Cybertruck on White Rim Road (Moab, UT) Experiences?

[zach]

Hi Everyone

I am looking to take my Cybertruck on White Rim Road in Canyonlands National Park in a few months. For those of you unfamiliar, it is a 100-mile dirt road through the heart of what I believe is one of the best national parks in the USA. It it pretty rugged and has some technical/bumpy spots.

I do NOT want to be the first person to do it in the Cybertruck. I’ve read a lot of reports of R1T’s doing it, and I called the visitor center today and the ranger I spoke with said she’s seen at least 1 Cybertruck do it. However, I cannot find any accounts of it online. I was wondering if that individual, or anyone else that has done it, may be on here? What was your experience like? Did you sleep in it/camp mode? What was your battery percentage when you made it back to the charger?

I feel very comfortable that the Cybertruck will make it, otherwise I would not attempt it, but I hope I can hear someone else’s experience.

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[Gene]

I have done the White Rim Trail twice. One time clockwise and the other counterclockwise. It’s absolutely gorgeous! Technically, it’s very easy to do. Both times I used 4wd only at one point short point. I had my Dodge 2500. There’s zero reason that a Cybertruck won’t be able to do it other than range. Remember to turn off cabin overheat and sentry mode. Again, it’s a very easy trail, I’d say even a Model Y can do it.

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

Hi Everyone

I am looking to take my Cybertruck on White Rim Road in Canyonlands National Park in a few months. For those of you unfamiliar, it is a 100-mile dirt road through the heart of what I believe is one of the best national parks in the USA. It it pretty rugged and has some technical/bumpy spots.

I do NOT want to be the first person to do it in the Cybertruck. I’ve read a lot of reports of R1T’s doing it, and I called the visitor center today and the ranger I spoke with said she’s seen at least 1 Cybertruck do it. However, I cannot find any accounts of it online. I was wondering if that individual, or anyone else that has done it, may be on here? What was your experience like? Did you sleep in it/camp mode? What was your battery percentage when you made it back to the charger?

I feel very comfortable that the Cybertruck will make it, otherwise I would not attempt it, but I hope I can hear someone else’s experience.

I'm not that individual, but you won't have a problem. In most places you will not go faster than 15mph. There is one area near the green river called Hardscrabble Hill where it's not possible for 2 vehicles to go both directions at the same time, so you really need to scout in front as you do it.

This is Hardscrabble Hill:



Just be sure that you are charged up to 100% just in case you have any issues on the trip as an emergency tow/charge will cost a lot of money and there is no cell service on most of the road. It's a little over 100 miles from Moab. The road isn't too tough from an off-road perspective, but your insides will get jostled a lot... the road is rough. You will be in high or extract mode for a lot of the trip.

You are going to love it. It's probably one of the most scenic trails. During your drive, I highly recommend stopping at Holeman Slot Canyon. Most people do not know it exists... its very cool to hike down into it.

Also the Black crack is pretty cool and eerie.

Have fun! Its amazing.

 

[K-Tall]

Range should be your only issue. Entry, exit and breakover angles will. E fine on this trail.

 

[BrockN]

I'm not that individual, but you won't have a problem. In most places you will not go faster than 15mph. There is one area near the green river called Hardscrabble Hill where it's not possible for 2 vehicles to go both directions at the same time, so you really need to scout in front as you do it.

This is Hardscrabble Hill:



Just be sure that you are charged up to 100% just in case you have any issues on the trip as an emergency tow/charge will cost a lot of money and there is no cell service on most of the road. It's a little over 100 miles from Moab. The road isn't too tough from an off-road perspective, but your insides will get jostled a lot... the road is rough. You will be in high or extract mode for a lot of the trip.

You are going to love it. It's probably one of the most scenic trails. During your drive, I highly recommend stopping at Holeman Slot Canyon. Most people do not know it exists... its very cool to hike down into it.

Also the Black crack is pretty cool and eerie.

Have fun! Its amazing.

Wow, seems like a bucket list trip. The only concern I had watching the video was width. There were a couple of spots that looked narrow with an edge that was falling away. Maybe the camera made it look worse than it was, but the CT takes up plenty of space... ?

Do you announce your ascent on the radio? How do you avoid meeting someone halfway up? It didn't look like you could see the whole road from the bottom.

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

Wow, seems like a bucket list trip. The only concern I had watching the video was width. There were a couple of spots that looked narrow with an edge that was falling away. Maybe the camera made it look worse than it was, but the CT takes up plenty of space... ?

Do you announce your ascent on the radio? How do you avoid meeting someone halfway up? It didn't look like you could see the whole road from the bottom.

Generally you have someone in the vehicle with you and they walk ahead. Almost everyone on that trail will scout because backing up really sucks and turnaround points right there are far and few between. Radio is tough because some use CB and some use GMRS/Family, so it's not going to help. Radio would be good for having a scout walk ahead a few hundred feet.

I do have a Ham radio in my rig with APRS. That allows me to hit Abajo mountain and get out SMS and also access the National Forest emergency frequency in the event I have an emergency. However, with todays' newer phones, you can access satellite for free or a small fee to get out an emergency text, especially an iPhone.

There is more than enough room to get the CT up and around. I have seen big Ford trucks and RAMs on the trail. It's very doable. But you will have some pucker up moments. There was only one location that I used lockers and it was going down Hardscrabble Hill towards the east. Hardscrabble was the most sketchy... the rest is fairly benign from an off-road perspective. Hardscrabble was more fear of facing a vehicle going the other way. You will see what I mean when you do it.

If you are camping, turn off your sentry and cabin environment. I did the trip in July and there aren't many people out there because it's hot... as in 110 degrees. I think we literally were the only folks on the White Rim which is spooky. I think my biggest concern would be running that AC in hot weather and eating a lot of battery. If you can do it in September, that would be idea as you can keep the windows open (except on the dusty parts). Most of the trip is on the White Rim which is white bumpy sandstone.

For camping, I recommend White Crack. Its fills up quick, so you want to get on a permit and reservation quickly. You can offroad way down and take a few mile hike to see the confluence of the Green River and Colorado river. It's a sight to see as you see the green of the Green River and Red of the Colorado mix together depending on flows and time of year. It has some of the most gorgeous views in the park. The confluence:

Also, when on Potash road, you have to stop at the gooseneck and Thelma and Louise point (where they drove their car off a canyon at the end). The views are amazing.

Also if you are in the Moab area for several days, I also recommend Chicken Corners from Moab. You are on the other side of the Colorado River and it's a fun and easy off-road trip (you will be in extract mode as well). Be prepared to air down your tires there as there is some deep sand and bring an air compressor to get them back up. The views from here are drop dead gorgeous.

 

[M0unt41nm4n]

One more comment ... the White Rim trail is TOTALLY the way to do Canyonlands. The touristy part on the Island in the Sky is nothing compared to the White Rim. The White Rim gets you to see the most amazing parts of this park and it allows you to get up close and personal to some of the features, like Musselman Arch:

and you almost can touch the monuments in monument basin:

 

[hemiarch]

I'm not that individual, but you won't have a problem. In most places you will not go faster than 15mph. There is one area near the green river called Hardscrabble Hill where it's not possible for 2 vehicles to go both directions at the same time, so you really need to scout in front as you do it.

This is Hardscrabble Hill:



Just be sure that you are charged up to 100% just in case you have any issues on the trip as an emergency tow/charge will cost a lot of money and there is no cell service on most of the road. It's a little over 100 miles from Moab. The road isn't too tough from an off-road perspective, but your insides will get jostled a lot... the road is rough. You will be in high or extract mode for a lot of the trip.

You are going to love it. It's probably one of the most scenic trails. During your drive, I highly recommend stopping at Holeman Slot Canyon. Most people do not know it exists... its very cool to hike down into it.

Also the Black crack is pretty cool and eerie.

Have fun! Its amazing.

looks amazing. Some of it looks a little narrow for the CT though no?

 

[BrockN]

Generally you have someone in the vehicle with you and they walk ahead. Almost everyone on that trail will scout because backing up really sucks and turnaround points right there are far and few between. Radio is tough because some use CB and some use GMRS/Family, so it's not going to help. Radio would be good for having a scout walk ahead a few hundred feet.

Yeah, I was watching that video as well as another that YouTube stuck in my face right after, and was watching for places to pass or turn around. A couple of the switchbacks were about the only spots I saw. Difficult to judge the distance between them... but seems like something my wife could scout on foot in 110 degrees... ? ?

I do have a Ham radio in my rig with APRS. That allows me to hit Abajo mountain and get out SMS and also access the National Forest emergency frequency in the event I have an emergency. However, with todays' newer phones, you can access satellite for free or a small fee to get out an emergency text, especially an iPhone.

I have Amateur gear in my truck too. VHF and UHF. And I could carry HF and a mobile NVIS antenna too, if warranted, to get out on 40 meters.

You mentioned CB and GMRS/FRS. I'm curious about what the coordinated 4x4 groups typically use for radio gear down that direction? Up here, I think there is a bit of GMRS use, but otherwise it's unlicensed guys pirating on 146.46. They recently were allocated one of the RR (Resource Road) frequencies (somewhere in the 150 MHz range I think) that they can get licensed for at a very minimal cost, but I haven't heard how many have made the switch. I don't see much CB use, and likely for good reason. So a bit of a mish-mash and I'm surprised they don't drive into each other as a result.

There is more than enough room to get the CT up and around. I have seen big Ford trucks and RAMs on the trail. It's very doable. But you will have some pucker up moments.

Good to know. Some spots looked less than solid on the outside edge and I wouldn't have wanted to get a tire at all close! The 'pucker up moments' will be how my wife decides that hiking in 110 is the better option...

Sadly, I won't be doing it anytime soon. I'd also like to drive as much of Route 66 as I can, but I'm not going to be doing any touring until such time as the border no longer looks like Checkpoint Charlie. ?‍

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