White Rim Trail: a 2-day group plan

The White Rim Trail in Canyonlands is about 100 miles of dirt below the mesa rim. It's not technical, but it is committing: no fuel, no water, and a permit system. That makes it a great trip to plan properly.

Permits and timing

You need a day-use or overnight permit, and the popular campsites book out. Two days is the sweet spot for a group that wants to actually look around.

Fuel and range

There's no fuel on the trail. Top off in Moab and know your range. With a group, the thirstiest rig sets the plan, so check the per-vehicle numbers before you drop off the rim.

A simple two-day shape

• Day 1: Drop in at Shafer, run to a midway camp. Short driving day, lots of stops.
• Day 2: Finish the loop and climb out at Mineral Bottom.

Build it as a basecamp-style plan with the campsite as the hub, drop your waypoints, and share the GPX with the crew so everyone has the route offline.