This is the start of a 107-mile loop that completely circumnavigates the "Island in the Sky" plateau, which is bounded to the east by the Colorado River and to the west by the Green River. The White Rim Road is a four-wheel drive road that was built by uranium prospectors after World War 2. It winds along the edge of the White Rim and ranges in elevation from a high of about 5,200 feet down to river level at about 4,000 feet.

The National Park Services web site has this to say about the White Rim Road:

"Under favorable weather conditions, the White Rim Road is considered moderately difficult for high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicles. The steep, exposed sections of the Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy's Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks require extreme caution for both vehicles and bikes during periods of inclement weather. Drive Carefully! Towing charges are very expensive. Visitors caught in the backcountry with disabled vehicles can expect towing fees in excess of $1,000."