Work deadlines, household responsibilities, news headline stress… for a few days this spring, a group of 7 guests and two guides left all of those things behind to spend a weekend in Canyonlands National Park on the White Rim trail. It was the perfect escape
- no cell phone service, nothing to do besides ride our bikes, and guides who drove our gear and cooked for us. Cue tranquil music and a deep exhale!
Everyone met up at Rim Tours in the morning. We loaded our camping gear into dry bags and grabbed breakfast before jumping in the shuttle. The drive up to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park is scenic and before we knew it, we were at our starting point, getting ourselves ready to ride.
 Looking at our route before we started our ride and seeing the notable spots along the way.
 Have you descended the famous Shafer Trail switchbacks? Definitely a highlight of the trip!
After a map talk detailing our route, we were off! Our ride started with a descent of the famous Shafer Trail, which dropped us down almost 1500 ft to the start of the White Rim trail. The White Rim itself is a jeep road that is not too technical, which allows you the ability to enjoy the stunning views as you ride.
 A couple of riders in our group on the infamous switchbacks of the Shafer trail.
Once on the White Rim, the ride is flat to rolling. Stops along the way helped to take it all in and enjoy the views. We took a longer midday stop to enjoy a full lunch spread prepared by our awesome guides Will, Patrick and Dave. It was nice to know that the truck was almost always behind us in case we needed extra water, snacks or bike maintenance. What a treat to get to enjoy the ride without having to carry anything more than a day pack and have delicious meals prepared for us when we rolled into camp.
 The truck carried all of our gear, making for an enjoyable ride!
 Kitchen with a view! Hot towels upon arrival at camp were a nice way to wash up.
 First night’s camp had some gorgeous view of the La Sal mountains.
 Our guides cooked delicious food! The first night we had a curry and the second night was steak! 😋
Day two included even more incredible scenery into the other two districts of Canyonlands
- the Needles and the Maze. These views had everyone curious about doing another Rim Tours trip into each of those district too!
As we pedaled along, we got lost in the scenery. Lunch was atop Murphy’s Hogback, a high point on the route that also meant a big climb. The views were worth the challenge and the rolling descent to camp a nice reward.
 Descending down from Murphy’s Hogback.
 Epic views were abundant on the whole trip.
 Part of the magic of being out on a multi-day tour is seeing the colors at sunrise and sunset.
On our last morning of the 3-day White Rim trip, we were greeted with a gorgeous sunrise to enjoy while sipping on our coffee.
 Sunrise and sunset out on the White Rim are unmatched.
On our ride, we climbed up and over Hardscrabble and descended to enjoy one more White Rim lunch along the Green River. We then took on the climb up Mineral Bottom road to find the Rim Tours shuttle van waiting for us with cold drinks! What a way to finish a great time out on the White Rim.
Rim Tours offers these trips as either 3 or 4-day trips. With a busy schedule, it was nice to only take a day off from the normal work week and enjoy a long weekend. The 4-day trip allows for a bit more of a relaxed pace on the ride and possibly a bit more time at camp. Either one you choose
- you are sure to have an amazing experience in a beautiful place!
 The truck is almost always behind in case you need a hand.
 Meals were all fresh, abundant and delicious!
 A fun time was had by all during a wekend on the White Rim!
