White rim trail July 4 can it be done in one day?

Gents going out to Moab for the the 4 th. Can white rim trail be done in 1 day? We will have 2 riders and a stock bronco as our support vehicle with the wives driving. They are novices when it comes to wheeling but I've been told its a beginner easy trail to drive.

Is the trail open? Nps.gov states there is flooding on the trail.

Any advice would be awesome. Besides the bring water and food of course

If your talking about motorcycles yes it can be done easily. Im not sure on how long it would take in a bronco. A friend and I road it in less than 9 hours and we stopped alot for pics, snack, walked across the arch, etc. 130 miles round trip from the gas station on 191 by the park entrance. Might do some more research on the flooding and see if its passable.

On bikes it can be done in a day. I don't think a truck could do it in a day. It is 140 miles gas station to gas station. If you start closer to the boat launches so that you ride counter clock wise you will know if the trail is flooded at the start and have now worries for the rest of the ride. It will be hot. Start at sunrise.
Shawn

I have done it in an Early Bronco and several times in Jeeps. With experienced off road drivers. It was a VERY long day. Done it on the bikes and it is a full day on my DRZ. We made plenty of stops but it wasn't 100+ degrees either. So yes it can be done, plan for a long, hot, day in the Bronco. I believe it's over a 100 miles. The Bronco will probably travel at an average speed of about 15 mph. Sometimes 5 mph, occasionally maybe up to 30, but not for long.

I have done it in a day on a GS and a different time in a Toyota Tacoma. Get the free map at the Visitors center in Moab. It will save you taking a wrong turn. The unpaved parts are about 100 miles out of the 130-140 total loop Maob to Moab. Bring lunch and an energy drink. I don't think the wives will have a problem. Search for Mundo Bravos Video titled "Moab Raid" which is up on a couple of forums here and on Vimeo.com . It was made by a club of Ural owners this winter. They went down the Schaffer Trail and out the White Rim and some of them were novices. Dave

unless the wives really want to drive it, don't take the bronco, it will slow you down, it will be an anchor, not a support vehicle.
Also, are they afraid of heights?

The bronco will be a mistake... Not fun

Have fun with the heat.

This. My friend and I did it in in April 2010, KLX250S and DR350. My wife would have freaked driving it in anything.
To me it was a pretty easy (but spectacular) day ride. It wasn't July though.

Flashback 15 years ago. I roll into Moab with my beater 80's KLR, all my shit for a couple weeks packed in a climbing pack strapped down with webbing (total newb). Hit the visitor center at 1:00 ask which is the prefered way to run the rim? She tells me.

Alright then, gotta go. She says, not now!! You'll never make it. Got back to Moab right before dark. Dumpedher once, and hit myself in the head for not leaving all my shit for a loop ride. Idiot. But I was younger then. Had to buy a tourist baseball hat to be somewhat presentable in the bar. Scrambled drunk up to potash to pitch my tarp and slept really well after the ride from Boulder that day.

Bald MT 21 in the rear and a nearly bald distanzia up front. Didn't see a single soul until some climbers at the end.

Never forgot it, never will. Yes, easy day trip.

Thanks guys I believe I will head teh advice and not drive the bronco. although she onnly has 27k original miles on the clock. The wife doesnt care for heights either so thanks for the help.

The heat wont bother me too much. I was in moab a few years ago when it was 108 and I road from Kentucky on that advnture.

Thanks again

Easiley done in one day on bikes, i did it once starting at Noon and made it back to camp before dark. Make sure you are plated or you might get a ticket. Had five fellow riders get not only a ticket but got turned (by the ranger) around before we made it half way.
Ditto on ditching the Bronco, you'll be able to go so much faster without waiting on them.

I once heard about these 3 guys who did in just a little over 3 hours 20 minutes...in the dark.

+1 on leaving the Bronco out of it. Send them off to Hell's Revenge where there is a never ending stream of other vehicles to support them and ride it with only with bikes. Both groups will have more fun.

my $0.02

Please remember that WRT has LEO's and a speed limit.

It's a good one day ride without a lot of traffic, bicyclists, heat and LEO enforcement of that speed limit (on a national holiday).

Just a reality based word of caution.....

While much of the White Rim would be easy for a novice in a 4x4, there are definitely some sandy stretches and a couple of rocky climbs that your wife might not dig... Not to mention the length. Easy 1 day on a moto, but it would make for a very long 1-day loop for a novice in a 4x4...

This is what the NPS says:

The 100-mile White Rim Road loops around and below the Island mesa top and provides expansive views of the surrounding area. Trips usually take two to three days by four-wheel-drive vehicle...

Under favorable weather conditions, the White Rim Road is considered moderately difficult for high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicles. The steep, exposed sections of the Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy's Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks .... require extreme caution for both vehicles and bikes during periods of inclement weather. ​

Maybe have the Bronco do an out-and-back from Potash road to Musselman Arch while the moto's do the full loop?

I did the wrt in about 3.5 hours solo on my Xr650r... Really fun afternoon. I almost did it twice just because. Finished with dinner at the Blue Pig(?) bbq joint and a pile of cheap beer after at the Lazy Lizard... Honestly almost as good as the Sierra Madres, almost.

I did it on a mountain bike, unsupported, in a day...come on...



I'd love to try it on a motorized bike someday...

Good for you - the bicyclists I saw had a F350 dually diesel sag wagon :huh

Keep in mind that in July the WRT is going to be very hot.

Looks like the 4th is going to be a scorcher with temps over 100F.

This would be my main concern.

What time of year did you do this?

Ah I believe it was late May, if I recall...it's been a few years...water (lack thereof) is definitely the limiting factor there, at least for me it was...