White Rim Road In March?

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Wallowa

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I am still trying to put this together. Currently plan on spending March from Moab South to Mexico Boarder.

#1 Has anyone traveled the entire 100 miles of the White Rim Road in March? When in March?

#2 Since reservations are required: Which are the must stay at campsites on the White Rim Rd?

Any and all recommendations are welcomed...!

Phil
 
I think we started April 2nd, the three vehicles met on the first just outside I-Sky. I spent March 31st driving from Tuweep to Kodachrome Basin and had intermittent snow the whole day, woke up on the 1st at Kodachrome to a little over an inch on the truck. Had pretty decent weather for the entire trip on the WRT.

We spent 4 nights, Airport A, Murphy's C, Potato Bottom B and Labyrinth. You can do it in a shorter time with no issues but why rush, spending time out is nice. I would get White Crack sand Taylor Canyon campsites if possible just because of how remote they are if I was going again. White Crack will be the most difficult one to get, may have to get it and then fill in the rest of the trip around it.

A discussion of our trip and a links to Bosque Bill's write up of our trip can be found at http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/14491-white-rim-trail-canyonlands-np-april-2017/?hl=%2Bcanyonlands+%2Bwhite









As always feel free to reach out with any additional questions, there is a new book out that is better that the Naturalist Guide that we had, I can dig my copy out at some point to get the name for you.

Bob
 
damn Bob...great stuff...I know the snow year will dictate when we can drive the White Rim Rd....I am thinking about starting our month long trip near Mexico and working our way North to give the snow a chance to melt...snow is not a problem for us, but slimy clay is!

Beautiful photos...thanks.

Phil

Ps...just opened Bill's extremely extensive web page on his travels ... very humbling and awe inspiring... but makes me want to hurry and get-to-getting as at my age the clock is ticking and I don't want to leave anything on the table!
 
I’ve done it the past two years, in 2018 the first weekend of March, last year the first weekend in April. We did a supported mountain bike trip. We never had a problem with road conditions or weather. The NPS staff does have conditions updates.

I’ve stayed at gooseberry, airport, potato bottom, and labyrinth. Honestly they are all great and I don’t really have a favorite. Each spot is unique in its own way.
 
I have done it over New Years (camper) and in November (Mtn Bike with camper support). Even though it hadn't snowed in sometime, snow and ice were an issue in January, We used chains and 4WD low from hardscrabble hill down to the hardscrabble camp, which is north facing, shaded, shelf road. It was a little hairy but we made it. You could easily encounter the same conditions in March, so make sure you are either prepared for snowy/icy 4wd roads, or have enough gas to turn around and go the other way. Shafer trail was also closed (in the shade) so we had to enter from Potash.

Honestly all the camps are great - airport camps are probably the least great, and white crack is the most great. I would do 4 nights at a minimum so you have a chance to get out and hike. Anything less than that and it may turn in to a lot of driving.
 
I also just checked the permit system - not a whole lot of availability left in March. February is wide open though!
 
Thanks folks!


Our itinerary is 2-29 at Deadhorse SP, [WRT] 3-1 at Gooseberry B, 3-2 & 3-3 at White Crack, 3-4 at Murphy C and 3-5 at Taylor and from there we head South, Mule Cyn [House on Fire], Natural Bridges, Muley Pt, Moki DW, South Coyote Butte, White Pocket, Tuweep, Smokey Mt Byway, HITR road and side cyns, dinner at Hell's Backbone Grill, Cathedral Valley (CRNP.)..Goblin? We come home 3-31...all of this is dependent on weather-road conditions and our whims!

Phil

Ps...Best Friends Sanctuary near Kanab
 
rando said:
I also just checked the permit system - not a whole lot of availability left in March. February is wide open though!
Click to expand...

Got my reservations for Deadhorse, WRT [5 consecutive nights at 0001 hrs to secure reservations], Coyote Buttes South and 2 nights at Tuweep CG....

I understand the over use of many, many [most?] 'backcountry' locations and lament it, BUT the lottery/permit systems of BLM and NP still pisses me off...I am old and remember open spaces and few if any other people out there...oh well, just need to dig deeper for remote sites...I do this on my WR250R and in Tundra/Hawk or on foot or on skis or in my sea kayak....again too bad about the trashing and rendering of the backcountry, but alas a fact of life now...not just too many people, but too many thoughtless people.

Enjoy what solitude is left...it will soon also be history...just my observations and I could be wrong! :cool:

Phil
 
As annoying as the permit system is, it is far better than no permit system and a free-for-all. A lot of the dispersed camping area around Moab is pretty much ruined for me due to supreme overcrowding and free for all. Nothing worse than having some one pull in next to your dispersed camp site with a toy hauler full of side by sides and a contractor generator. At least you know that won't happen on the White Rim.

Sounds like a great trip, have fun but watch the weather!
 
Totally agree about obnoxious persons invading and then destroying wilderness solitude....no really good solution; just is....improvise, adapt, overcome!

For certain I will watch the weather daily...have weather radio, HAM radio and InReach....of course cell phone if it has connection..

Anybody on WRT or down in Southern Utah during March, look for a Gray '05 Tundra AC with '16 Hawk..Covered Warn winch on front...

Find us, stop-in and I will supply beer or coffee or tea....

Phil
 
Wallowa said:
Thanks folks!


Our itinerary is 2-29 at Deadhorse SP, [WRT] 3-1 at Gooseberry B, 3-2 & 3-3 at White Crack, 3-4 at Murphy C and 3-5 at Taylor and from there we head South, Mule Cyn [House on Fire], Natural Bridges, Muley Pt, Moki DW, South Coyote Butte, White Pocket, Tuweep, Smokey Mt Byway, HITR road and side cyns, dinner at Hell's Backbone Grill, Cathedral Valley (CRNP.)..Goblin? We come home 3-31...all of this is dependent on weather-road conditions and our whims!

Phil

Ps...Best Friends Sanctuary near Kanab
Click to expand...
Phil, some observations:

1) the HITR road was VERY bad washboard last fall. I would hesitate to drive it again. If you do, check out the camping around Sooner Bench.
2) Goblin is goofy, but the hiking and BLM camping near there is great. Check out Little Wild Horse canyon for hiking, as well as Chute canyon.
 
Vic Harder said:
Phil, some observations:

1) the HITR road was VERY bad washboard last fall. I would hesitate to drive it again. If you do, check out the camping around Sooner Bench.
2) Goblin is goofy, but the hiking and BLM camping near there is great. Check out Little Wild Horse canyon for hiking, as well as Chute canyon.
Click to expand...
A couple of neat pictographs up Little Wild Horse, too. Hard to find.

The Spirits Remain by Stephen Parsons, on Flickr
 
Phil, some observations:

1) the HITR road was VERY bad washboard last fall. I would hesitate to drive it again. If you do, check out the camping around Sooner Bench.
2) Goblin is goofy, but the hiking and BLM camping near there is great. Check out Little Wild Horse canyon for hiking, as well as Chute canyon.


Vic,

Yes...couple years ago the washboard pounded us...price you pay! We camped on the redrock at Sooner Bench; outstanding views and solitude..loved it; cup of coffee while sitting on rock watching the sun rise, does not get any better than that...this time I have allotted 4 nights out there along HITR...Broken Bow arch was cool...

...our agenda is to hike everyday for the majority of the daylight..

Thanks for tip on Little Wild Horse and Chute Cyn; will look at them....honestly have not yet looked into Goblin or that area...will spend two nights at Cathedral Valley [repeat for us] and then head North/NE toward 70 and over to Goblin area...tentatively coming home via hwy 6 North....

Appreciate all the input folks!

Phil
 
Phil, go to the Little Wildhorse Canyon section in the Martres book. Volume 1. I believe you have that one. If not, send me a PM.

And, thanks for the kind words.
 
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