Potash Road

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Allowed

The Potash Road can be used to start the White Rim Trail from town, rather than shuttling all the way up to I-Sky.

This is a scenic and popular 4x4 road, so come at an off time if you don't want to share. You can pedal it in either direction, but if ridden as an out and back, it's better to finish this ride with a downhill back to the river.

The Shafer Trail closes in winter and when damaged or made dangerous by summer monsoons. Make sure to check in with the National Park before assuming you'll be able to access it. You also need to reserve the Shafer Camp with the park in advance. There is no other camping once you cross into the park along this route, and no camping in the mining operation lands.

The evaporation ponds are capturing potassium (potash) from river water pumped deep into the ground (then back up) to dissolve the salty Paradox formation below the sandstone layers. The ponds are blue because copper sulfate is added to increase the evaporation rate.

From Moab, drive or ride the Potash road along the river, past the Wall Street climbing crag, past the pavement end, past the Potash plant and to the Potash (Cataract Canyon) boat ramp. Park here near the pit toilets and don't block the ramp or the parking for trailers. If you shuttled from town, unload the bikes and start riding from here.

The road immediately begins to climb away from the river on the bulging Canyonlands anticline. You'll pass beside the otherworldly Potash evaporation ponds as you head toward Shafer Canyon. There are many private roads in the area for the mining operation's heavy equipment traffic. Avoid these and stay on the public Shafer Canyon road.

The road approaches the rim above the river and you pass Fossil (Thelma and Louise) Point, an abrupt drop to the river over which film makers like to chuck things. Check out the great views of the Gooseneck in this road segment. How many photos of this river bend have you seen in your life? In this stretch, you are also riding past Dead Horse Point, which lies atop the mesa above a large, arch-like alcove.

Continue on the gradually rising road past Shafer Camp until you reach a well-signed T-junction. There is a pit toilet here. You can turn left and ride out the White Rim Trail, or turn right to ascend the Shafer Trail to reach the Islands-In-The-Sky visitor center of Canyonlands National Park. Or reverse your route to return to the start, on a long downhill trend this direction.