White Rim Trail beta needed...(11/23 & 11/24 2007)

[cruiseroutfit]

Planning to run the White Rim Trail in the coming weeks... I've don't both ends (in & out of the trail) but never the middle section, nor done it all in one sweep.

Which campspots would you pick versus others?

Which hikes would you do again?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

TIA

 

[DaveInDenver]

Planning to run the White Rim Trail in the coming weeks... I've don't both ends (in & out of the trail) but never the middle section, nor done it all in one sweep.

Which campspots would you pick versus others?

Which hikes would you do again?

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

TIA

I personally think the best halfway campsite is Murphy Hogback (get campsite B if you can), but I've never camped at White Crack and it seems like it would be just peachy, too. Definitely do go to White Crack Overlook, though. On the ends, depending on how many days, I like Airport on the Shafer side, it's less windy. If the weather is good, Gooseberry is a nice camp, it's closer to the rim. But if the weather is windy (and it always seems to be on the Arches side), Airport is more protected. On the Green River side, I like Hardscrabble if the river is low enough that the beach is not under water (more of a summer thing, to get in the River). Potato Bottom is OK, nice views at both sunset and sunrise, but Candlestick is probably the pick on this side. It depends on how many days you plan to be on the trail. Overnight, go Murphy or White Crack. Two nights, Gooseberry and Candlestick are the right spacing on bikes (or bike support), with some time spent at the White Crack Overlook. Truck only, I think a good two night trip is night #1 at Murphy or White Crack and night #2 at Taylor. Taylor is the campground near Zeus and Moses, a really cool formation.

Hikes. Are you starting from the WRT or just generally inside the park? I would recommend Ft. Bottom, which is a mile long, steep-ish trail off the Bighorn Mesa climb. The Gooseneck overlook is another short walk off the WRT. Longer hikes, Upheaval Canyon to the Dome is a good one, about 4 miles. Haven't done any other ones there, but there are several that connect the WRT to the Island In The Sky rim itself. Some are pretty long, like Wilhite and Lathrop.

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

I am planning on doing the White Rim next Tuesday, I will just show-up and do as much as possible since we need to be in Denver for Thanksgiving, I have been wanting to do this for a while, if I take too long taking pictures of the area and I know I will, are there areas to pull out of the trail? any area that you may prefer or recommend?


Sorry for the h-jacking!

 

[neliconcept]

I am planning on doing the White Rim next Tuesday, I will just show-up and do as much as possible since we need to be in Denver for Thanksgiving, I have been wanting to do this for a while, if I take too long taking pictures of the area and I know I will, are there areas to pull out of the trail? any area that you may prefer or recommend?


Sorry for the h-jacking!

well if you see a silver 4runner with a snorkel thats me.

im gonna be on the entire road for the week.

yeah

my campsites

airport
murphys
potato

 

[DaveInDenver]

if I take too long taking pictures of the area and I know I will, are there areas to pull out of the trail? any area that you may prefer or recommend?

Are you doing it in a day or camping? It can be driven in one day, but that is going to be a very long day and I think is a disservice to yourself.

Anyway, the trail is really a double track (mostly) unimproved road. It has been graded at some point in time, but I think the NPS policy is now to only stabilize as necessary. It is a road through a desert environment with a lot of cryptobiotic on the sides, very sensitive to damage. So you are right to ask about pull-off areas. It is frowned upon (and rightly so IMO) for you to just pull off the road anywhere. There are a few established parking areas at very high traffic sites, like Musselman Arch, Airport Tower, White Crack Overlook, Monument Basin, Mineral Bottom Swtichbacks. Any of the campgrounds (you'll recognize those mainly because they have the outhouses) are also good places to park your truck and hike. A few other places will have large outcroppings of sandstone that are fine to pull off the trail onto. There are also a handful of existing wide spots in the trail that are sort of grandfathered in as OK. It's also generally OK to park in a wash, since these are periodically cleaned naturally. Please do be mindful that just driving off the trail may leave tire marks and boot prints in the soil that could be there for decades.

Best advise I can pass along is to ask the Ranger at the Visitor's Center what's up.

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

well if you see a silver 4runner with a snorkel thats me.

im gonna be on the entire road for the week.

yeah

my campsites

airport
murphys
potato

I will see you there on Tuesday!:wings:

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

Are you doing it in a day or camping? It can be driven in one day, but that is going to be a very long day and I think is a disservice to yourself.

Anyway, the trail is really a double track (mostly) unimproved road. It has been graded at some point in time, but I think the NPS policy is now to only stabilize as necessary. It is a road through a desert environment with a lot of cryptobiotic on the sides, very sensitive to damage. So you are right to ask about pull-off areas. It is frowned upon (and rightly so IMO) for you to just pull off the road anywhere. There are a few established parking areas at very high traffic sites, like Musselman Arch, Airport Tower, White Crack Overlook, Monument Basin, Mineral Bottom Swtichbacks. Any of the campgrounds (you'll recognize those mainly because they have the outhouses) are also good places to park your truck and hike. A few other places will have large outcroppings of sandstone that are fine to pull off the trail onto. There are also a handful of existing wide spots in the trail that are sort of grandfathered in as OK. It's also generally OK to park in a wash, since these are periodically cleaned naturally. Please do be mindful that just driving off the trail may leave tire marks and boot prints in the soil that could be there for decades.

Best advise I can pass along is to ask the Ranger at the Visitor's Center what's up.

I am planning on doing it in one day, so that I may have an excuse to come back!

...or at least half!

 

[DaveInDenver]

I am planning on doing it in one day, so that I may have an excuse to come back!

...or at least half!

Yeah, while it's doable in one day I don't think you get the chance to really enjoy it. I would suggest that as a day trip you descend the Shafer switchbacks and try to make it to White Crack Overlook for lunch. That gives you chance to stop at the Gooseneck, Musselman Arch and Monument Basin and not be rushed. Then you'd be back in Moab for dinner with plenty of margin for stops or mechanicals. Plus, if you bite off less, you could potentially do the Shafer Trail drive in from Potash rather than the long pavement route (skipping the Entrance booth, where you pay).

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Mabey I should start my own thread.. :shakin:

Seriously though, thanks for the feedback. We'll be down ther Fri-Sun, 11/23-11/25, with 3 days dedicated to the trail we should have plenty of time to really explore & enjoy. I've come in the Shafer side to White Crack Overlook, we'll likely start that direction again?

 

[Travelmore]

Check with the ranger if you plan to camp. The sites are reserved almost a year in advance when registration opens up. I haven't been but didn't get the sites recommended for my trip in May. The ranger did call to tell me my sites were not available and was patient and helpful on the phone.

 

[neliconcept]

Check with the ranger if you plan to camp. The sites are reserved almost a year in advance when registration opens up. I haven't been but didn't get the sites recommended for my trip in May. The ranger did call to tell me my sites were not available and was patient and helpful on the phone.

well from what i was told the sites i think that some are still open but this is thanksgiving and i reserved mine i think around oct 10th. so call them in advance.

their are 19 sites on this road.

ill be on the road from monday till friday, and then im headed back to colorado. im starting from shafer and coming out the other side.

 

[Nuclear Redneck]

Is there a prefered direction for travling the White Rim Trail?

 

[DaveInDenver]

Is there a prefered direction for travling the White Rim Trail?

Most people do it clockwise, Shafer-to-Mineral Bottom. There is no mandated direction, though. But FWIW, the rangers do it counterclockwise for a reason, you cross paths with a lot more people. The couple of times we've traveled Mineral-to-Shafer it does at least seem like you are pulling over more often.

 

[gearnut]

I've driven that trail in conjunction w/ cruise moab. We camped at airport and finished out the next day passing by white crack campground (which is about halfway). White crack has awesome views, but in the wind would be horrible. Airport is less "out on a point" if you will, so wind is lessened. Also had a lot of fun climbing up above airport campsites to take pictures. The sites there are also very spread out in pairs.

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

Anybody familiar with Red Cliff Lodgehttp://www.utah.com/utah_logs/link_log.php?url=http://www.redcliffslodge.com