Self-Supported: Our Trip around the White Rim Trail

The White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park, just outside of Moab, was a challenge we decided we wanted to take on a few months back. We had read about the trail on bikepacking.com and we have several friends that have completed the route. The route seemed possible, even with April in tow. We just had to figure out the logistics. 

The White Rim Trail is a jeep road, with campsites every 10-15 miles. The campsites provide pit toilets. There is no water source on route until you reach the Green River, near Potato Bottom at mile 65 or so of the route. The Green River is quite silty, so we did not want to have to filter water from it, unless it was an emergency situation. Based on what I had read on bikepacking.com, we were able to plan out two water caches. This would allow us to do our trip in 3 days and 2 nights. We wanted to complete the trip without a support vehicle. 

In order to cache water, we had to hike in from Gooseberry Trail, in Canyonlands National Park. The hike is labeled "Steep and Strenuous" by the park service. It is a 5.4 mile hike round trip with 1400 feet of ascent on the way out. The hike took us just under 4 hours. We each carried in 2 gallon jugs of water and I carried April, using our Ergobaby backpack. Bryon carried 3 gallons of water on the route down in the steepest sections, so that I could have an extra hand to balance. The Gooseberry Trail leads right up to the White Rim, just before reaching the Gooseberry Campsites. We had our permits to camp at those sites on our first night out on the trail. Bryon cached our water in some rocks and we marked the spot with rock towers along the trail, so we would be able to find our cache the next day. 

The hike out was just as tough as the hike in, as we had to ascend 1400 feet. The path led us up a steep rock cliff. I positioned April at my front for the hike up, so that I could balance better on the steep climb.  After we returned to our car, we drove down to Mineral Bottom, where the White Rim Trail leaves the park, and cached two additional gallons of water, for the final day of riding. We cached and carried a lot of water on the trip. We had excess by the third day, but I think we cached an amount that allowed us to be prepared if we had been out there an extra day, for any reason, or had we needed to bath April, had their been a mess of some sort. The park service does require you to sign a contract stating you have permission to cache water and will dispose of your containers properly. There is no trash sites on the White Rim Trail. It is pack it in, pack it out. 

After hiking in and driving in our water caches, we returned to our camping spot on Mineral Bottom Road. We camped on Mineral Bottom the two nights we were in the area, before we took off on our ride. 

We parked in the Shafer Trail Overlook Parking Lot, the morning our ride began. In the parking lot, we spread out and packed our gear and cooked up some steak and egg burritos. April played in the car and in the pack and play, while we got ready. Both Bryon and I rode our Salsa Mukluks on this trip. We both had racks on our bikes. Bryon used his custom made panniers from Annica Bags and I had borrowed Porcelain Rocket Micro Panniers, from our friend Gary. We both had dry compression sacks on our Salsa Anything Cradles and Salsa Anything Racks. We both had Revelate Designs frame bags and feedbags, as well. Each of us carried a 2 liter bottle of water under our bikes using Salsa Anything Cages, 2-1 liter bottles on our forks, and a 1 liter bottle of water in one of our feedbags. I also carried 2 liters of water in an Osprey hydration backpack. We carried freeze dried meals for lunches and dinners, in addition to formula and squeeze packs of food for April. We had to carry diapers for April too, in and out. Puff and Mango were fat and loaded when we departed the lookout and hit the trail. 

Our first day of riding was from the Shafer Trail Overlook to Gooseberry Campground. We covered just under 30 miles on day one. April was a little testy because she had a couple new teeth coming in. We took it nice and easy over the rough spots, so that she was a comfortable as could be in her  Burley Cub with plus tires.

We were in awe at the scenery of the White Rim, on our first day. It was truly full of amazing sights. We reached our water cache at near the Gooseberry Campground just as the sun was setting, and then headed to our campsite. 

We had put glowing lights on spokes before we took off from home. We found them a useful light source, as we pulled out gear, set up camp, and cooked our dinner each night. 

The Gooseberry Campground site that we stayed at was right on some red sand that led to the vast canyon below. It was spectacular. I definitely would sleep there again if I ever have the chance. 

Our second day of riding, was from Gooseberry to Potato Bottom Campground. It was just about 36 miles between the two sites. As we were taking off to ride that second day, we heard some bikers come up behind us. We actually knew them! Nan and Mike, are a couple that we know from the biking community back home and they were biking the White Rim, as well. They were taking it on as a day mission though. We stopped to chat with them before they continued on there way. 

Day two took us into some challenging segments. The climb up to Murphy Hogback, was steep and required a team effort. Starting on the second day, we found the some of the trail required both of us to push Bryon's bike and April's trailer or for me to push behind him as he pedaled, for us to continue on. We found these hike-a-bike sections challenging, but not impossible. 

The 36 miles, on our second day, took us past sunset to reach camp. We stopped and cooked soup for lunch on top of Murphy Hogback, and then rode on, until April needed another break. I think we all enjoyed stopping for hot lunches each day!

We reached Potato Bottom Campground a couple of hours after sunset. We were close to the water of the Green River, at this site. It was quite a bit colder sleeping down by the river, than up at our previous site. If we were to do the trip again, we would camp at one of the higher elevation sites, before we got to Potato Bottom, if permits were available. 

Our third and final day on the White Rim took us 36 miles between Potato Bottom, up Mineral Bottom Road, and then along the 313 back to Canyonlands National Park, where we had parked our car. The last day consisted of steep segments, similar to those on day two, sandy sections, switchbacks, a gravel highway, and then pavement. On our way out of Potato Bottom we came across a family of 6 that had done an out and back with their 4 kids in tow. It was neat to compare set ups and see others out on the trail with kids. 

We collected our second water cache at the bottom of Mineral Bottom Road, before climbing for most of the afternoon to get back to our car. Overall, we had a wonderful trip around the White Rim. We hope to go back next Thanksgiving and do it in the opposite direction. April Jean was an amazing participant in this family excursion and we are already discussing what adventure we'd like to take on next.