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What You Can Expect at the Amazing White Pocket Arizona

Want to visit The Wave but can’t get a permit? Check out White Pocket!

When we decided to head to Kanab Utah, our main goal was to visit the daily lottery for the Wave permits. But with chances being pretty slim, we knew we needed to have some backup options to make the most of our time in the area.

There is so much to see near the Utah-Arizona border, and our friends Mrs & Mr Misadventures highly recommended we check out White Pocket.

This road trip is part of the #EndlessCaravan. Use the hashtag to be part of the caravan!

White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com

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Last Updated: March 14, 2024

What You Can Expect at the Amazing White Pocket Arizona

The Drive

First of all, you will need a high clearance vehicle and 4 wheel drive because of the deep sand (which is worse than mud). Since neither of us have experience driving in sand and we didn’t want to worry about getting stuck, we decided to go with a tour also recommended to us by our friends.

After picking us up in Kanab, our group of 6 made the long drive to White Pocket. It was nice to not only have to worry about the off-road driving portion, but the drive to the rough roads was two and a half hours from Kanab also. Sometimes it’s better to let someone else take care of all the driving.

See More: 11+ Breathtaking Things to Do in Kanab Utah

At White Pocket

Once we arrived, our guide showed us all of the amazing features of the area. We saw rain clouds in the distance, so we decided to hit the best spots first. Since she knew her way around and often explores on her days off, we saw a lot of interesting landmarks we otherwise couldn’t have found. It’s amazing to see the mix of colors at White Pocket.

You’ll find a mix of white and reddish-orange sandstone. Because of the recent rainy weather, we were even lucky enough to find pools where we could shoot reflections (some photographers wait years to get perfect conditions to shoot these reflections).

We spent a few hours taking photos and exploring, then headed back to the car to get lunch. They provide lunch with the tour, so we all constructed sandwiches and salads and rehydrated before heading back out for another hour or so.

White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com

Is White Pocket Better Than The Wave?

Many say that it’s even better than the Wave, because the Wave formation is such a small area.

Similar to the Wave, White Pocket is an area within Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and has twisty red, yellow, and white sandstone formations. You don’t need a permit to get in, which makes it a great alternative on days you’re still hoping to win the lottery.

The only catch is that the route to get there is difficult to navigate, which is what has kept this place a hidden gem. If they ever built a gravel road here, it would be completely packed with tourists.

We’ve heard from both sides, and we can see why people say White Pocket is better. Ultimately, it’s a tough comparison.

There is really nothing else like the Wave itself. However, if you’re only hiking in to see the iconic spot and you don’t explore the rest of Coyote Buttes North, you might be disappointed with how small the Wave area is.

White Pocket, on the other hand, has so many more interesting formations to see, explore, and photograph. For a second visit, we would without a doubt come back to White Pocket but most likely wouldn’t go through all the trouble to go to the Wave again anytime soon. If you have the chance, try for both and let us know what you think!

We definitely want to go back and hopefully do their overnight camping tour so we can catch sunrise and sunset. Otherwise, we had a great time and it was nice to have a day we didn’t have to worry about driving at all! Check out the White Pocket tour we took with Dreamland Tours (plus other tours in the area).

See More: How to Get Wave Permits in Arizona – The Most Competitive Permit in the US

White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com

Pro Tips for Visiting White Pocket Arizona

  • The Drive is rough. Hire a guide unless you’re very skilled at driving a four wheel drive through sand. Towing out in the area is at least $1000.
  • Wear sturdy hiking shoes and layers so you can adjust to the weather.
  • We shot most of our photos with the Canon35mm lens, but it was useful to have the 16-35mm for a few shots. You can also stop to see condors on the way in and it would have helped to have a really long lens.
  • We also brought our tripod and trigger with us to take some self-portraits and reflection shots, but this is always optional.
  • If you’re a photographer and want to take sunset or sunrise photos, consider doing an overnight trip. Otherwise, you will miss both on the day trip.
  • Don’t forget sunblock, a sun hat, and a good, lightweight daypack to carry all your essentials.
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Paria Canyon Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com
White Pocket Arizona - Sandstone Formations in Paria Canyon Vermilion Cliffs National Monument near the border of Utah and Arizona // localadventurer.com

Best Places to Stay

Planning Checklist

Any more things to do in Kanab Utah that we missed? What is an absolute must-do for you?

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Esther and JacobPin

Esther + Jacob

Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

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This Post Has 9 Comments

  1. Robert B.

    Thanks for your thorough post and great images….planning a trip soon out that way so this helped tremendously.

  2. Tony

    I am going to be in Page, Arizona and I plan on visiting white pocket without a guide. How rough are the roads to get to white pocket on a scale from 1-10? Can I just hike there or I have to drive?

    1. jacob

      Hard to say on a scale – we’re not experienced with off-road driving but our guide was. There was definitely soft sand and he knew how to navigate around them. If it were us, we would have just parked further away and hiked in (but that adds a pretty significant distance).

  3. Erika

    This sounds amazing! The Wave is such a hassle and this is an easier and just as beautiful alternative. Around what time of the year did you go in order to see the reflexión pools?

    1. Esther JuLee

      The Wave is such a hassle, and we absolutely loved White Pocket.

      We went in May, but it’s not really about the time of year but it has to do with rainfall. You have to wait enough days after the rain for the roads to dry up to be driveable but not so long that the pools dry up. It might be a little tricky to time it all because it all depends on how hot it is and various conditions, but if you contact the tour company, they should have a good idea on the best time to go. Thanks for reading, Erika. :)

  4. Robert

    Had never heard of White Pocket before reading this! Your pictures are amazing, looks like you could have been to Mars! :) Definitely the camping would be an incredible experience. Will have to travel and visit one day soon! :)

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