White Rim Trail in a 4x4 Van

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by velo47

I thought the uphill vehicle has the right of way...

It's much safer to back up hill than down.

[eddyturn]

Uphill vehicle has the right of way as AT says because it is very dangerous to back down a hill. Braking is poor so stopping ain't so easy. Used to be signs on the older Jeep road in CO long ago to that effect. I think it is still stated in the driver's manual for getting a license.

If I am going uphill and see someone coming down AND I have a safe/easy/close place to pull over, I will flash them my lights and pull over and wait. The exception would be to a motorcycle and I would give them the ROW either direction as they can't back up and making them go into the rough stuff isn't very nice.

[BenJJ]

Awesome trip report and pictures! This might be a dumb question but do you think this trail could be done in a 2wd van with good ground clearance?

[Marcel Huijser]

Thanks for the detailed trip report!

Very useful for others!

[cthayn]

BenJJ,

I wouldn’t recommend a 2wd vehicle. You might be able to a make it, but you have would rely on speed and momentum. If you don’t mind beating up your vehicle. You might make it.

I am sure that someone with 2wd has made through at some time in the past.

[rltilley]

I Mountain biked this a couple of years back. Along the route I only saw a couple of spots where I would have needed to be careful in the van. I saw a Subaru out there but am not sure if they were doing the whole trail or an out and back. They were about at the midpoint when I saw them.

We stayed at Murphy Hogback the first night. That was too far in but was the closest site open that night. We ended up pushing our bikes up the hill in the dark. The next night we were at Labyrinth which I liked a lot. Potato Bottom looked like a good place to camp as well.

A write up of that trip starts here if anyone is interested. I'd love to go back again at some point.

https://nasalforest.wordpress.com/20...m-trail-day-1/

[OurayMark]

Great photos and descriptions! Thank you for posting!

We did the White Rim trail about this time last year. We had planned to take our 4x4 Sprinter 144 Sportsmobile high roof, but the park service rangers talked us into using our rock crawler Jeep instead. Their concern was that overhanging ledges could impede or a scratch the vehicle. We did indeed see some tight spots that looked threatening to taller vehicles, but we’ve read that even big old Earth Roamers have made it through. Did you all survive with no body damage? Can you post photos of traversing some of the tight spots? Thanks again!

[TheWeezersDad]

Very nice write up. Thanks for taking the time. We hope to experience this first hand within the next two years!

[Stewbie]

WOWSER! Talk about putting a destination "X" on the map. You've done it for me. Terrific pictures and some very good advice to go along with them. I appreciate a 'share & tell' so the next person will know that they too should share their story, the land, and a ROW to the next driver. Thanks

[DuggyFresh]

Dang, great write up! And like other have said, looks like I have another adventure that's popped on the list. haha