone of the canyon.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Window Rock TrailGrand Junction, CO 81507The Liberty Cap monument also got its name from our friend John Otto. I did say he had a fondness for patriotic names. This domed sandstone formation might remind you of the beehive shapes of the Coke Ovens. But why the name liberty cap? In the early 1800s, there was a penny in circulation that had a profile of Lady Liberty pressed onto the front.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Colorado National Monument SignFruita, CO 81521Fallen Rock is a gigantic piece of Wingate Sandstone, topped with the more durable Kayenta Sandstone formation, like many of the monuments here. This piece was once attached to the nearby cliff with softer Chinle formation sandstone.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Balanced Rock ViewCO 81401The Ute Canyon Trail, a moderate 8-mile hike that takes about four hours to complete. Rather than doing this hike, I recommend just checking out the overlook at the trailhead, which we’ll see in a minute.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Cold Shivers Point Overlook2203-2215 Glade Park Road, Grand Junction, CO 81507This overlook gives you a view down into the Red Canyon. This canyon is almost untouched by humans, as no trails head directly down to it. If we decide to stop and take a look, we can hear a bit more about the canyon by tapping Learn More.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Monument Canyon TrailMonument Valley Trail, Grand Junction, CO 81507It’s named because of the sheer drop on the other side of the guard rail. Unlike the other overlooks we've stopped at today, the edge of the road goes right up to the edge of the cliff here.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Monument Canyon ViewGrand Junction, CO 81507The next trail on our route is the Devil’s Kitchen Trail, a moderate two-mile that takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. It leads down to a series of sandstone monoliths that gather together like the walls of a small room. Arches within the pillars make windows that you can peer through.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Fallen Rock OverlookGrand Junction, CO 81507Grand Junction has come a long way since then. Today, it’s the fourth-largest city in Colorado, but still boasts plenty of wide open spaces. Along with the Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction is home to the Grand Mesa - where skiing and snowboarding are popular in the winter - and Rattlesnake Arches - a trail where you can see 35 natural stone arches formed by erosion. Duration: Not AvailableAdditional 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.
- 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
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
- 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.
- For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
- Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
- Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
- Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
- Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
- Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
- Park Passes
Discover red rock country at its finest with this self-guided driving tour through Colorado National Monument. Gaze up at the iconic Independence Monument, a towering spire rising from the canyon floor. Marvel at the natural sculptures of Coke Ovens Overlook, shaped by millennia of erosion. Take in sheer cliffside views at Cold Shivers Point. Wander through rugged formations at Devil’s Kitchen Trail. This drive blends dramatic geology, & wild western beauty. Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! 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, & enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits & return trips over the next 12 months. This is not an entrance ticket to attractions along the route. Check opening hours before your visit.
Departure Point
- You can also begin the tour from 3CCG+4RR, Grand Junction, CO, USA. The tour works in both directions, so you can begin in Fruita and end in Grand Junction or vice versa.
- Begin from 47X6+QPP, Fruita, CO, USA. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOR ONE YEAR so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
- Audio guide - English
Points of Interest
Stop At: Book Cliffs ViewGrand Junction, CO 81507This easy hike is only half a mile and takes about 15 minutes, so I highly recommend it. If you have children along, be sure that they stay away from the edge, as it’s quite steep in places. Note: The tour is over 45 Miles long per tour, with more than 35+ audio stories per tour, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Saddlehorn Comfort Station599-501 Rim Drive, Fruita, CO 81521When you look around the Redlands View, take a look at how the rocks seem to have different layers, almost like a cake. These are different types of rock that were exposed over millions of years of erosion by the Colorado River. Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Coke Ovens Overlook1750 Rimrock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521Our next stop features a rock doing a circus balancing act. Balanced Rock View offers a look at a 700-ton boulder seemingly perched precariously atop a rocky pillar.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Red Canyon Overlook2198 Rimrock Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81507Settlers in the 1880s realized that this was the perfect place to grow fruit trees. Peaches, apples, and grapes all love the sheltered valley and plentiful water here.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Grand JunctionGrand Junction, Coloradowe’ll discover beautiful cliffs, ravines, and vistas. We’ll also hear about cattle rustlers, dinosaurs, and the famous “hermit of the Canyons.” Note: The tour is over 45 miles long, with more than 35+ audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: Fruita Canyon View16 Rimrock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521The Book Cliffs look almost purple in some places. That’s because Mancos shale makes up the base of these cliffs. That rough, grayish stone gives way to the softer, tan sandstone that makes up the higher levels.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Independence Monument View17 Rimrock Drive, Fruita, CO 81521The Saddlehorn Amphitheater, built during the 1960s. This was part of the “Mission 66 era,” when the Federal Government worked to revitalize national parks after WWII. The amphitheater has hosted live music, plays, educational talks, ranger programs, and community gatherings over the decades.Duration: Not AvailableStop At: AmphitheaterChimney Rock, CO 81147This is a small wooden rest stop for travellers built in 1937. When the Great Depression hit, millions of Americans were unemployed. President Franklin D. Roosevelt developed the Civilian Conservation Corp, putting thousands of young men to work on conservation projects around America. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Devils Kitchen TrailSerpents Trail, Grand Junction, CO 81507When John Otto first started exploring this area, he gave the distinctive rock formations patriotic names. One of the most famous is Independence Monument, a towering monolith that soars above the valley below. Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Ute Canyon Nature Trail2158 Rimrock Drive, Grand Junction, CO 81507In Monument Canyon, you’ll see more of the colorful layers of sandstone we’ve been talking about today. These distinctive layers sit on top of the Uncompahgre Plateau. “Uncompahgre” is a Ute word that means “rocks that made the water red.” That description is certainly accurate. The distinctive orange and red-colored rocks come from the abundance of iron here.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Upper Liberty Cap TrailheadGrand Junction, CO 81507While today we might think of a coke bottle, these formations were actually named for the brick ovens that were used to heat coal into coke in the 19th century. Coke is one of the raw materials used to make steel.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Redlands ViewFruita, CO 81521One reason people do this hike is to find petroglyphs, or ancient picture writings carved directly into the stone. Protected under small overhangs of rock, two separate pictographs are carved into the soft sandstone of the canyon.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Window Rock TrailGrand Junction, CO 81507The Liberty Cap monument also got its name from our friend John Otto. I did say he had a fondness for patriotic names. This domed sandstone formation might remind you of the beehive shapes of the Coke Ovens. But why the name liberty cap? In the early 1800s, there was a penny in circulation that had a profile of Lady Liberty pressed onto the front.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Colorado National Monument SignFruita, CO 81521Fallen Rock is a gigantic piece of Wingate Sandstone, topped with the more durable Kayenta Sandstone formation, like many of the monuments here. This piece was once attached to the nearby cliff with softer Chinle formation sandstone.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Balanced Rock ViewCO 81401The Ute Canyon Trail, a moderate 8-mile hike that takes about four hours to complete. Rather than doing this hike, I recommend just checking out the overlook at the trailhead, which we’ll see in a minute.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Cold Shivers Point Overlook2203-2215 Glade Park Road, Grand Junction, CO 81507This overlook gives you a view down into the Red Canyon. This canyon is almost untouched by humans, as no trails head directly down to it. If we decide to stop and take a look, we can hear a bit more about the canyon by tapping Learn More.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Monument Canyon TrailMonument Valley Trail, Grand Junction, CO 81507It’s named because of the sheer drop on the other side of the guard rail. Unlike the other overlooks we've stopped at today, the edge of the road goes right up to the edge of the cliff here.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Monument Canyon ViewGrand Junction, CO 81507The next trail on our route is the Devil’s Kitchen Trail, a moderate two-mile that takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. It leads down to a series of sandstone monoliths that gather together like the walls of a small room. Arches within the pillars make windows that you can peer through.Duration: 10 minutesStop At: Fallen Rock OverlookGrand Junction, CO 81507Grand Junction has come a long way since then. Today, it’s the fourth-largest city in Colorado, but still boasts plenty of wide open spaces. Along with the Colorado National Monument, Grand Junction is home to the Grand Mesa - where skiing and snowboarding are popular in the winter - and Rattlesnake Arches - a trail where you can see 35 natural stone arches formed by erosion. Duration: Not AvailableAdditional 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.
- 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
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
- 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.
- For the best experience, please use an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, an Android device running version 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular connectivity, as these are recommended for navigation.
- Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
- Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
- Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
- Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
- Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
- Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
- Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
- Park Passes
Need To Know Info
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
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5.0
based on Groupon 1 reviews
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P9450IHleslieb
The audio tour made the drive through the Colorado National Monument a much richer and more educational experience. I would highly recommend using it as you tour the monument.