Is it crazy to want to drive a very long, long way to drive the white rim trail in Canyonlands?

I was in Canyonlands in Moab once before. We pulled into the visitor's center and I was looking off the observation point and saw a vehicle way, way, way off in the distance far below. Every since that moment I have wanted to go where he was. I believe he was on the white rim trail.
I have since have acquired a 2022 trd off road 4runner that I love dearly. I joined a few Facebook off roading groups and have been on many trail rides and ohv parks learning to off road, do recoveries, safety and not break my rig, and lots of maintenance and repairs.
I live in Florida so what I want to do is to drive to Utah and do the white rim trail. I know it's a very long drive and I am OK with that. My question is to anyone who has done the whole trail ~100 miles how is it? My 4runner has been modified with 2.5" suspension lift bilstein shocks and coils front and rear, 285 70 17 m/t, and front bumper with 9.5 k lbs winch with synthetic line plus all sorts of other recovery gear and tools. Is this a crazy idea or sound ok?
This is a goal I am very much wanting to accomplish. Thoughts? I was thinking September or October.

 

Yolo

 

Life is short. Eat dessert first.

 

Not crazy at all. I live in Rhode Island, and I constantly think about doing the same thing. Kudos to you if you actually do it!

I was there a few years ago, and my buddy actually did that trail in one day on a mountain bike. Yeah, he's an animal. I recall him saying that for a vehicle it did not appear to be very difficult.

 

If you can swing it, go for it. I believe that there has been other people from Florida that have made the trek.

 

I've ridden it on my motorcycle (Honda Africa Twin). It's not very difficult, but very bumpy. I spent most of the trail in first and second gear. Took 7-8 hours with stops.

It'll be a lot slower on four wheels. Might want to consider camping one night on the rim.

Due to the popularity, they limit the number of people per day, and you have to get your permit online ahead of time.

I say go for it. I live in Michigan, and am heading to Moab for the third time next month.

 

I drove over 5k miles on my last big road trip in September. I'll probably exceed 6k on my next one in April.

 

I have done two mountain bike centric trips out west from MD. First trip's western most destination was Moab, UT (5,400 miles) and the second trip's western most destination was Bend, OR (6,500 miles). Only went four-wheeling once in CO, but the 4R was great to travel in and sleep in. This fall I will head out west again with the final western most destination being Santa Cruz, CA and many trailheads in between. Go for it!

 

Yeah I'm thinking October I'm going to do it. I will definatrely want to spend at least one night camping on the trail out there. I'm a planner so I will do my homework heh. Thank for the replies all.

 

^Yes! KTM500EXC for me, 6 hours and not bumpy at all lol. MUCH slower in a vehicle and i would definitely camp one night, enjoy the experience. Technically it's much more difficult for a vehicle too, but only in a few spots, most of it is easy. BUT you have to be in shape for those spots, they are no joke. 6/10 stuff, no challenge for most 4R but new drivers should be get some wheel time in before you go. We're going back sometime this fall in the 4R, can't wait!

 

I drive from Western Canada to Southern Utah every couple years. Not crazy at all lol

 

I was in Moab in early October and the weather was perfect - mid 70's. You traveling by yourself? If so, the 4R is perfect for car camping. Sleep in the back, be up and gone in 10 minutes!

 

My GF and I did the rim in a F150 4x4 Offroad in two days. Stopping every chance we could to take pictures, etc. Great experience and i would recommend doing it in the fall just for the temperature. Met a handful of cool people along to way and camped with some Jeep folks. I wouldn't consider it challenging if you have spent some time on long trails.

 

I did Missouri to Moab in 2021 and it’s been my favorite trip to date. We did White Rim in my mostly stock Tacoma and didn’t have much trouble. I say go for it!

 

As someone mentioned...don't do this in the middle of summer. Stifling heat, and the gnats will eat you alive every time you step outside the 4Runner. May or October is best.

 

Wanting to drive the White Rim was why I got a Toyota in 2014. To be able to get into such a place that most people can only see from lookouts. It was a fantastic trip. Take your time. We did 2 nights and 3 days. Stopping lots. There's a slot canyon and a good hike out to a ruin.

 

Don't overthink this. In 1987 we did it in an unmodified 1986 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

 

Awesome trail! Make it happen! Two nights on the trail is perfect so you can take your time and enjoy all that it offers. The 4Runner is more than capable for it. It's been about 20 years since I ran it last and I'm really wanting to do it again.

 

Not crazy at all. What is crazy, is that I live in Utah and haven’t done that trail yet.

 

I don't think it's worth driving 2200 miles one way for just one trail. I think it's better to scope out additional scenic trails along the way.

 

I've done the White Rim Trail probably five times as a 3-4 day sag wagon mountain bike ride and three times on my KTM 400 exc dirt bike as a day ride - fun stuff! I'd recommend a 2-3 day trip so you can enjoy the scenery and for the first time clockwise is probably the best experience. A few knarly spots but most of it can be driven in 4H or even 2 wheel drive.

 

Good luck obtaining a permit. They generally go fast.

The questions are..
Will he regret doing it?
Will he regret not doing it?
Yeah, 2200 hundred miles is a long way for one trail. Making memories takes a 'lil effort. It'd be nice if the OP could spend more time in the area. Moab is Disneyland for off-roading.

 

Mountain bike, hike, trail run, fish, camp, visit parks, beer tour, food tour, etc. A ton of things to do while trekking across this beautiful country of ours.

 

I have driven White Rim Trail several times over the years. Each time it was during our visits to Moab with a large group of folks. Each time we drove the entire trail in a day. We were on a 7 day run from Arizona to Moab mostly on trails so time was critical... plus we had folks that traveled from out of the country and were not prepared for camping.

Very nice trail, a lot to see and once I had time (I was way ahead of the group) so we went a lot of different places exploring. Take your time and enjoy!

 

As mentioned above, DO IT!


Post pictures!

 

Your trip sound amazing, I would love to do something like this. How long of a vacation from work do you take to do this?

There are some days where I get home from work and I just want to grab my bike and my dog and just take head west and be a bum for a while, lol.

 

Ha! You and I have had a lot of similar thoughts on this forum - going on almost three years for me now! We have previously discussed decking out a Suburban for this lifestyle. My son has our 2002 Suburban with 243,000 miles in Montana. There is a great line in a Marshall Tucker Band song "I left my Carolina home, headed west and started to roam"! Years ago, I always joked with my neighbors that one day I was going to "load up my Jeep, go by the pound to pick up a hound, and head west".

Well I have some things working in my favor at this point in my life. I am self employed, so I don't need approval - my wife is fine with it! I will be 62 in two months, so I am a firm believer in living life to it's fullest. My three son's are 24 and 20 (twins). One done with college, one with a year left of college and one in the Army (about to wrap Ranger School this weekend). As a self employed real estate appraiser, my work is really slow unfortunately (due to the high interest rates), so I have the time to go as well. Fortunately I have money from saving over the years and my wife is gainfully employed. Other than gas, the trips are not expensive. You have to eat and drink whether home or on the road. Sleep at campsites, rest stops, etc - I sleep in the 4R. First trip was 20 days and second trip was 24 days. The most liberating thing I have ever done and I have probably gone out west skiing 20 times (fly). Really cool to check out small towns along the way, the scenery, the parks, cool funky places to grab a beer and a bite, and ride like a mofo to your heart's or legs content. I have a buddy that drives out with me from SC in his Mercedes Revel Sprinter van (good to have a mothership for cooking and refrigeration), a buddy from CA that drives in to meet us, and a couple of buddies that fly out and meet us on location for a week. I really love mountain biking to keep the juices flowing - I jumped out of airplanes in the military, I don't ski that much anymore, and too old to play basketball - I don't golf or own a boat, so this is what I do!

I could see having a dog with me if I was traveling single. We have had two great chocolate labs during our 31 years of marriage, but my wife and I are close to the point of being unencumbered and will probably hold off on another dog til I am in my 70's and in need of a reliable buddy.

I highly recommend such a trip, if you are able. There are a lot of weekend or longer mtn biking road trips you could do up and down the east coast / Appalachian Mountains. That is something I want to add into the mix going forward. Don't hesitate with any further questions you may have and if you ever venture down to MD to mountain bike let me know. We have some fantastic technical trails in the Frederick Watershed in Frederick, MD.

 

#1 - My twins goose hunting with our lab Colt and our 2002 Suburban that is still kicking. #2 - My buddy's Sprinter van and I at a campsite near Cheyenne, WY - Curt Gowdy State Park - A very good mtn bike trail system.

 

Very cool! Were you in a 4R? How many hours did you allow?

I remember cresting the Hog Back on the KTM and seeing 2 beautiful Unimog campers up there on the plateau thinking, "How did they get up here?" The Austrian owner checked up on me, super fun time. No telling who/what you might run into out there! (not actual but similar)