Enrique Sonora Thanks for watching the WRT is something your family will absolutely love. We have a few other fun trips we have done as well perfect for families.
Headed there this late April, running opposite direction. Murphy's Hogback first night, Airport the second night. I now have a good idea of what to expect. Well done! Great video, thanks.
Love that Jeep. My younger brother has it now. It holds a special place in my heart. Wish I could have kept it but just couldn’t keep it as the most expensive vehicle we had at the time and not well suited for a family vehicle.
@@BackroadExploration Yeah, I hear you. I had to wait until my kids grew up and left for college before I was able to buy my first Jeep. (The 2 door I’ve got now) It’s the most impractical vehicle I’ve ever owned, but it’s also my absolute favorite. I was going to get a 4 door, but I couldn’t pass up the deal I got this one. It was hard to find all new camping gear that was compact enough to fit it, but it’s worked out well. Every chance I get, I disappear into the Nevada desert to do arrowhead hunting and exploring new places. It never gets old.
Very entertaining and informative. Your rig caught my eye. I have two TJs and one is a yellow Rubicon but not stock like yours. I would love to explore Moab in one of them because of the narrow track, compact footprint and just seems for these trails an ideal choice. Problem is I live 3000 miles away and do not want to drive either of them across the country. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks! Loved that TJ. I have a JK now and did the same trip again this summer with a friend. Jeep And Land Cruiser On Potash Road To The Shafer Switchbacks ua-cam.com/video/Xp-qDN4ABdg/v-deo.html
I went Thanksgiving 2016. It was a bit muddier than what you've shown. I came in via Shafer Trail switchbacks. We camped at Gooseberry the first night. We drive out the next day. Came up some slippery switchbacks called Horse Thief trail -I think it's called. Jeep was caked in red mud! My tires still have red tint. 😀 ( Was glad I brought 5 gallons extra fuel and a Mr. Heater) 🍀🔥 Videos have a hard time showing just how steep that stuff really is.
I took my new 4 Runner Limited on it with no problem. Just a few spots I did not want to hit my running boards (I was thinking of taking off before trip but it was still winter in Canada so I was lazy). Anyways very easy to drive here if you drive slow. Saw a 2 Subaru Outbacks, Volvo X90(I think thats the model) and lots of Jeeps that day. Not an easy trail but nothing like the many roads I had driven in Northern Canada. I would not have gone in if it was raining or chance of it.
Subscribed! Great overview of the WRT, We're researching whether we are going to fit under some of the overhangs with our larger rig. Your video makes me think there is still lots in the open we can get to.
There are a couple of places where the road gets pretty narrow. But I know full-sized trucks run the trail pretty regularly. I think even height wise you should be okay. My guess is there are several people who have ran it in Sprinter Vans or other full-size rigs with 5th wheel campers on Expedition Portal who would know better than me.
Thanks for posting this. I'm trying to plan a trip with my family for this fall on white rim. We'll be driving a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 and letting the kids mountain bike as much as they'd like. My questions are: 1. Did you deflate your tires and if so, to what pressure? 2. Any width or height constraints that you observed on this trail for a large 4x4 like a sprinter? Our configuration is just over 10 ft high. How bumpy was the route? I'm thinking of our two youngest children and making sure we don't bounce them around too much. Thanks,
+Clint Biesinger Okay, I just read your website and that helped me to understand things better and answered the tire pressure question. Overall, what's your thought about a large 4x4 vehicle on this trail, especially the more technical parts?
+Clint Biesinger Thanks for commenting! So as you saw in the video we did air down, we went to 25psi we could have gone lower but you will want to base how low you go based on your vehicle weight. 2. You shouldn't run into any height issues at all. There is one section of the trail right at 11:45 in the video where the rock overhangs. I think you would be fine, the trail is a little bit wider so you can swing out if needed. To me it seemed much higher than 10ft up but I never really thought about it. 3. Bumpiness varies a ton. There is a section between Lathrope Canyon and the White crack campground that is really bumpy, but picking a good line and taking things at the right speed and you will be fine. I am planning a fall trip with the wife and kids (3 and 1) and i'm not worried about the bumps so you should be good. 4. Now to the biggest question... how will a Sprinter Van do. There are a two sections where I width would worry me a bit but I think you will be able to make it. You just might need to use a spotter. I am not sure what vehicle they use to pump out the pit toilets but I imagine it is a full-size pickup. I cant remember where the first one was exactly... but I know we crossed it the first day and I remember thinking man that would be narrow in a fullsize rig. The second very narrow spot was on our third day just before Potato Bottom you run right next to the river and the trail gets really narrow there. There are several steep switchbacks that I would run in 4wheel drive for sure but you should be fine as long as it is not too slick. The only thing you will have to aware of is meeting another rig going the other way. Several of the sections are much to narrow to fit two rigs on, they will just have to backup for you. Lastly if you decide to run Lathrop Canyon which I highly recommend there is one really tight turn on the way down where you go around the bend and up a little incline and then down. I have no idea how tight a turn a Sprinter can make but making a multi point turn without hi centering might be tough. (I do not know how much clearance you have) So just take the corner wide and walk it before over committing. Hopefully that helps, let us know how your trip goes!
+Backroad Exploration Thanks for your thorough response. We're having our 7th child next month and so we've had to upgrade our family vehicle. I went with the sprinter because it comes with a factory 4x4 that is quite robust. It won't have lockers but it does have a low rating and is more robust than a suburban for offroading, although it's nothing close to a jeep rubicon. I think it should do well on trails like white rim. They raise the machine 4 inches in front and 3 in the back on the 4x4 versus 2 wheel version of the van. It actually will have a higher ground clearance than most stock trucks on the approach and departure but a longer wheel base (ours is the 144" version and a suburban is about 130") will negate some of the clearance, it should be good in most places though. I don't actually know what the turning radius is but I appreciate your tips on the tight turns. It's about 9 inches longer than a suburban and about 15 inches wider which makes it stable but I'll watch it closely on the trail. I've seen other videos with full size pickups that have camper trailers on them and they seem to make it okay but I'm appreciate the heads up for the area around the green river. One benefit to a large family is that I do have plenty of spotters that can help. As far as dealing with oncoming traffic. I'm hoping to send my older kids up the climb areas ahead of me on bikes so they can block traffic for me. I plan to go clockwise which seems to be the way most people drive from what I've read but I am really hoping not to meet anyone coming the opposite way on a narrow hill with a cliff on one side. Backing up or down some of those hills would seem to be a horrible and dangerous experience. Thanks for your insight on the campsites too. It looks like an awesome trip that will help make long standing memories for our family. We'll let you know how it goes.
Great vid. My fear is that I'd be on that road and meet another vehicle going the opposite direction with no room to pass. Is there a protocol to follow in that case?
There are a few places that passing another vehicle is not possible. The common rule is for the vehicle going downhill to yield (or move) for uphill traffic.
Foresters are super capable. However there are a few spots where the trail gets pretty rough and depending on weather the trail conditions can change a lot, I don’t think I would would recommend it. I wonder if on a Subaru forum you could find someone who has done it.
Years ago I did it in a 1987 Subaru GL wagon. But it has low range and 4WD. I wouldn't try it in my current stock Subaru Outback. I'm sure it's possible depending on your particular setup. Low range and clearance are the main things. (and a skid plate!)
John Diaz Thanks! Yes you need a permit to drive the trail and you need to reserve the campsite you would like to stay in. This helps control how many people are on the trail at a time. We went in Feb and almost no one was on the trail. Campsites during peak season tend to fill up quickly often several months in advance. Here is a link to where you can get the back country permit and reserve a campsite: www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm
All are modern vault toilets, no water, concrete floors, good ventilation, clean and plenty of paper when we were there (Aug 2019). Didn’t see any scorpions, but one toilet was marked with a sign warning of recent rattlesnake sightings (none there when we stopped) and the one at Murphy “C” campsite had 2 Prairie rattlesnakes inside from midday through late evening, probably sheltering from the heat. (So, we used the one up the hill at Murphy “A”) They left overnight so it was clear by the next morning. Just check carefully when you open the door and look behind the hopper in case they are hiding back there.
Steve Matsumura We went the last week of February. Campsites have to be booked in advance but we didn't have any issues. Starting in March the sites really start to fill up.
I spent two nights on the White Rim Trail this weekend. Thank you for the video! Keep exploring!
Super Jealous! It is such a beautiful trip. Looking to be back this June.
Dude. I just saw that this video exists. I have reservations to camp along here in the Fall. I’m way excited. Good vid.
You are going to love it! I am hoping to run it again this year. It is so beautiful take some time to do some hikes.
We have plans to do this trail next summer. I’m so excited to do it. Thanks for sharing.
You will love it! One of the most beautiful trails I have ever been on. Take time to do some hikes.
wonderful video to watch. Learned a lot and hope to see more like this. This helps me plan some future trips with my family. Can't wait.
Enrique Sonora Thanks for watching the WRT is something your family will absolutely love. We have a few other fun trips we have done as well perfect for families.
Headed there this late April, running opposite direction. Murphy's Hogback first night, Airport the second night. I now have a good idea of what to expect. Well done! Great video, thanks.
It’s an incredible trip! You will love every second. The views are so stunning.
This was cool to watch. It was the oldest video I could find of yours. I like the yellow 2 door.
Love that Jeep. My younger brother has it now. It holds a special place in my heart. Wish I could have kept it but just couldn’t keep it as the most expensive vehicle we had at the time and not well suited for a family vehicle.
@@BackroadExploration
Yeah, I hear you. I had to wait until my kids grew up and left for college before I was able to buy my first Jeep. (The 2 door I’ve got now) It’s the most impractical vehicle I’ve ever owned, but it’s also my absolute favorite. I was going to get a 4 door, but I couldn’t pass up the deal I got this one. It was hard to find all new camping gear that was compact enough to fit it, but it’s worked out well. Every chance I get, I disappear into the Nevada desert to do arrowhead hunting and exploring new places. It never gets old.
Great vid!
Really like the choice of music 👍👍🍺
Great vid!! Loved this trail. Glad I came from Canada and did it!
It’s such a unique and beautiful trail. One I think everyone should take the time to explore.
What's more impressive is you fit 3 day's worth of gear for two guy's in a TJ LOL, can't wait to run that road, thanks for posting!
You are right! Love the TJ but space is always hard tom come by.
Very entertaining and informative. Your rig caught my eye. I have two TJs and one is a yellow Rubicon but not stock like yours. I would love to explore Moab in one of them because of the narrow track, compact footprint and just seems for these trails an ideal choice. Problem is I live 3000 miles away and do not want to drive either of them across the country. Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks! Loved that TJ. I have a JK now and did the same trip again this summer with a friend. Jeep And Land Cruiser On Potash Road To The Shafer Switchbacks
ua-cam.com/video/Xp-qDN4ABdg/v-deo.html
A thumbs up video and its on my bucket list
Thanks! It’s an incredible trip you will love it!
I went Thanksgiving 2016. It was a bit muddier than what you've shown. I came in via Shafer Trail switchbacks. We camped at Gooseberry the first night. We drive out the next day. Came up some slippery switchbacks called Horse Thief trail -I think it's called. Jeep was caked in red mud! My tires still have red tint. 😀 ( Was glad I brought 5 gallons extra fuel and a Mr. Heater) 🍀🔥 Videos have a hard time showing just how steep that stuff really is.
fantastic! I am working on my 84 Grand Wagoneer for a trip to Utah and Nevada and the Owyhees in Idaho. Very nice.
Excellent vid, thanks!!
great trip report...thanks for sharing
I took my new 4 Runner Limited on it with no problem. Just a few spots I did not want to hit my running boards (I was thinking of taking off before trip but it was still winter in Canada so I was lazy). Anyways very easy to drive here if you drive slow. Saw a 2 Subaru Outbacks, Volvo X90(I think thats the model) and lots of Jeeps that day. Not an easy trail but nothing like the many roads I had driven in Northern Canada. I would not have gone in if it was raining or chance of it.
For sure. It’s a beautiful scenic trip but not a technical trail.
nice footage can't wait to see you doing more overlanding you got my subscription
Hazardbone Thanks! I really appreciate it Part 2 of our San Rafael Swell trip should be ready early this week!
Subscribed! Great overview of the WRT, We're researching whether we are going to fit under some of the overhangs with our larger rig. Your video makes me think there is still lots in the open we can get to.
There are a couple of places where the road gets pretty narrow. But I know full-sized trucks run the trail pretty regularly. I think even height wise you should be okay. My guess is there are several people who have ran it in Sprinter Vans or other full-size rigs with 5th wheel campers on Expedition Portal who would know better than me.
GREAT JOB THANKS FOR THIS
To much MTN Dew at 18:40 ? LOL
i love your channel uncle jace
Thanks Bud!
Thanks for posting this. I'm trying to plan a trip with my family for this fall on white rim. We'll be driving a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 and letting the kids mountain bike as much as they'd like. My questions are: 1. Did you deflate your tires and if so, to what pressure? 2. Any width or height constraints that you observed on this trail for a large 4x4 like a sprinter? Our configuration is just over 10 ft high. How bumpy was the route? I'm thinking of our two youngest children and making sure we don't bounce them around too much. Thanks,
+Clint Biesinger Okay, I just read your website and that helped me to understand things better and answered the tire pressure question. Overall, what's your thought about a large 4x4 vehicle on this trail, especially the more technical parts?
+Clint Biesinger Thanks for commenting! So as you saw in the video we did air down, we went to 25psi we could have gone lower but you will want to base how low you go based on your vehicle weight.
2. You shouldn't run into any height issues at all. There is one section of the trail right at 11:45 in the video where the rock overhangs. I think you would be fine, the trail is a little bit wider so you can swing out if needed. To me it seemed much higher than 10ft up but I never really thought about it.
3. Bumpiness varies a ton. There is a section between Lathrope Canyon and the White crack campground that is really bumpy, but picking a good line and taking things at the right speed and you will be fine. I am planning a fall trip with the wife and kids (3 and 1) and i'm not worried about the bumps so you should be good.
4. Now to the biggest question... how will a Sprinter Van do. There are a two sections where I width would worry me a bit but I think you will be able to make it. You just might need to use a spotter. I am not sure what vehicle they use to pump out the pit toilets but I imagine it is a full-size pickup.
I cant remember where the first one was exactly... but I know we crossed it the first day and I remember thinking man that would be narrow in a fullsize rig. The second very narrow spot was on our third day just before Potato Bottom you run right next to the river and the trail gets really narrow there.
There are several steep switchbacks that I would run in 4wheel drive for sure but you should be fine as long as it is not too slick. The only thing you will have to aware of is meeting another rig going the other way. Several of the sections are much to narrow to fit two rigs on, they will just have to backup for you.
Lastly if you decide to run Lathrop Canyon which I highly recommend there is one really tight turn on the way down where you go around the bend and up a little incline and then down. I have no idea how tight a turn a Sprinter can make but making a multi point turn without hi centering might be tough. (I do not know how much clearance you have) So just take the corner wide and walk it before over committing.
Hopefully that helps, let us know how your trip goes!
+Backroad Exploration Thanks for your thorough response. We're having our 7th child next month and so we've had to upgrade our family vehicle. I went with the sprinter because it comes with a factory 4x4 that is quite robust. It won't have lockers but it does have a low rating and is more robust than a suburban for offroading, although it's nothing close to a jeep rubicon. I think it should do well on trails like white rim. They raise the machine 4 inches in front and 3 in the back on the 4x4 versus 2 wheel version of the van. It actually will have a higher ground clearance than most stock trucks on the approach and departure but a longer wheel base (ours is the 144" version and a suburban is about 130") will negate some of the clearance, it should be good in most places though. I don't actually know what the turning radius is but I appreciate your tips on the tight turns.
It's about 9 inches longer than a suburban and about 15 inches wider which makes it stable but I'll watch it closely on the trail. I've seen other videos with full size pickups that have camper trailers on them and they seem to make it okay but I'm appreciate the heads up for the area around the green river. One benefit to a large family is that I do have plenty of spotters that can help.
As far as dealing with oncoming traffic. I'm hoping to send my older kids up the climb areas ahead of me on bikes so they can block traffic for me. I plan to go clockwise which seems to be the way most people drive from what I've read but I am really hoping not to meet anyone coming the opposite way on a narrow hill with a cliff on one side. Backing up or down some of those hills would seem to be a horrible and dangerous experience.
Thanks for your insight on the campsites too. It looks like an awesome trip that will help make long standing memories for our family. We'll let you know how it goes.
Hi, love the vid. What is the gas situation, did you take extra?
Great vid. My fear is that I'd be on that road and meet another vehicle going the opposite direction with no room to pass. Is there a protocol to follow in that case?
There are a few places that passing another vehicle is not possible. The common rule is for the vehicle going downhill to yield (or move) for uphill traffic.
Think a door tundra could do this trail? Also, how did you book the camping spots? I cannot see how to get those specific spots anywhere online.
Yes. There will be a couple tight spots but you should be fine.
Would a Forester with a/t tires handle this trail? I'm a newbie planning my first trip! Great vid.
Foresters are super capable. However there are a few spots where the trail gets pretty rough and depending on weather the trail conditions can change a lot, I don’t think I would would recommend it. I wonder if on a Subaru forum you could find someone who has done it.
I just watched a video of a Ford Escape and ford Explorer that did it.. seems like the title was Ford Escape and Explorer on White Rim Trail
Nice!
Years ago I did it in a 1987 Subaru GL wagon. But it has low range and 4WD. I wouldn't try it in my current stock Subaru Outback. I'm sure it's possible depending on your particular setup. Low range and clearance are the main things. (and a skid plate!)
Excellent video, I know that was a lot of work to do . Do you have to make a reservation for camping ? Thanks.
John Diaz Thanks! Yes you need a permit to drive the trail and you need to reserve the campsite you would like to stay in. This helps control how many people are on the trail at a time. We went in Feb and almost no one was on the trail. Campsites during peak season tend to fill up quickly often several months in advance. Here is a link to where you can get the back country permit and reserve a campsite: www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm
How clean are the washrooms?? Are they Scorpion and Snake free??? Wifey is asking...
JK UNLIMITED RULES!! They are pit toilets, so nothing fancy. However no snakes or scorpions in sight.
Pit toilets only. Park staff does a great job cleaning and supplying. In this high desert environment, no stink!
All are modern vault toilets, no water, concrete floors, good ventilation, clean and plenty of paper when we were there (Aug 2019). Didn’t see any scorpions, but one toilet was marked with a sign warning of recent rattlesnake sightings (none there when we stopped) and the one at Murphy “C” campsite had 2 Prairie rattlesnakes inside from midday through late evening, probably sheltering from the heat. (So, we used the one up the hill at Murphy “A”) They left overnight so it was clear by the next morning. Just check carefully when you open the door and look behind the hopper in case they are hiding back there.
Nice video! What month did you do this run? (No hassles over campsites)
Steve Matsumura We went the last week of February. Campsites have to be booked in advance but we didn't have any issues. Starting in March the sites really start to fill up.
I just drove the White Rim Trail three days ago. It was a two day trip. Camped one night at Candlestick too.
+Wasatch Wish we were back on the trail right now it is amazing!