Your group, your pace
Private guided hikes, and what they really cost
Almost all guided hiking around Moab is private by default, which surprises people who expect to pay a premium for it. Here is every published rate, the point at which private costs less per head than a shared seat, and when it is worth it regardless.
The short answer
Private is the standard here, not the upgrade. Desert Highlights, Elevate Outdoors, Clapper Adventures and Deep Desert Expeditions all run private trips as their normal product at no extra charge.
Because they price the guide rather than the seat, a group of four often pays less per person than a couple on the same trip. Rates start around $100 per person at three or more.
The numbers
Every published rate, by group size
Two operators publish full ladders. The rest quote on enquiry, which is normal for private guiding but makes comparison harder. These are the real figures.
| Trip | Operator | Solo | Two | Three | Four or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longbow Arch2 hrs, easy | Elevate Outdoors | $200 | $125 | $100 | $100 |
| Fisher Towers3 hrs, moderate | Elevate Outdoors | $350 | $250 | $200 | $200 |
| Castleton Tower4 hrs, moderate plus | Elevate Outdoors | $350 | $250 | $200 | $200 |
| Medieval Chambercanyoneering, 4 to 6 hrs | Desert Highlights | $340 | $180 | $150 | $140 |
| Entrajo Canyoncanyoneering, 4 to 6 hrs | Desert Highlights | $360 | $180 | $150 | $140 |
| Zig Zag Canyoncanyoneering, 5 to 7 hrs | Desert Highlights | $450 | $225 | $220 | $205 |
| Granary Canyoncanyoneering, 8 to 10 hrs | Desert Highlights | $550 | $300 | $250 | $230 |
Per person rates as published by each operator, checked September 2026, before tax and gratuity. Moab Cliffs and Canyons, Clapper Adventures and Deep Desert Expeditions run private trips but quote on enquiry.
The pattern is the same across all of them. The solo rate is roughly double the two person rate, and the curve flattens at three or four. That is the whole cost of running the trip landing on however many people are standing there.
The comparison
When private costs less than a seat
Vehicle based park tours charge per seat. Private hiking charges per group. Those two models cross over at a predictable point, and knowing where saves money.
- One person
- Shared winsby a wide margin
- Two people
- Shared usually winsbut it narrows
- Three people
- About levelprivate wins on pace
- Four or more
- Private winson price and quality
A worked example. Elevate charge $350 for one person at Fisher Towers. A couple pays $500 total. A family of four pays $800, which is $200 each, and gets a guide to themselves for the day rather than a share of one.
Compare that with a vehicle tour at $114 to $199 per seat and the gap is real, but you are buying a different thing: a walk at your pace with one guide, rather than a circuit of stops with eleven strangers.
Ask whether they can pair you with another party. Several operators will, and it is the biggest single lever on what you pay. Windgate Adventures run scheduled canyoneering trips you can join and charge about a quarter more for a private charter, which is the inverse of how the rest of the town works.
Fit
Who private actually suits
Mixed ability groups
The clearest case
One person wants Chesler Park, another wants two hours and a nap. A private guide builds the day around the slowest and the keenest at once, which no fixed departure can do. Clapper Adventures and Deep Desert both plan trips this way as standard.
Families
Pace and attention
Children set their own timetable. Private means stopping when they need to, turning back without letting anyone down, and a guide whose attention is not divided across a dozen guests.
Photographers
Time in one place
A shared trip moves when the schedule says. Private stays where the light is good, waits for it, and starts before dawn if that is what the shot needs.
Anyone nervous about it
No audience
First time in the desert, returning after injury or illness, or simply unsure. Private removes the pressure of keeping up with strangers, which for a lot of people is the actual barrier rather than the terrain.
The companies
Who runs private trips
- Desert Highlights. Every canyoneering trip is private to your group at no extra charge, and they publish the full rate ladder. The deepest menu in town.
- Elevate Outdoors. Private hiking at Fisher Towers, Longbow Arch and Castleton Tower, with published rates by group size. The only hiking operator publishing a full card.
- Clapper Adventures. Private only, capped at five guests on canyoneering, all ages on hiking. Builds routes around the group rather than a menu. Rates on enquiry.
- Deep Desert Expeditions. Private half and full days built around interpretation rather than mileage. States trips accommodate all ages and abilities. Rates on enquiry.
- Moab Cliffs and Canyons. Caps groups at six guests per guide rather than running strictly private, which is close to the same thing on a quiet day. Rates on enquiry.
- Windgate Adventures. The exception. Runs scheduled canyoneering departures you can join, with a private charter surcharge of about twenty five percent.
Before you book
What to ask when you ring
Four operators quote on enquiry, so a phone call is part of the process rather than a nuisance. These are the questions that change the number or the day.
- What does the rate cover at my group size, and does it change if one person drops out.
- Is transport to the trailhead included. It usually is, and it matters more than it sounds for the further routes.
- What is not included. Meals generally are not on a half day. Gratuity and tax are usually on top of the quoted rate.
- Can you pair us with another party if we are one or two people.
- What happens if the weather turns, particularly on canyoneering, where a reputable operator cancels on a flash flood forecast.
- What is your cancellation window, and is there a deposit.
Describe your group plainly, including anybody managing an injury or a fear of heights. Guides plan better from a straight description than from a hopeful one, and every operator here would rather know in advance.
Common questions
Questions
How much is a private guided hike in Moab?
From $100 per person for a two hour trip to Longbow Arch with Elevate Outdoors in a group of three or more. Fisher Towers and Castleton Tower run $200 per person at three or more, rising to $350 for a solo booking. Private canyoneering starts at $140 per person at four or more with Desert Highlights.
Is a private guide more expensive in Moab?
Not usually, because private is the standard product here rather than an upgrade. Desert Highlights, Elevate Outdoors, Clapper Adventures and Deep Desert Expeditions all run private trips at no extra charge. The cost is per group, so a party of four often pays less per person than a couple.
At what group size does private become cheaper?
Around three to four people. Below that a shared departure is cheaper per head. At three the two are roughly level and private wins on pace. At four or more private is usually cheaper per person as well as a better day.
Which Moab operators run private guided hikes?
Desert Highlights, Elevate Outdoors, Clapper Adventures and Deep Desert Expeditions all run private trips as standard. Moab Cliffs and Canyons cap groups at six guests per guide. Windgate Adventures is the exception, running scheduled trips with a private charter surcharge of about twenty five percent.
Can I book a private hike as a solo traveller?
Yes, though you carry the whole group rate, which is roughly double the two person rate. Ask whether the operator can pair you with another party, since several will and it is the biggest single lever on what you pay.
What is included in a private guided hike?
A guide for your group alone, transport to the trailhead, and all technical gear on canyoneering trips. Meals are generally not included on a half day, and tax and gratuity are usually on top of the quoted rate. Confirm each when you ring.
Next step
Find the right trip
Operator prices checked September 2026 against their own websites, per person and before tax and gratuity. Four operators quote on enquiry. Rates change seasonally.