Part II of the Canyonlands Backcountry Series
In this article:
The Island in the Sky
The Island in the Sky district marks an area on and around a peninsula in between the canyons of the Colorado river to its east and the Green River to its west, stretching more than 20 km into the heart of Canyonlands National Park. It is a narrow remnant of the high plateau, towering above the surrounding basin, and is still connected to the outside world - unlike the many buttes and mesas inside Canyonlands. Its prominent location offers visitors countless viewpoints overlooking the eroded landscapes up to 800 meters below the rim. Since much of the plateau is well-developed and easily accessible via the paved Grand View Point Road, this part of the Island in the Sky is the most visited section of the entire park.
The area surrounding the Island in the Sky is a rugged plain some 500 meters below the rim which spreads all the way to the rivers to its east, west, and south, intersected by numerous side canyons and basins. This isolated land in between the plateau above and the bottom of the canyons below constitutes the backcountry of the Island in the Sky district. The eroding edge of this intermediate level, dropping off another 300 meters all the way to the rivers, is characterized by a white rim which can be clearly made out from the viewpoints above. To access this remote area you have to hike down one of the few strenuous trails, or take the only road hugging this distinctive white-colored edge - the White Rim Road. Here you will be far away from the crowds with 11 primitive campsites - including pit toilets - scattered along its 150 km and no further infrastructure anywhere within this pristine desert wilderness.
Two days of exploring the Canyonlands backcountry along the White Rim Road
The night before starting my journey into the backcountry I planned to stay at Willow Flats campground. This is the only developed campground inside the Island in the Sky district and available first come first serve, so you won’t be able to make a reservation beforehand. However, due to its location inside the park it is well worth it to try and go for one of these spots as they are just a few minutes from some of the park's highlights, with the Green River Overlook offering some of the most beautiful sunset views in all of Utah’s Canyonlands, and Mesa Arch being the world-renowned iconic sunrise viewpoint of the park.
Day 1 - After an early morning beating the crowds to a phenomenal sunrise at Mesa Arch I made my way to Shafer Trail just a short drive up the road, which marks the eastern entrance to the White Rim Road. The rim above Shafer Basin is the perfect spot to enjoy some last far-reaching views of the rugged canyons from atop the Island in the Sky before descending the narrow switchbacks into the abyss some 500 meters below. While the trail looked intimidating from the vantage point above, the road itself is in a good condition with the first 9 km presenting no challenges. Near the White Rim Road sign at the bottom of Shafer Canyon the first dry washes and rocky parts awaited – all of them easily manageable
for my Wrangler. Here the actual White Rim Road and with it the backcountry permit section starts. The crowds from up above the rim immediately felt worlds away and while there was still the occasional biker and fellow four-wheeler passing by it was all quiet around me. The first moment where I was able to noticeably slow down and stop being in that never-ending contest with any of the other countless visitors from Germany, China, or Ohio racing up and down the park roads and competing for the best parking spot, picnic tables, or photo spots.
Every mile leading me further down the White Rim Road, away from the hectic everyday life as a road-tripping tourist hurling down the highways, made me feel more and more at peace. Never mind the fact that I did not once go any faster than 8 mph, I just took my time and stopped whenever possible to take in the beautiful scenery. All in all, driving the roughly 45 km from the Shafer Trail to my first overnight stop at Gooseberry Campground B took me over four hours with some longer breaks in between at Musselman Arch, the Airport Campground, and at one of the countless scenic spots along the White Rim overlooking the Colorado River several hundred meters below. While most parts of the road presented no difficulty at all there were some spots that required your full attention and a very slow pace to cross. All in all, however, this section of the White Rim Road is mostly easy to moderate.
Gooseberry Campground is located near the southeastern tip of the Island in the Sky with unobstructed views of the La Sal Mountains in the far distance. Due to the size of most of the park’s backcountry campgrounds I mostly felt like I was completely alone even if there were campers at the other campsites. So, even though it was the middle of the popular fall season, and I just set up camp in one of the most popular districts of Canyonlands National Park I was able to enjoy some true desert solitude while watching the La Sal Mountains glowing dramatically in the light of the setting sun.
Day 2 – Waking up to a glorious sunrise over the La Sals and a dramatically colorful landscape around me. Even though this is the backcountry I do need my breakfast for champions to get the day started. So, after a full plate of scrambled eggs with bacon and baked beans, two bread rolls with cheese and ham and a cup of black tea I was ready to pack my stuff and hit the road. The next 60 km to Potato Bottom will take me around the southern tip of the Island in the Sky and lead me into the basin of the Green River. The first stop of the day, however, was after just 6 km at Monument Basin – a spectacular viewpoint at the edge of the White Rim where one of the Colorado River side canyons reaches all the way to the rugged cliffs of the Island in the Sky. Right here at this narrow passage is one of the most beautiful viewpoints along the White Rim Road – worlds apart from the crowds at the White Rim Overlook 500 meters above. All alone, no sound coming from anywhere, and the early morning sun just starting to reach all the way into the abyss below - I parked my Jeep, took out my chair and sat down at the very edge contemplating the show nature has put on just for me. That’s how I sat there, undisturbed, until the first mountain bikers passed by behind me roughly 2 hours later. A serene experience and a memory that will last forever.
The following 20 km to the Murphy Hogback Campground offer several more beautiful viewpoints over the Green River while the road gets more challenging after leaving the southern tip of the Island in the Sky behind. Around 5 km before reaching the campground I had to go into 4Lo for the very first time with the steep section leading up the plateau of Murphy Hogback, rising almost 100 meters from the surrounding landscape, presenting the most challenging part of the White Rim Road so far. Up on the plateau was the perfect spot for a lengthy break with dense stands of Junipers offering plenty of shade throughout much of the campground. The view up north was breathtaking, overlooking much of the Green River Basin west of the Island in the Sky with the iconic Candlestick formation at its center.
From there it was another 33 km to Potato Bottom - my second overnight stay along the White Rim Road. While most of the road was easily manageable there were some rough and rocky parts as well as numerous dry washes that had to be crossed with some frighteningly deep drop offs right next to the road adding to the excitement. After leaving the Candlestick area behind, the landscape slowly started to change as the road wound its way closer to the Green River at the bottom of the canyon with more and more sand dunes and sandy stretches along the way. After roughly six hours on the road - including some lengthy breaks and photo opportunities - I arrived at Potato Bottom Campground A. An idyllic spot right by the Green River surrounded by lush vegetation. Having set up camp under one of the trees I
prepared dinner listening to the intense and jungle like songs of the crickets and cicadas around me - some calming white noise that lasted well into the night for a good night’s sleep.
Day 3 - The next morning - warm, scattered clouds, silence. I prepared for the final 44 km along the White Rim and Mineral Bottom roads that’d lead me back to Highway 191 and to civilization. In between I encountered the roughest and most difficult part of the entire White Rim Road with the steep and narrow switchbacks near Hardscrabble Bottom. I took it slow and also allowed for some time to enjoy the spectacular view of the rugged badlands across the Green River from one of the pullouts while scouting ahead for oncoming traffic. Beyond Hardscrabble the White Rim Road closely followed the Green River and offered some scenic spots to overlook the lush greenery along the river. Together with the colorful canyon walls on either side of the river this made for an impressive scenery. After leaving Canyonlands National Park the road followed the river for another 6 km before winding its way up the
steep walls of Mineral Canyon all the way to the top of the Colorado Plateau. Back on the endless grassland prairie and its far-reaching views all the way to the La Sal mountains which were covered by late-summer storm clouds, I went on to my next backcountry adventure west of the Green River - the Maze district of Canyonlands National Park.
Quick facts about the Island in the Sky backcountry:
main roads: White Rim Road / Shafer Trail / Potash Road / Mineral Bottom Road
campsites: 11 / Top Picks: Gooseberry, Murphy Hogback, Labyrinth
accessibility: easy to moderate by 4x4, mountain bike / strenuous by foot
good to know: Island in the Sky backcountry permits are very popular, so be quick!
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