Trips Arizona Colorado Louisiana New Mexico Utah Arches Bryce Canyon Canyonlands Island in the Sky Mesa Arch White Rim Road Zion Bermuda

We had the distinct pleasure of driving the White Rim Road in the spring of 2002. We got some amazing pictures, and plan to have a series of pages that will chronicle our trip.

The White Rim Road is named because it was built along the layer of harder white Navaho sandstone above the Colorado and Green river canyons. The softer layers underneath this white cap rock erode faster than the harder white stone, forming dramatic canyons and stone hoodoos.

Originally a uranium mining road, the White Rim Road is now a favorite of mountain bikers and 4x4 drivers alike. The environmental impact is kept to a minimum by weather and sparse resources... only a few designated campsites have been built along the road. Campers and mountain bikers generally favor the spring or fall months when temperatures are more tolerable, and campsites are reserved quickly once the new season opens.

"White Rim Road Around Monument Basin" Canyonlands National Park, Utah Big Picture

To whet your appetite, here is a picture from one of the canyon overlooks. The road is barely visible in the smaller picture displayed here, so you might want to click on the picture to review the larger version.

This particular part of the canyon is named Monument Basin for the number of stone columns that have - so far - withstood the test of time and erosion. It almost looks like chocolate ice cream with vanilla frosting on top. We will have many more pictures from this trip posted soon. For now you can see some of the spring desert wildflowers that were blooming.

Park Link National Park Service Web Site