Yo - fellow inmates. Planning April 1st trip to Utah, after the Easter break crowds & before Summer hoards arrive. Missing big Jeep rally by a day. Anyway - Steeds: one 800GS & one 800 Tigger. Currently have K60 scouts rear & TKC fronts on both. I know there are seasonal variations to this (and most other) dirt roads - but is there any significant mud on this route in early Spring that would warrant TKC rears? I live in the "Great North Wet" - where mud is normal. However, any other advice from those that have done this trail - I'm all ears (or eyes, as case maybe) Thanks in advance for help, TTFN, j
You could drive a Honda Civic around White Rim as long as its not raining, which it rarely does. Saludos, J
Hi: I have ridden the white rim trail, took about 3 1/2 hours on a pair of KTM's 625. The soil in the moab area is very very unfrendly if it turns to mud. It basicly becomes un-rideable. Do NOT go out in muddy conditions !!!!! The trail itself when dry is not very difficult, we hit 80 -90 mph in sections. Have a fun ride ... Scott
Make sure bikes are street legal too. This area is pretty heavily patrolled by Ricky Rangers. They've been known to even use radar to catch you speeding.
Only if its not yours and you never plan on driving it again! There are several sections where you would need a high clearance vehicle to do the White Rim without ruining it. As far as bikes go, there can be areas that can be a handful on bigger bikes, but you should be fine. Long Canyon can get sandy and the whole thing can turn bad if its wet. If the roads leading up to the White Rim are muddy, I'd think twice about doing the route. Plan on taking 8-9 hours round trip from town if you do Long Canyon /WRT/Schafer. Its not a race and not a good place to be speading like some folks do.
3 1/2 hours is fast! Took me about 7 hours on my KLX. And stay on pavement if it rains. TKC80 doesn't mean much when on a big bike mixed with Utah red.
It gets slick when muddy, but that doesn't make it unrideable - F800GS and Tiger 800XC would be about as heavy a bike as I'd want to get up a muddy Hardscrabble Hill or Murphy's Hogsback. The bikes will spend a bit of time on their side if it's good and muddy though....you can count on that. Other than mud, you have a couple of sandy sections that can vary greatly in difficulty. Potato Bottom and Hardscrabble Bottom can be deep and will work you on a dirtbike....or you can paddlefoot thru them with ease if you're a decent offroad rider. Never can tell until you're down there. Early April is perfect time to go
I rode it in April of last year with a 800 GS with a worn out TK80 on the back and a decent one on the front. It was no problem. The only hard part is the deep sand when you get down to the river. Most of it is pretty easy. There are a couple of uphill sections that are fun. Ride it clockwise. Plan on a full day so you have time to stop and take pictures. It has the most beauty in all of Moab.
If you ride the trail clockwise, from potatoe bottom B out is very sandy and rutted. This would be very tough wet. I could see sinking those bikes. Dont feel obligated to ride the entire loop though. Ride in from the Moab side for 40-50 miles, have lunch and ride back the way you came. This would give the best canyon views and you would be mostly on rock.
Thanks all for the great counsel - Its appreciated !! OK - this is what I've gathered so far... If it's REAL muddy: 1) Borrow my brothers Honda Civic with snow tires & drive like hell. 2) TKCs would be helpful if damp - but still may not get you through MUD. 3) Ride it clockwise if not too muddy, But, if it IS muddy, can go from Moab (counter clock wise?) for about half the distance & turn around before Potato & Hardscrabble bottom to avoid the worst of it. 4) With my marginal dirt riding skills, plan on a few "naps" 5) Plan for an "all day" adventure. 6) Park Rangers may / maynot be understanding, that I have proven, thru experience, I can NOT get thru sand at 25mph! (40-45mph minimum for me) 7) Would be nice to have smaller dirt bikes, (but these are the ones we got - & nice for the 2500 mi round trip to / from Moab) I live in the "great north wet" & used to mud - but really prefer not to ride in it too much. We have 5 full riding days in the area - so hopefully the weather gods will be in our favor, & we'll hit a dry spell. Was also going to do Klondike Bluffs / Fins & Things & a few others to "hone" my dirt skills (reportedly a bit easier than WRT?) At 65 y/o - new skills don't come as easy anymore, but I am still stupid enough (so much for "late on set" wisdom) to try stuff anyway. Any further advice / suggestions / cautionary notes welcome. Cheers, j
The red mud of Utah is much different than the mud of the Pacific Northwet. It will stick to itself while building up on your tires until they won't turn anymore. Walking on it causes it to get into the traction of your shoes, make you an inch taller and you will have to skate, not walk. The only way you make it through the red mud is with enough speed to clear the tires - the mud is so slippery that this is a difficult thing to do. Take the mud very seriously. Experienced riders and even people in cars have been stranded because of it. That said if it does rain it will dry out quickly - April is a great time of year to go and it is rare for there to be a multi-day rain event in the desert.
Just signed in with a White Rim Trail question and it was already asked. My ride, 12'GS with new tires before leaving Central Coast Cali. TKC80 front and K60 rear (TKC80 rear if advised). Our schedule is mid May 2013. What's the longest sand section and where will we enter it? (not too fond of sand) Thanks
GrizGirl - Well, at 5'8" - I welcome the height enhancing qualities of "Moab Mud". But I also hear your caution. I did get the fender raising hardware for tiger - but if I actually NEED it - perhaps better to NOT be on that trail, at that time. MfrogN - Good question on sand - I gather its down by river section - but dont know distance. Someone with actual experience will have to chime in here. Rain wise - we get more in an average afternoon than Moab gets for an entire month. But as GrizGirl offers - its wet sucky / sticky mud there. Guess its sand or mud - takes our choice & chances. Im thinkin either way - TKCs might be a good option? I like my Heidi's - but that center strip may not dig in as well. Since I'm going in Apr - youre in May - I'll let you know what we find. Send me your email add. Chow' j
Good read as I've got Lone Mesa CG April 21-25 reserved for 30 of us. Plan on the WRT plus others. Mostly Honda Trails which are perfect for the WRT if your not in a rush and we aren't, just a bunch of old farts out for a ride, can't wait.
I chose to run the White Rim Counter Clockwise - primarily to get the tough sections of sand and river bottom out of the way - early - while it was cooler and everyone was fresh. Rather than the last part of the ride. We ran 6 KLR's with a variety of tires ( D606- Kenda and Heiendau) only difficult part was the sand in the northwest, along the river. Here's the route that we used to run it counter clockwise -- a) from Moab go 10.6 miles north on Hwy 191 b) LEFT onto HWY 313 c) Go 12.3 miles to Mineral Bottom Road d) RIGHT onto Mineral Bottom Road e) Go about 20 miles to the Park Entrance. That will start you out in the NorthWest corner. P.S. Bring a couple of quarts of water. KOH
I've ran WRT twice, once in early November on my 690, second time in late November on my 990. Late season advice is to run it couterclockwise as above to minimize the low sun in your face. We rode clockwise both times anyway. Due to some mechanical problems with one bike the second time, it was dark through the more difficult sections but I think the scenery and vistas make much more sense running clockwise. You will have your back to the canyon much of the time if you ride CCW. Just my 2 cents....YMMV....
KOH & Walrus - Thanks Gentlemen - helpful stuff. I like idea of getting difficult terrain done while fresh, without wobbly knees & shaky arms. If I remember my astronomical lessons correctly - the sun should be in approx same position for spring / fall equinox. Thus, riding CCW in early April also make sense. Thanks for Road navigation / directions too. I'd better get those BarkBusters installed - tiger OEM handguards are seriously inadequate. j
Not to hi jack the thread but is this part of the world tolerable early to mid June?? Thinking of doing my western states ride now counter clockwise allowing me to get to Glacier when the roads are all open. thanks
It's going to be pretty hot in June. My 4x4 group did it last year in April and the weather was perfect. Remember that you are supposed to get a "permission slip" (back country travel permit) at the Ranger Station before you go, and yes, they will have Rangers out there checking for them (we got checked once.) There are only two difficult spots on WRT. Murphy Hogback is steep on both ends and somewhat rocky. Hardscrabble Hill is also rocky and steep and at the base on the North end you cross a sand wash that is maybe 3/4 mile long, if memory serves me. Deep sand but dry in April when we were there - we had no issues (but then again, we were on 4 wheels, not 2.) The rest of WRT is just a dirt road.
Ave temps for Moab (highs) : April - *72 May - *82 June - *93 July - *100 Thats why I go to deserts in Mar or April. May looks good too - after that - I'm back North.
