Canyonlands White Rim Trail

We finished a 3 day trip in Canyonlands on the White Rim Trail to include Lathrop canyon. Below are the two vehicles. I will be glad to answer questions for anyone thinking of doing White Rim. Its beautiful country.


2016 Tacoma TRD 4x4 Offroad
265/75r16 Cooper Discovery ST MAXX
Total Chaos UCA
OME Suspension
Sway bar installed

2016 Ford F150 FX4 Offroad Stock
265/70r18 wrangler MS

https://youtu.be/AfwiXW4Uz2I
https://youtu.be/1RWWBZpczYI

 

always wanted to mountain bike in that area, awesome video!

 

Could a stock Ford raptor be used as a support vehicle. Other 2 Tacoma’s are capable rigs. My biggest concern is that the raptor is so wide. I’m intrested in the needles district, maze and white rim trail. Any advice be greatly appreciated.

 

A few of the switch backs are pretty tight coming up Lathrop Canyon and on Hardscrabble. The F150 following me had to do a couple of 2 points to get around them. There are 2 spots on Hardscrabble that seem kind of narrow where the drop off has washed away a little but nothing that cant be negotiated if you're careful. I dont think you would have any trouble with a stock Raptor. 99.5% White Rim Trail can be driven in 2 wheel drive. But, you Need 4x4 and decent tire tread for that last .5%.. Lathrop Canyon, if you should take that road..and you should, it's a great drive, Murphys Hogback and Hardscrabble all have climbs that are 20° +. That sand and rock can get slippery.

 

https://youtu.be/EDugOOVJrnk
Sorry for the vertical format. Didnt realize till after we got out of the canyons that my DashCam was pointed at the sky. All I have are my phone videos.

 

we did this last year. It was my first time taking my wife on something of this magnitude. We took the same route, and once you come up to the top of this you almost can't find the decent. She almost broke down on hard scrabble, but overall I was super proud of her. This is definitely a great experience. If I remember correctly we only saw three other rigs the entire time we were there. Where did you guys camp?

 

Gooseberry B and Candlestick. I travel out west from Alabama every year, from now on my vacation will depend on when I can get my back country pass. I will be posting my nephews videos soon. They are a lot better.

 

Nice...I never got around to posting mine on YouTube..the one of my wife breaking down would be entertaining though..

 

I've done White Rim a few times, but never went down Lathrop. I specifically booked a campsite at Airport this year so that I could do Lathrop the next morning. How was it? Any more challenging than the Hogback? How was the access to the river?

 

Lathrop is definitely a must. I just wouldn't do it if it looks like rain. Looks like it can flash flood fast down there. A few of the switchbacks are super tight and theres some good sandy spots you need speed for. 4 miles one way takes about 30 minutes. Picnic tables and toilet when you get to the river. Last 200yrds were overgrown but not bad. I will be posting some Lathrop Canyon videos this week.

 

https://youtu.be/1RWWBZpczYI

 

I uploaded a video from the F150, you can see most of the washouts I mentioned. You just have to hug the cliff face a little tight

 

Raptor could do White Rim Trail. I would not take a Rapter into Needles (Elephant Hill) Has nothing to do with the suspension or capabilities. Just the size. One year I was down there and heard the rangers talking about a Raptor that was stuck at the squeeze a few weeks earlier. Also the brush scratched the sides of my truck in many places. Can't imagine the damage that would be inflicted on a wide raptor in that area. You would probably be fine in the Maze. I've only been there one time and don't remember anything being super tight.

 

Thanks for the heads up. Ranger called me about my permit. Told me pretty much same thing. Said highly unlikely I’d fit the raptor thru due to its width.

 

can white rim trail be done in 1.5 days?

 

Yes. We met a few vehicles that were doing it in 1 day. But its going to beat you to death. Try to get White Crack or somewhere past halfway to camp. That way you have time to tackle Hardscrabble. Slow going

 

ill be going west to east, our campsite will be at murphy's hogback. stay the night and then bounce the next morning. i think i should be good.

 

did you check into visitor's center?

 

Yeh. You will be good with Murphys. We stopped at visitor center the day before we got on White Rim. Camped BLM the night before. Its basically a "hey make sure you follow the park rules and do you have any questions" type of thing. They dont check on if you get out alive or anything, which surprised me.

 

Awsome!