3 Recommended Utah Helicopter Tours

Utah’s landscape is unlike almost anywhere else in the U.S. – layers of rust-red sandstone, deep slot canyons, snow-dusted peaks, and sprawling desert that stretches as far as the eye can see. Most visitors stick to hiking trails or scenic drives, but those routes only scratch the surface of what the state has to offer, leaving huge swathes of hard-to-reach terrain completely unseen for anyone short on time or hiking stamina.

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Helicopter tours solve that problem entirely, letting you soar over Utah’s most iconic spots and hidden gems alike, with unobstructed views no ground-level path can match. Whether you’re a first-time visitor short on vacation days, a photography enthusiast chasing unique angles, or someone who loves adventure without the physical grind, these three tours are the best way to see the state from a whole new perspective.

1. Zion National Park Red Rock & Virgin River Gorge Helicopter Tour

This is the tour to pick if Zion National Park is already on your itinerary, and it’s perfect for anyone who wants to see the park’s most famous landmarks without fighting crowded trailheads or dealing with long shuttle waits. You’ll lift off from the small airport just outside Springdale, then fly low over the park’s towering sandstone cliffs, the winding Virgin River, and hidden slot canyons that almost no hikers ever get to see. The highlight for most people is flying right up to Angels Landing’s sharp peak, where you can look straight down the 1,500-foot drop that makes the hike so famous, without ever lacing up your boots. It’s a 45-minute flight, so you won’t be stuck in the air for hours, and you’ll get a full view of the entire park in less time than it takes to wait in line for a popular trailhead parking spot.

This tour works for every type of traveler, too. If you’re traveling with kids too young for long hikes, they’ll love spotting bighorn sheep and slot canyons from the air. If you’re a photographer, the golden hour light hitting the red rock is unbeatable, and you’ll get shots no one on the ground will ever capture. Even if you’ve hiked every inch of Zion already, you’ll see parts of the park you never knew existed from above.

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• Best time to book: Go for a flight 30 minutes before sunset, when low golden light turns the red rock shades of orange and pink you can’t see at midday. Cooler evening temperatures also make for smoother flying, and you’ll avoid the worst of the summer crowds that flock to the park between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Booking tip: Reserve your seat at least 2 weeks in advance if you’re traveling during peak season (spring through fall), and pay the small extra fee for a window seat when you book – most operators let you pick your seat, and the unobstructed views are worth every penny. If you’re traveling in a group of 4 or more, ask about private charter discounts for off-peak weekday flights.

2. Moab Arches & Canyonlands Backcountry Helicopter Tour

Moab is a playground for outdoor lovers, but even the most experienced hikers can’t cover all of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in a single trip, especially the remote backcountry sections that require 4WD access or long treks across uneven terrain. This 60-minute helicopter tour takes you over both parks in one go, flying over Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, and the towering fins of the Windows Section, then crossing into Canyonlands to soar over the dramatic canyons of the Island in the Sky district and the remote, untouched terrain of the Maze. You’ll even get to fly over the Colorado River as it winds through the red rock, a view that’s impossible to get from any of the park’s paved scenic drives.

This tour is ideal for anyone pressed for time in Moab, or who wants to see the parks’ most remote spots without hours of off-road driving or rugged hiking. It’s also a great pick for adventure seekers who love unique experiences – many operators even offer a short landing option at a remote overlook, where you can step out and take photos with the entire park spread out below, no crowds in sight. Just note that if you’re prone to motion sickness, the tour flies over uneven, winding terrain, so take motion sickness medication 30 minutes before takeoff if you need it.

• Best time to book: Schedule your flight for early morning, right after sunrise, when light is soft and air is cool and still. You’ll get better photos of the arches and canyons, and avoid the afternoon wind that often picks up in the Moab desert and makes for bumpier flights.
• Booking tip: Ask your operator if they include a landing option when you book – many standard tours fly over the parks without stopping, and the small extra fee for a 10-minute remote overlook landing is worth it for zero crowds around you. If you’re visiting in summer, book the earliest available flight to avoid temperatures climbing above 100°F before 10 a.m.

3. Southern Utah Grand Staircase-Escalante & Bryce Canyon Rim Helicopter Tour

If you want to see the less crowded, more remote parts of southern Utah that most tourists never make it to, this tour is the perfect pick. You’ll lift off from the small airport outside Kanab, then fly over the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument’s wave-like sandstone formations, hidden waterfalls, and ancient dinosaur fossil sites, before heading north to Bryce Canyon National Park to soar over its famous hoodoos – the tall, thin spires of rock that make the park one of a kind. Unlike the busier tours in Zion and Moab, this route flies over terrain that almost no one gets to see from the ground, unless they’re on a multi-day backcountry hiking or 4WD trip.

This tour is a great fit for travelers who have already visited Zion and Moab, or who prefer off-the-beaten-path experiences over crowded tourist spots. It’s also ideal for geology lovers, as your pilot will point out 200-million-year-old rock layers, fossil sites, and the unique geological processes that created the hoodoos and sandstone waves, knowledge you won’t get from a park brochure. The full flight is 50 minutes, and you’ll get views of three of Utah’s most stunning landscapes in one trip, without ever having to navigate remote dirt roads.

• Best time to book: Go for a mid-morning flight between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., when the sun is high enough to light up hoodoos and sandstone formations without casting long shadows that hide rock details. Fall and spring are the best seasons, with cooler temperatures for smooth flying and foliage in lower canyons adding green to the red rock landscape.
• Booking tip: Book directly with a local Kanab-based operator instead of third-party travel sites for better prices and flexible cancellation policies. Many local operators also include a free photo package if you book directly, sending you digital copies of exterior flight photos most third-party sites don’t offer.

Utah’s landscapes are so vast and varied that no matter how many trails you hike or scenic drives you take, you’ll always miss parts of the state that are only accessible from the air. A helicopter tour doesn’t just show you the state’s famous landmarks from a new angle – it gives you a true sense of how massive and unique Utah’s terrain really is, and it’s an experience you’ll remember long after your vacation ends.