There are a few places still on my “must do” list in Southern Utah. Although technically not in Utah, White Pocket is one of them. We made a last-minute trip there this weekend – it did NOT disappoint, not one whit.
White Pocket is a large rock formation just south of “The Wave” in the Vermillion Cliffs (https://www.blm.gov/national…/arizona/vermilion-cliffs) area of southern Utah and northern Arizona. It’s a combination of our favorites – biscuits and bacon rocks (you can see those in the photo).
The approach is long and arduous. 12-14 miles up a hard-pack forest service road, then 10+ miles through deep sand. The trail is clearly marked high clearance 4wd only, and it’s not kidding. While on paper this is just six miles south of The Wave, it’s a long drive. This is not a trip I’d recommend making on a bicycle, either (unless it’s a fat tire bike and you can miraculously carry gallons of water) nor on a motorcycle. There is dispersed dry camping available all around the area, if you successfully get back there. You will definitely want to carry traction boards, a yank-em rope (not a tow strap), and a shovel. Even if your rig is capable, you’re likely to come across others who aren’t able to get through.
As with most backcountry travel, do NOT follow Google Maps or even offline maps like OSAMD (my favorite Android mapping application). They will try to take you up a series of forest service trails, including one which is super-deep sand, and actually recommended one-way (out). One of the best descriptions on getting into White Pocket can be found on Sarah’s post on OurInfiniteEarth (https://ourinfiniteearth.com/white-pocket/)
This geological formation is made of Navajo sandstone, in a variety of colors. As wind and rain erode layers, bands of color appear, as depicted in this photo. The formation is surrounded by dry, high desert. Little exists in terms of wildlife – birds, maybe some lizards. Ranchers run cattle and you’ll likely encounter a few on your way in.
As always, the best time to visit Southern Utah’s “color country” features is during warm light – morning and evening sunset and blue hour. This brings the warmth out and reduces harsh shadows and high contrast bright and dim spots. I always shoot HDR in this environment, it’s truly the best technique for capturing the brights and shadows (and helps pull color out of sun-washed reds and oranges). A 2-stop 3-frame bracket is good, but during bright light you may want to go up to 4-stop brackets. It doesn’t matter what lens you bring, you’ll always want a different one. Most of my images were made on an Olympus M.Zuiko 7-14 f/2.8 (DSLR equivalent of a 14-28).
My take? This is a really rough day trip, and if you wait for the warm sunset light it involves a rugged exit in darkness. If at all possible, I recommend at least an overnight. That allows you to take your time coming in, wander the formation looking for good subjects, enjoy the sunset and sunrise, and head out at a leisurely pace.
We have been all over Southern Utah and have seen some amazing places, but to be honest – White Pocket may just top our list. It isn’t controlled-access like the Wave, but its remoteness guarantees you won’t be tripping over day-visitors. The formation is extensive and offers a variety of play spots. Above all, it’s just another opportunity to see God’s hand on this beautiful earth.
#utah#arizone#beUTAHFul#whitepocket#thewavve#colorcountry#overlanding#offroad#geology#nature#olympus#madewitholympus#landscape