While this blog (and this trip) was originally going to cover my week-long trip to the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, I ended up splitting this journal into two sections. This portion (part 1) covers a smallish area just east of Coyote Buttes South known as White Pocket, and I added a separate Coyote Buttes South trip report for that portion of the adventure...

After a few freezing nights and some incredible scenery at White Pocket, we made the drive over to Coyote Buttes South. While there is a shortcut along a much more challenging sand road than what we’d faced and after reading several warnings about the deep sand and steep roads uphill, I knew we’d take the longer route...