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Grand Staircase Dream Tour

Fully Guided Tour

Photography Paradise!

Interesting Geology!

Single Travelers & Private Tours

We can always accommodate single travelers via private tours.  Often times, we are also able to combine a single traveler with other scheduled parties; please give us a call at 435-644-5506 to discuss the latter option.

Private Tours are available to be booked online.

See all tours at a glance with our

We go out of our way to open the wonders of the West to EVERYONE.

We are permitted, licensed, and insured.

Dreamland Safari Tours holds Special Use Permits from the Grand Staircase Escalante National MonumentGrand Canyon National Park, the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument/Paria Wilderness, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Kanab Bureau of Land Management, Kaibab National Forest, and Arizona Strip Bureau of Land Management.

Don't see your preferred departure date or time available via online booking? Give us a call. 

For sunset or sunrise at our more remote locations, we recommend a scheduled or custom overnight or multi-day tour - and we are happy to work with you to develop an itinerary that meets your needs.

All listed tour durations and pickup times are approximate. Please allow 10-20 minutes of pickup time flexibility for unforeseen circumstances and varying pickup logistics. Water and snacks are provided on all tours. A lunch meal is included on all tours of 6+ hours. Vegetarian option available.

We reserve the right to fill all empty seats on non-private tours. Cancellation / Reschedule / Weather policy applies.

Please familiarize yourself with our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  before contacting us.

Contact us

To contact us with other specific questions or begin Making Reservations click the "Book Now" Button on each tour page or click Contact Us for info on how to give us a call or shoot us an email.

The Grand Staircase Dream Tour highlights the best that Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has to offer – all in one jam-packed, daytime 4×4 adventure.

Price

$249 per person

Private Tour Upgrade Available?

Yes

Tour Length

9 hours

Departure Times

8am

Difficulty (1-10)

3

Recommended abilities

This Southern Utah tour is recommended for all ages and abilities. Some uneven terrain is experienced on hiking portions which can also be omitted if necessary.
No special permit is required for this tour.

Location

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Attractions

Brigham Plains Overlook, Bull Valley Gorge, Castle Rock, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Johnson Canyon, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Rock Art, Willis Creek Slot Canyon, Yellow Rock

Special Interests

Geology, Rock Art, Photography, Wildlife, Flowers

These FAQs are specific to this tour. If you would like to view our general FAQs CLICK HERE.

1. How much walking will we do on this trip?
The Photographer’s Dream Tour makes many short stops at scenic viewpoints within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. There are a few short hikes mixed in. We walk about 1.5 miles in Willis Creek slot canyon. There are a few short but steep inclines with loose footing on the trail and various rock and rubble to step over. Willis Creek usually flows 1-2 inches of water. Fancy footwork can keep your feet mostly dry, or bring river sandals or a change of socks and shoes in case you get wet. There is also a short, flat and easy walk in Kodachrome Basin State Park and a very easy walk on a paved trail to see Grosvernor Arch. Finally, we often visit a viewpoint of the Rimrock hoodoos, which entails a 1-mile round-trip level walk across the desert.

2. How much driving will we be doing?
This is largely a driving tour through the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. We will cover a lot of ground to see many incredible viewpoints that traverse nearly 250 million years of geologic history. The tour heads a bit over 50 miles up Johnson Canyon and Skutumpah Roads, then down the 47-mile Cottonwood Canyon Road, all surrounded by incredible scenery. Most of those miles are unpaved. Many stops are made along the way for photographing viewpoints and taking short hikes.

3. Is this tour offered year-round?
We offer the tour year-round, but the Cottonwood Canyon Road is impassable when it’s wet. Therefore, we are not always able to run the tour in the winter when snow or snowmelt make the road slippery and rutted. We also occasionally have to change or cancel this tour after heavy rain, which is most likely in the monsoon season of July and August, but can happen any time of the year. We don’t like to cancel unless we’re concerned about the safety of the road. The bentonite clay of the Cottonwood Road is a formidable foe when wet.

4. Are there bathrooms on this tour?
There is a flushing toilet and nice facilities at Kodachrome Basin State Park where we typically stop for lunch and there is a clean pit toilet at Grosvernor Arch. We will be away from bathrooms for much of the day, however. At any time, you may duck behind a tree or bush for privacy. Bury all solid waste. Guides carry toilet paper, hand wipes and plastic bags in each truck. Do not leave any trash on the ground. Paper must be bagged up and can be discreetly discarded into the trash bag at the truck.

5. Are drones allowed on this tour?
This tour visits several locations. Drones are allowed at many of the locations. Some of them are better for flying a drone than others. When operating a drone on tours, please be mindful of other guests on the tour and other hikers who may be in the area. Others seek remote locations for the solitude. Please do not fly drones close to other people and limit the amount of time the drone is in the air. Always follow instructions from your guide.

To read more FAQs that are common to all of our tours, visit our FAQs page.

Guest Experiences on the Grand Staircase Dream Tour

We went on two tours. First with Orion on the photographers dream tour and then with Ron on the White Pocket tour. Both were great. We went on roads we could not have driven in the rental car. We saw sites that would have been impossible without the tours. Both guides were very knowledgeable and very friendly and accommodating. Lunch was great, too.

KathySanFrancisco – June 10, 2018
TripAdvisor

In April, my wife and I went on a full day tour with Ron Camp to Paw Hole, South Coyote Buttes and White Pocket. Ron was an excellent guide. He was knowledgeable in Geology and the history of the area and also had a great sense of humor which made for a very enjoyable trip. Ron’s driving skill on roads of deep sand, was to be admired. This particular tour I would highly recommend for anyone who is interested in the geological beauty of the Coyote Buttes area. Although we were not able to secure a permit for “the Wave”, we found this area to be an area of extraordinary beauty and a photographers dream location. On this tour, we were accompanied by 3 other tourists and this was also interesting to hear of their adventures around the globe. I would highly recommend Ron Camp and the Dreamland Safari Tours.

maloney1969 – May 26, 2017
TripAdvisor

Today is a day to remember. My two adult sons wanted to treat me to a trip of my choice for my 70th birthday.I chose the Photographer’s Dream tour. It certainly lived up to it’s name. Nine hours riding around the Escalante Grand Staircase National Park. It was great to have someone drive us to some of the most beautiful places we have ever seen. Steve was our driver and he was excellent. He is not from the area but he has studied it and knows a lot about it. He told us the geology of the many formations that we saw. We hiked a slot canyon and had a very good lunch that was provided. We would highly recommend Dreamland Safari and Steve.

44TonyS – October 12, 2017
TripAdvisor

Spent the day off-roading on the photographers dream tour with Don as our tour guide. My teenage son and I had a wonderful time. Epic scenery, great lunch included, some nice short hikes and learned a lot about the history and geology of this incredible area of the states. Would recommend this company without any hesitancy.

MezMar – April 7, 2016
TripAdvisor

We had 2 great days with Caitlin and Ron & Caitlin and Brent. Ron improvised a great tour to replace Photographer Dream which wasn’t drive-able because of the weather the day before our tour! We saw the Inch Worm double arches and Peek A Boo slot canyon was amazing plus Dinosaur footprints! It was a wonderful day full of surprises. The next day we went to the most incredible views of the Grand Canyon… so impressive! It was a long drive on really bad roads but worth it! Caitlin was really great! Even brought us coffee the second day!

R8597KHkarent – March 17, 2018
TripAdvisor

Single Travelers & Private Tours

We can always accommodate single travelers via private tours.  Often times, we are also able to combine a single traveler with other scheduled parties; please give us a call at 435-644-5506 to discuss the latter option.

Private Tours are available to be booked online.

See all tours at a glance with our

Whether you are wanting to experience the Grand Staircase or looking for a backcountry adventure, this unique Southern Utah Tour will round out your vacation on the “road less traveled.”

Photographer's Dream Tour

This backcountry tour typically begins with a drive up beautiful Johnson Canyon through towering white sandstone cliffs, formed from the massive sand dunes of the Jurassic Period. The drive up Johnson Canyon takes us past the Gunsmoke movie set, used for decades by the famous TV show. Then we head over Skutumpah Road to Bull Valley Gorge, take a captivating hike through Willis Creek Slot Canyon, and enjoy lunch.  Depending on the time spent hiking in Willis Creek, additional stops may include the hoodoos of Kodachrome Basin State Park and Grosvenor Arch.

From there we head down Cottonwood Road, one of the most photogenic trails in Southern Utah. Here we catch the fantastic tilted rocks of Candyland in the perfect afternoon light. We view the majestic sights of Castle Rock and Yellow Rock from atop the breathtaking Brigham Plains Overlook and see where wagons once crossed the majestic Cockscomb. A short stop at fossilized oyster beds of an ancient estuary will transport you in time 100 million years. The finale of the tour is typically a stop at the Paria Townsite where “The Outlaw Josey Wales” and many other movies were filmed. The multicolor bands of the Chinle formation offer an unparalleled photo opportunity leading up to sunset. 

The Grand Staircase Dream Tour covers a lot of ground in a single day and allows you to sample some of the best terrain that the heart of Grand Staircase Escalante has to offer.  Your guide will customize the day to best match the tour to your group’s interests.  

 

Fully Guided Tour

Photography Paradise!

Interesting Geology!

We go out of our way to open the wonders of the West to EVERYONE.

We are permitted, licensed, and insured.

Dreamland Safari Tours holds Special Use Permits from the Grand Staircase Escalante National MonumentGrand Canyon National Park, the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument/Paria WildernessKanab Bureau of Land Management and Arizona Strip Bureau of Land Management.

Don’t see your preferred departure date or time available via online booking? Give us a call. 

For sunset or sunrise at our more remote locations, we recommend a scheduled or custom overnight or multi-day tour – and we are happy to work with you to develop an itinerary that meets your needs.

All listed tour durations and pickup times are approximate. Please allow 10-20 minutes of pickup time flexibility for unforeseen circumstances and varying pickup logistics. Water and snacks are provided on all tours. A lunch meal is included on all tours of 6+ hours. Vegetarian option available.

We reserve the right to fill all empty seats on non-private tours. Cancellation / Reschedule / Weather policy applies.

Please familiarize yourself with our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS  before contacting us.

Contact us

To contact us with other specific questions or begin Making Reservations click the “Book Now” Button on each tour page or click Contact Us for info on how to give us a call or shoot us an email.

Call Now Button