The White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park is among the most celebrated and sought-after mountain bike rides in Utah. Some friends and I recently rode the trail over four days and three nights and had an incredible journey.
The morning of the fourth day on the White Rim Trail broke clear and sunny. The horrible wind that plagued us the day before was gone, but the storm left cold air behind. We dusted ourselves off, packed up, ate breakfast and started biking the last leg of our trip.
The trail followed the Green River for the remainder of the ride, up until the last major climb called the Horse Thief Trail. We reached the bottom of the switchbacks fairly quickly after cruising over hard-packed road, passing over the border of Canyonlands National Park. Before tackling the big climb, we gathered together, ate some snacks, unloaded some weight from our packs, and started the slow grind up to the canyon rim.
The low incline and good condition of the road made for a fairly easy ascent, though the sheer length of the switchbacks delivered a challenge as some of us committed ourselves to riding from the bottom to the top without stopping. Once everyone crossed the finish line, a great celebration ensued as high fives were given, a flask of whiskey was passed around, and joyful exhaustion finally took it’s toll.
Four days on the trail, away from all modern comforts, caught up to us. We were tired, sunburned, bruised, and covered in dirt. So we quickly piled into the trucks and drove away, dreaming of the hot showers, big meals and soft beds that awaited us back home.
After biking the length of the White Rim Trail, it was clear that we had completed a classic ride. The scenery, physical challenge, awesome riding, and good times spent with friends proved that the White Rim Trail is easily one of the best rides in the world and should be on the life-list of anybody who enjoys spending time in the outdoors.
If you go: Permits have to be reserved a year in advance to secure the best camping sites in the spring or fall when the temperatures in the desert are mild. The White Rim Trail is 100 miles long (80 if you use shuttle vehicles to cut out the paved road) and is best done in four days. You will need support vehicles to carry food, water and camping gear. There is nothing technical about the ride, but the distance and several steep hills require riders to be in good shape. It gets cold at night, so winter clothing is recommended.