White Pocket
WHITE POCKET
Vermilion Cliffs, AZ
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.
Some 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
Trail Difficulty - HARD to EXTREME
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 no trees, shade, water, or cell service.
Deep sand!
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
5,944 Ft. Elevation
Google Earth
Download KMZ Trail File
Click Here to download the KMZ file for this location.
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to White Pocket.
You can get to White Pocket from either the north US Hwy 89 (road from Kanab, UT to Page, AZ) or the south via US Hwy 89a (from Jacobs Lake). The most common route is from the north (US Hwy 89).
From US Hwy 89 - take House Rock Rd for 20.3 miles until you come to a dirt road called Pine Tree Rd / BLM 1017 (you will see an old cattle fence on the right - see below). Take a left and drive 6.1 miles until you see an old ranch house and water tank. Take a left at the old ranch house and travel for 3.9 miles where you will see a split in the dirt road. Veer left and travel about 1/2 miles and you will come to a ranch gate.
Open the ranch gate (make sure you close it once you pass through it) and travel another 5 miles until you see the White Pocket parking area. The last couple of mile gets pretty gnarly WITH SOME PRETTY DEEP SAND and unless you have 4 wheel drive, you stand a pretty good chance of getting stuck.
You have arrived!!
WHILE AT WHITE POCKET - make sure you are aware of where you are at all times. Even though the White Pocket area is not very large (roughly 300 yds x 800 yds), when walking around on the rocks, it is VERY EASY to get disoriented and lose your place. Make sure you either bring a GPS and mark the spot of the parking area or at minimum look around and 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.
Photography Tips
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.
This image (I call X-Factor) is shown with the YELLOW MARKER on the map above at 36°57'22.20"N 111°53'51.06"W. The location is found by walking up the dirt path from the parking area. Once you reach to White Pocket rock formation area, take a slight left and walk about 100yds - the formation is easy to spot. This location is facing WEST so I found it is easier to shoot at dawn (before the sun comes up). This image was taken at 5:23am on a day the sunrise was at 5.43am (20 min before sunrise).
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 16 mm
Exposure – 1 sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Aug 15th
Time – 7:35 pm
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Photographing the White Pocket is all about the abstract formations and the light. For this reason, White Pocket is best photographed at late afternoon/sunset/dusk or dawn/sunrise/early morning and some of the best colors are found during the 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. You can also get photographs on a cloudy or overcast day.
For sunrise, get up early and be ready to shoot well before the sun comes up!!! Once the sun hits the rock formations, the shots get blown out.
Best Time of Year
The White Pocket can be visited and photographed any time of year. However, there are a few factors that come into play as far as the best time to visit.
First, the HEAT. White Pocket is in the middle of the Arizona desert with no trees (just shrubs and bushes), no water and very little shade. In the summer, the heat is EXTREME and can be debilitating and deadly. If you go in the summer, make sure you bring lots of water/Gatorade equivalent to keep hydrated. THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE FROM THE HEAT.
Clouds, weather, and water. Interesting weather can add to a more interesting image. During the late summer months (monsoon season) you stand a better chance for clouds and water in the rock pockets.
Visiting the White Pocket in non-summer months allows you to avoid the extreme heat - which allows you to spend more time scouting areas to shoot when the right light presents itself. Bottom line, the summer brings more weather, but the heat can zap your personal and creative energy.
Lens(es) Needed
There are countless compositions at the White Pocket. You will have the opportunity to use lens(es) that range from ultra-wide to telephoto.
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
At the time of this writing (May 2020), there are no permits required.
Direction of the Shot
There is no set direction for shooting at White Pocket - as there are photographic opportunities in all directions.
Equipment Needed
The White Pocket is deep in the middle of the Arizona desert and is miles and miles and miles from the nearest community. There are no trees, little shade, no water, and no cell service. With this in mind, you need to bring a compass, sunscreen, a hat, a long-sleeve shirt, a jacket, plenty of water (with electrolytes), food, snacks, energy bars, and a full tank of gas.
From a photography equipment standpoint, you need a sturdy tripod and a polarizer. Also, make sure you have a head-lamp or flashlight to make sure you can find your way to and from your vehicle.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
The drive to White Pocket is difficult and is only accessible in a high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle and is way off of the beaten path for most photographers. However, it is a very unique place which draws quite a few visitors during the tourist season. You can expect to see between 0 and 30 tourists and / or photographers at White Pocket depending on the time of year.
Having company at White Pocket IS NOT a bad thing as there are countless photographic opportunities there and plenty of room to go around.
Weather
The Vermilion Cliffs is a high desert climate where temperatures can vary up to 40° in a day. Spring and fall are nice, but summer can get into the 100s. The monsoon season (in late summer) can bring violent but brief thunderstorms, which can be great for photography.
It is very important to know the weather if you are driving south on House Rock Valley Road (from US89). On the drive from US89, the road crosses the Coyote Wash for about 500-700yds. This wash would be very dangerous to be in during a flash flood and would be completely impassable after heavy rain.
If you are cut off after a flood you can drive south on House Rock Valley Road until you reach US89A which can take you to either west to the north rim or east to Page, AZ.
Cell Service
I use Verizon, and I could not get cell service at White Pocket. If you get lost, you might get cell service by climbing one of the large hills in the area.
Overnight Camping Options
The closest towns with lodging are Kanab, UT (75 miles - 2 hours, 30 minutes west), or Page, AZ (65 miles - 2 hours 30 minutes south). There are no campsites at White Pocket, but you can stay in the little parking lot – but there are no water resources.
Nearby Restaurants
The closest towns with lodging are Kanab, UT (75 miles - 2 hours, 30 minutes west), or Page, AZ (65 miles - 2 hours 30 minutes south). There is NO WATER RESOURCES what-so-ever in or around White Pocket.
NOTE: there are no amenities what-so-ever at, in or around White Pocket — no water, no picnic area, no restrooms, no Starbucks - nothing. So come prepared to be completely on your own for food and water.
Area Guides and Workshops
There are many tour guides and outfitters around the Kanab / Paria area - that offer all inclusive tours to the White Pocket. If you do not have a 4x4 high clearance vehicle and know how to drive in deep sand, I would strongly consider hiring one of these expert guides and/or outfitters.
In the past, I have used Paria Outpost & Outfitters (928) 691-1047 and was totally pleased with there service, knowledge, and accommodations. They are primarily and an outfitter to get you to the White Pocket, but not a photography workshop.
If you were looking for a photography guide for the White Pocket and other places in the American Southwest - I would recommend Mark Metternich. I have taken workshops with Mark in the past and he has been hosting workshops in the Southwest for many years. He is a great photographer, an expert at photoshop, an excellent guide/instructor and a super nice guy - www.markmetternich.com