White Pocket
Vermilion Cliffs, AZ
WHITE POCKET
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF WHITE POCKET
For a photographer, the American Southwest is like the Willie Wonka factory - with never-ending possibilities and excitement everywhere you look. And visiting the White Pocket, in the absolute middle of absolutely-nowhere Arizona, is like finding the Golden Ticket.
This small, intriguing rock formation (only 300 yds long x 800 yds wide) in the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is filled with some of the most intriguing extra-terrestrial looking shapes you will find anywhere on the planet. From brain-rock to swirls, the red and yellow sandstone abstracts provide boundless photographic opportunities that are only limited by your imagination. But like most unique places, this one is very hard to get to and is only accessible if you come well prepared and committed.
Many formations at the White Pockets are delicate and could be damaged if subject to a large number of hikers - I would ask that when you visit, please do your best to preserve all aspects of this location for future visitors and always try to leave it in better shape than when you found it.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
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DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH WHITE POCKET SUMMARY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 5 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The drive to the White Pocket is 36 miles and takes about 2 1/2 hours to get there (from US89). The majority of the long drive is on ranch-style dirt roads. However, the last 5 miles are made up of DEEP SAND and rock sections. A 4x4 vehicle with good ground clearance and good off-road tires are a must. If you get stuck, it is very difficult to dig yourself out and the cost for extraction can run upward of $1,000.
Even if you have a high clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle – I would strongly suggest letting air out of your tires down to 10 -15 lbs of pressure which allows your tires to expand and gives them more traction in deep sand. For this reason, you will need a portable air compressor for the ride home.
TAKE THE DRIVE SERIOUS! If you are driving a street version (rental) SUV with 2-wheel drive and think you can make it to the White Pocket – think again, because you stand a strong chance of getting stuck! White Pocket is deep in the Arizona desert and is 60 miles from the nearest community. There are few trees, shade, no water, or cell service.
The White Pocket is a unique place and offers some of the most intriguing abstracts of any location in the American Southwest. However, this is not a place you simply drive up to and wait for the best light. You will need to spend time scouting around to find the different compositions that interest you. The entire White Pocket is only about 1/4 mile long by 1/2 mile wide (and the primary photography area is only about 100 yds by 300 yds), but you could easily spend several hours just walking around looking for different compositions to photograph. I would suggest arriving 3-5 hours before sunset to give yourself plenty of time to scout.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you know where you want to shoot as the sunset (or sunrise) approach - as the light goes very quickly and it does take time to walk from one composition to the other. So for scouting, I would suggest walking around during the day with your camera and taking pictures from different locations - while marking your spot with either a GPS or visual. Then return to your vehicle and finding which compositions you like best. Then, as late afternoon approaches position yourself to capture your best composition under the best light.
Water in potholes - if you can time your visit to White Pocket after a good rain, you will most likely be rewarded with the very best photography opportunities the wonderful place has to offer. The are hundreds of small to medium-sized pockets that fill will water after rain. These pools can add to the incredible abstracts that already exist with reflections, dimension, and additional elements to the shot.
Main shooting areas for White Pocket - as mentioned, the primary shooting area is not very large and is represented by the oval shown on the map below (there are other photographic opportunities outside the oval, but there is where you will find the best abstracts).
Astrophotography - the White Pocket is also a great place for night photography - as you are miles from any light source and the abstracts are found all around. As mentioned before, it is VERY EASY to get disoriented and lose your place around the White Pocket (especially at night). Make sure you either bring a GPS and mark the spot of the parking area or take note of markers to help find your way back. It is not a place you want to get lost after the sun goes down.
There are countless compositions at the White Pocket. You will have the opportunity to use lens(es) that range from ultra-wide to telephoto.
5,944 Ft. Elevation
Other Resources Available with Membership
KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
