Very High DemandReservation4 min read

Updated August 9, 2026

How to Get a Taylor Permit

Mile 77, eleven hours out - the last of the twenty campsites, a single site at the end of the west side.

$36 non-refundable reservation fee per permit (includes the $6 Recreation.gov fee) plus $5 per person, per night. Park entrance fee is separate.

Permit Cost

2-4 days

Duration

100 miles

Distance

moderate

Difficulty

About Taylor

Taylor is a single campsite with one toilet at mile 77 of the White Rim Road, about 11 hours of driving clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. It is the last of the ten camping areas going that direction and one of only four that hold a single site. Direction changes what this camp is. Clockwise it is the final night before the Mineral Bottom switchbacks. Counter-clockwise it is the first night out, reached shortly after dropping those same switchbacks - which is often the easier way to get it, because most parties plan clockwise. High-clearance four-wheel drive with low range is required, campfires are not permitted, pets are not allowed even inside vehicles, and there is no potable water along the road. The site takes up to 15 people and 3 vehicles. Canyonlands releases White Rim permits four months before each season starts, at 8 a.m. Mountain time on Recreation.gov, and NPS says outright that demand for overnight permits frequently exceeds the number available in spring and fall. The fee is a $36 non-refundable reservation charge plus $5 per person per night. Anything still unreserved becomes a walk-up, marked "W" on Recreation.gov and issued in person at a visitor center until 2:30 p.m. Mountain time.

Taylor closes the sequence. It is the furthest camping area from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center going clockwise and one of the four areas with a single campsite, so a night here is a night with no neighbours at all. Run the loop counter-clockwise and it becomes the first camp instead of the last, which is the easiest way to get a night at a site people otherwise book as the finale.

The Experience

Eleven hours of driving by the park's own reckoning, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks are the only thing left. One site, no through traffic once the day is done, and the sort of quiet that only happens 77 miles into a road with no water and no power.

Taylor sits at mile 77 clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, about 11 hours of driving, with one campsite and one toilet. Behind it are Labyrinth at mile 72 and Hardscrabble Hill at mile 70, one of the five steep and exposed sections NPS names. Ahead, the Mineral Bottom switchbacks climb back out of the canyon - another of those five - and close the 100-mile loop.

What to Expect

One campsite for the whole Taylor area, with one toilet

77 miles and about 11 hours of driving from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, clockwise

The Mineral Bottom switchbacks as the last section of a clockwise loop

No potable water, no shade, no campfires and no generators

A hard cap of 15 people and 3 vehicles on the site

A very different role in the trip depending on which direction you run the loop

Get Taylor Alerts

Be first to know when cancellations happen.

Set Up Alerts

Permit Requirements

Each campsite accommodates up to 15 people and 3 vehicles; motorbikes and trailers count as vehicles for that limit

Keep all camp activities within the posts that mark the campsite boundaries

Campfires are not permitted anywhere along the White Rim Road, and generators are not allowed

Pets are not permitted, even inside vehicles

Your vehicle must have high-clearance, four-wheel drive with low range

ATVs, UTVs and OHVs are not permitted even if street legal; drones and other unmanned aircraft are prohibited

All vehicles and bikes must remain on designated roads

You may stay a maximum of three consecutive nights at a camping area before having to relocate, and an overnight permit runs up to 14 consecutive nights

Climbing, scrambling, walking or standing upon, or rappelling off any arch is prohibited parkwide

Recreation.gov books Taylor as a named campsite, not a zone - you are reserving this exact site for the night

Gear & Preparation

Required Gear

•All your water. There is none on the road, and 1 gallon per person per day is the NPS floor
•A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle with low range - this is a requirement, not a recommendation
•Full recovery kit and a spare: shovel, traction boards, air compressor, tire plugs
•A camp stove. Fires are not permitted at any White Rim campsite
•Shade you bring yourself - a tarp or awning; there is almost none on the bench
•Printed maps. Cell service is unreliable below the mesa rim

Hazards & Safety

No potable water anywhere along the road - NPS asks for at least 1 gallon (4 L) per person per day, more if you will be active

Long rocky stretches, deep sand and little shade; NPS says to plan on a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of driving or cycling for the loop

The steep, exposed sections at Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks demand extreme caution in bad weather

High water on the Green River can flood sections of road on the west side and make a complete loop impossible

A disabled vehicle out here is expensive: NPS warns of towing fees in excess of $1,000

Summer heat on an unshaded sandstone bench, with no water and no quick way out

Best Time to Visit

Spring and fall for road conditions and temperatures, which is when NPS says demand exceeds supply. If you cannot get Taylor as a clockwise finish, try building the trip counter-clockwise - the same site is a first night from Mineral Bottom, and first nights are planned by fewer people.

Pro Tips

Set an alarm for 8 a.m. Mountain time on the release date four months before your season opens. That first minute is when spring and fall dates go.

Taylor is one of only 20 campsites on a 100-mile road, so a cancellation watch is doing real work here - there is no overflow.

Carry every drop of water you plan to drink. There is none on the road and no way to buy any.

Budget 11 hours from the visitor center just to reach camp, before you factor in stops.

If you are riding it, bring a four-wheel-drive support vehicle for water and gear. NPS recommends it directly.

Check current road conditions before you commit - high water on the Green River can close the west side and turn the loop into an out-and-back.

Cancel early if your plans change. The $5 per person per night fee is refunded for trips cancelled at least 3 days out, and someone else gets the night.

Written by

PermitSnag Team

100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience

This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Taylor permit?

Taylor permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.

When is the best time to visit Taylor?

How difficult is Taylor?

Drivers with a genuine low-range four-wheel-drive vehicle, and cyclists who have a support vehicle carrying water. NPS highly recommends a four-wheel-drive support vehicle for mountain bike trips.

What gear do I need for Taylor?

Essential gear includes: All your water. There is none on the road, and 1 gallon per person per day is the NPS floor, A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle with low range - this is a requirement, not a recommendation, Full recovery kit and a spare: shovel, traction boards, air compressor, tire plugs, A camp stove. Fires are not permitted at any White Rim campsite, Shade you bring yourself - a tarp or awning; there is almost none on the bench. Additional specialized gear may be required based on conditions.