White Pocket

Located to the east of the more touristy spots, White Pocket has amazing terrain similar to that of the Wave, but with a fraction of the foot traffic. Rugged and gnarly, White Pocket is a photographer’s paradise, this definitely needs to be on your must-see list.

The directions are too lengthy and complicated to include here, so stop at the Kanab Visitor Center or the BLM office for detailed instructions. It’s also a good idea to have a GPS with you, both for the drive, and for the hike.

Once you get to the trailhead, a sandy trail of about 100 yards leads you to the first sandstone formation. From here, explore in solitude, with no clear directions of where to go except for where your curiosity leads.

An Edward Abbey quote comes to mind: “There are some good things to be said about walking. Not many, but some. Walking takes longer, for example, than any other known form of locomotion except crawling. Thus it stretches time and prolongs life. Life is already too short to waste on speed. I have a friend who’s always in a hurry; he never gets anywhere. Walking makes the world much bigger and thus more interesting. You have time to observe the details.”

And the details here are worth observing. The variety of formations at White Pocket is surreal, a spectacle on the Paria Plateau.

Indeed, slow down here.

GPS Coordinates: 36°57'18.3"N 111°53'36.3"W
Parking and trailhead: 36.57.328, -111.53.734