white rim trail in november

hey guys,

i will be passing through utah nov 18-21 and i was hoping to be able to ride the white rim trail on my dr650.

the only info i can find online is that they require an entrance fee and also that if i plan to stay out there overnight i need a permit. will do it in a day and be done and on my way. i see they allow 4wd and mtn bikes but i didnt see anything about motorcycles.

any info will help. thanks

White Rim trail is open to motorcycles. Motorcycles run it all the time. Simply search White Rim Motorcycles Moab on YouTube and you will get all sorts of videos like this. It's more challenging than it looks on paper. While it has been done in a day on a bike, you better be prepared to spend the night, especially if you get rain/snow. You are correct that you need a national park pass plus a camping pass.

As I tell anyone going to Moab, get this book: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/1934838004/ They are for sale all over Moab.

Pack food, a ton of water and warm clothes and have a blast!

Great ride. One day no problem. Bike needs to be plated, no OHV's allowed. Its about 180 or so miles so make sure you have enough gas. There is an entrance fee but depending on where/how you do the ride you may never pass an entrance gate to actually pay. It will be cold out there at night so you might want to bring a bivy sack/fire starter just in case!

Have spare parts like tubes, patch kits, tire irons, etc.

Ask me how I know............

:eek1

135-140 miles. Top up with gas at the Shell station at Arch View campgrounds, at 191/313. Going CCW out Mineral Bottom and coming in Potash Rd you'll need gas for about 140 miles.

I don't purposely avoid the fee kiosk, but going the way mentioned above you don't go near one. You miss the Shafer switchbacks but get the Mineral Bottom set at the other end.


Do a search in Rockies, there's a ton of ride report threads and this question being answered many times over with great descriptions and pictures of what to expect..

i like
out potash
up jughandle
down mineral bottom
WRT loop
back out potash

using the bridge on 191 going over the river, mapsouce gives me 143mi this way.
on the way out you can climb up the shaefer trail to the top (before the paved road) and drop back in and continue on.
you'd experience he shaefer trail up and down and still not go though a guard station. that spur might add 10mi.

i have a 5G IMS tank on my DR and thus 200+ mi range. (50mpg)

if it has snowed much there might be some residual snow/ice on the west side of muphy's hogback as it's north facing.
good thing is your climbing here (assuming you're riding CC). it's considered the hardest part of WRT.
check out this MTB on it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9z6mS_p2oQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPaDBmMSSC8&feature=related

I agree with this. I have done it 4 times, easily one day. But always be prepared. Running in this direction is easier, as there is a bunch of rough washboard in the rocks that you get out of the way early instead of when you're tired. I have never paid any entrance fee, since we usually come in from Potash road. Be careful, there is a "speed limit" and the rangers will be out near Mussleman Arch.
Have a blast!

Hey maybe I should follow you......

That climb gets slick when it's wet, and a big bike can be a handful.
Hardscrabble Hill can give noob riders or riders on big bikes a moment of clarity when it's wet too

I like to get the sand out of the way and go CCW so you hit Potato Bottom and Hardscrabble Bottom early. Some years the sand is brutal....some not so bad.

Thats why I moto

awesome info guys! thanks.

also if anyone wants to be my tour guide, the more the merrier!

I would like to come down from SLC and ride it with you if I can get a day off work. Ive done it 3 times usually takes about 5-7 hours even if you stop for lots of pics

I've unloaded at the Potash plant, ridden cw and been back in 3 hr 45 min

I rode the White Rim in one day...on a mountain bike...

yeah, but everybody from CO is a beast on a MTN bike

Another advantage to going CCW is that you don't have the sun in your eyes as much as going CW...

This is all good and well that it can be done in a day, but to me you'll miss much of the beauty via that tact. We've done it 3x on mtn bikes and both directions and like to camp out either 2 or 3 nights and savor the place. Candlestick is our favorite campsite. Think about that for your second trip out there and enjoy the fast lap.

Well I am here. Gearing up and waiting for the sun to rise so I don't freeze to death. If any moab riders want to tear up some tracks I will be here all week.

You'll have a great time. We did it last weekend and the weather was perfect. One does need to keep moving to get it done during daylight, especially if the loop is ridden all the way from Moab. Have fun!

please!

Report to Follow....

Was epic. Did it in about 6.5hrs stopping to take pictures and To eat the food I brought. 154miles total trip