White Rim Trail Stargazing Trip

Stargazing, mountain biking, yoga, AND the White Rim Trail? This trip is designed to bring you the best of everything! Follow our expert guides around the most scenic mountain biking terrain in Canyonlands National Park. The White Rim Trail was built in the 1950s to access rocks rich in uranium; the mining days are long over, but the terrain is as spectacular as it’s always been. Add to that the incredible quality of the night skies (with our resident star expert to guide you) and a professional yoga instructor to help you stretch it all out at the end of the day, and you’ve got yourself an unforgettable experience.

Suspended halfway between the Island in the Sky District and the Colorado and Green rivers, the White Rim provides access to fun hikes and side rides of all lengths. We’ll see arches and towers, monuments and pinnacles, and set up our camps on the edge of the world, with sweeping panoramic views of both land and sky. Biking allows us to cover terrain quickly enough to see a variety of landscapes, but at a pace slow enough to take it all in.

Balance the day’s riding with some optional guided yoga sessions with Jennifur Gilmore. We’ve also planned this trip to coincide with a new moon, allowing a full experience of the detailed canopy of the universe above us. Our in-house astro-wiz will share colorful stories of the night sky. Tap into your natural sense of awe and wonder each night of this trip. Join us for this unique desert adventure: stargazing, mountain biking, and yoga in Canyonlands National Park.

Want to know more? Check out our Insider’s Guide to Biking the White Rim Trail.

Featured Review:

“Everything about this trip surprised me! The riding is fantastic and the scenery is spectacular. Our guides tended to every need and the meals were delicious. We’ll be back for sure!” (Darren Bowles)

Book This Trip

Trip Overview

  • Type:

    Stargazing

  • Location:

    Canyonlands National Park

  • Length:

    4 days

  • Dates:

    October 14 - 17, 2023 September 28 - October 1, 2024

  • Meet at:

    Green River, UT @ 7:00 pm (night before the trip)

  • Difficulty:

    Intermediate

  • Min. Age:

    12

  • Deposit:

    400

Highlights

  • A KUED and Salt Lake Tribune "Bucket List" featured location
  • Experience Utah's iconic multi-day bike trail
  • Best way to see remote sections of Canyonlands National Park
  • Learn about the universe from an expert star guide
  • Active vacation: biking all day with morning and evening yoga
Getting Here Before You Go Packing List FAQs

Rates & Dates

4 Days

  • Adult:
  • $1,080
  • Youth:
    18 and under
  • $1,080
  • Senior:
    65 and older
  • $1,080
  • Group:
    10 or more
  • $1,080
Book This Trip
Check Availability
2023
  • October 14 - 17

4-days

  • Adult:
  • $1,080
  • Youth:
    18 and under
  • $1,080
  • Senior:
    65 and older
  • $1,080
  • Group:
    10 or more
  • $1,080
Book This Trip
Check Availability
2024
  • September 28 - October 1

Itinerary

The White Rim Trail etches an 86-mile line around the midsection of the Island in the Sky district in Canyonlands National Park. Pedal along gentle, hard-packed doubletrack punctuated with a handful of significant climbs, steep downhills, and areas of loose rock and sand (technically challenging sections are typically short and walkable). Each day’s effort yields remarkable views, fascinating rock formations, and opportunities to visit sacred cultural sites.

Sample Itinerary

Meet at our Green River, Utah, warehouse at 7:00 p.m. the night before your trip for a pre-trip orientation. Bring your bike and any drinks you’ll want for the trip (Holiday provides seltzer waters, sodas, and Gatorade mix). We’ll hand out rental sleep kits, inspect personal bikes, set up rental bikes, answer questions, and go over last-minute details. If you’re bringing your own bike, please make sure that it’s in good shape. We encourage you to get it serviced by a professional shop prior to the trip. If your bike doesn’t pass our inspection, you’ll be asked to rent a Holiday bike for $205.00/person.

Day 1:

Meet back at our warehouse (7:00 a.m., Mountain Time). We’ll help you organize your gear (we suggest packing a small day bag and a larger overnight bag; the overnight bag will be packed deep in the gear van, but the day bag will be accessible all day). Fill up your water bottles and make any last-minute purchases from our on-site shop (see our packing checklist for items we have at our store).

Business concluded, we’re off! It’s a 90-minute drive into the heart of Canyonlands National Park. At the top of the Shafer Trail, we’ll unload bikes and take a look at the map. Once we’re oriented and situated, start with a fun, fast downhill ride. The trail levels off, and we’ll enjoy lunch while sitting on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the Colorado River. Visit Musselman Arch, then ride up and over a small pass to our camp at Airport Butte. Engage in some yoga while your guides prepare dinner, and then stretch out under the stars as night falls. Enjoy the rare experience of simply watching it get dark. Which planetary object will become visible first?

Day 2:

Salute the sun in a morning yoga session, then start riding with a nice, rolling ride toward the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers. Take a side ride out to White Crack and marvel at the place where ranchers blasted a trail through the White Rim and down toward the river. After lunch, we’ll start the gradual climb to the top of Murphy’s Hogback. Challenge yourself to ride the final hill up to our campsite, which overlooks the Needles and Maze districts. We’ll be on top of the world!

Day 3:

This morning we’ll ride down the other side of Murphy’s and around the edges of Soda Spring Basin. Pause to hike down into Holman Canyon, or take a short walk out to Black Crack and fantastic views of Turk’s Head and the Green River. Camp tonight among the cottonwood trees of Potato Bottom and look for the Andromeda Galaxy through binoculars.

Day 4:

Fuel up for the day with omelets made to order, then ride up Hardscrabble Hill. Have fun on the long descent on the other side and then cruise the flow-y river bottom terrain past Upheaval Dome. We’ll tackle the final climb of the trip: the Mineral Bottom Road. Lunch will be waiting for you at the top! Our passenger van will meet us for the two-hour drive back to Green River. Our expected time of arrival back at our headquarters is 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Please note: this is a sample itinerary. Our White Rim itineraries may vary depending on assigned campsites as well as the interests/abilities of the group, not to mention weather and other unforeseeable elements. Expect to ride 15 to 30 miles per day.

White Rim Mountain Biking Scenery Needles

Most of the White Rim trail consists of mellow double-track with a hard, rocky surface or graded gravel. In some sections you will encounter loose rock and sand, and there are three significant climbs followed by steep downhills, but these more challenging parts are relatively short and easy to walk if you are not comfortable riding.

Riders who have never ridden off-road before or who are not in strong athletic shape will likely find this trip challenging. Even those riders with more experience will find the trip most enjoyable if they spend some time biking on a regular basis before the trip.

Reviews

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Holiday River Expeditions
Average rating:  
 6 reviews
 by Timothy Lanz

Great trip. Very isolated. Few vehicles, zero motorcycles, and no other bicyclists. Loved the stargazing and great night sky.

 by Eric Klostermann

This trip far exceeded my expectations. The terrain was stunningly beautiful and the guides could not have made the experience more enjoyable. Also, the group that came on the ride was exceptionally nice.

 by Jeffrey Wolstenholme

Changes in our plans due to trail conditions were handled very professionally and I never felt that our concerns were not of highest importance. I have participated in a variety of guided activities over many years. Julian and Sam as guides and Tim and Jessica as drivers were excellent. Could not have been more pleased with our guides.

 by Grant Patton

Amazing down hill stretches on the first and third days. Delicious food and beautiful views the entire journey! Grueling up hill battles are few and far between, but they make the descents that follow much more rewarding. I am a better human being for having gone on this ADVENTURE!

 by Todd & Aimee Burrows

Canyonlands is amazingly beautiful because of Mother Nature. Our trip was amazingly fun because the office staff was accommodating and responsive when we were making our plans and the guides were well-prepared when we were out in the desert. Twelve friends will treasure this outing.

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