top of page

RED CLIFFS DESERT RESERVE

OR AS THE SIGN SAYS,

RED CLIFFS NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA

Trips and Trails

RED CLIFFS DESERT RESERVE

As you can see from the map above, the Reserve is divided into sections, each with its own name, which makes it easy to identify the different areas of the Reserve. I will try and give a brief description of each area to the best of my experience. Trail descriptions and information will be listed according to the area, and can be found under the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve  tab as a sub-page above. 

Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is divided into two different ZONES in the same Reserve.

The Upland Zone

The Lowland Zone

The Upland Zone

The Upland Zone accomodates recreational users who desire the freedom to responsibly travel off-trail. Hikers and equestrians are free to travel cross-country where the terrain permits, or they may utilize the designated trails within the zone. Camping and campfires are also allowed, with some limitations, in the upland zone.

However, in the Babylon/Sandstone Mountain area, camping is restricted to the Sand Cove primitive campground and a permit is required.

 

The Lowland Zone

The Lowland Zone protects sensitive species and their habitat by restricting travel to designated trails and by limiting camping and campfires to developed campgrounds.

your permit to camp at Sand Cove can be purchased free of charge at:

Bureau of Land Managment

               345 E. Riverside Drive

       St. George, Utah 84790

       (433) 688-3246

or visit their website:

       www.redcliffsdesertreserve.com   

 

Sand Cove Campground is part of The Upland Zone and is located in the Sandstone Mountain area of the Reserve. This area of Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is located north of Highway 9, in Hurricane Utah and south east of I-15 and Leeds Utah. The best way to access this area is from Babylon Road.

The far Eastern section of the Reserve includes four different areas and are:

1.  Hurricane Cinder Knolls--Lowland zone area.

2. Sandstone Mountain--Upland zone area.

3. Babylon--Upland Zone area. 

4. Little Purgatory--Upland Zone area.

Babylon Road will get you to any of the four areas listed above, except for Hurricane Cinder Knoll.

From St. George, take I-15 North to the Leeds exit. You will be on Old Highway 91. Stay on the Highway, thru Leeds and about 1/2 mile north of Leeds, Babylon Road will be on the right.

From the North, take I-15 south to the Silver Reef Exit, turn left towards Leeds, and make another left on Old Highway 91. Stay on the Highway to Babylon Road on your right.

The Babylon Road serves as an equestrian and motorized trail throughout its length within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and as primary access to 7 trailheads and 13 different trails in the Babylon/Sandstone area of the Reserve. The road consists of a narrow dirt road maintained by the county and is subject to blowing and drifting sand which can be troublesome for 2WD passenfer vehicles. About 1/2 mile into the area after crossing the north boundary fence, visitors reach the Toquerville Mine trailhead which serves primarily as a trailhead and parking and unloading area for equestrians and motorized recreationists. Another 1/2 mile into the area brings visitors to the Sand Cove trailhead which provides vehicle parking for visitors to the primitive Sand Cove recreation site (especially those with 2WD and low-clearance vehicles) and hikers choosing to use the Flicker, Arc, Sandstone Mountain, Sidewinder, Red Tail, and Raven Trails. A rough jeep road is avaliable from the trailhead to directly access the Sand Cove site, but a 4WD and high clearance vehicles are strongly recommended for this option. The Babylon Road past this point becomes increasingly narrow and includes steep, winding grades on a clay base which becomes treacherous during and after a rain. Portions are also very rocky with protruding bedrock and occasional washouts from heavy rains.

At the foot of the first major elevation drop, visitors will reach the Mineshaft Trailhead (limited parking) which serves the Mineshaft Trail with links to the Historic Babylon, Little Purgatory, and East Reef Trails. Further to the south, and below the steepest decline on the road, visitors will reach the Historic Babylon Trailhead at the Gap with links to Little Purgatory, East Reef, and Mineshaft trails. Further down is found the East Reef Trailhead (limited parking) with a direct link to the East Reef and Historic Babylon trails. Finally, visitors may continue to the end of the road, some 3 1/4 miles from its start at the north boundary of the Reserve, with a stop at the Babylon Mill Site with direct access to the Virgin River and the Virgin River Trail.  

1. HURRICANE CINDER KNOLLS

Hurricane Cinder Knolls is a Lowland Zone area of Red Cliff Desert Reserve, which means that no camping is allowed anywhere in this area.

Trails in Hurricane Cinder Knolls area include:

1. West Cinder Knoll Trail

2. East Cinder Knoll Trail

3. 600 North Trail

4. A portion of The Virgin River Trail.

 

The trailhead for Cinder Knoll trails can be reached by taking State Highway 9 into Hurricane, Utah, north on 200W, then west on 600N.

2. SANDSTONE MOUNTAIN

Sandstone Mountain is an Upland Zone area. Camping and campfires are allowed, only in designated or pre-established areas. 

Babylon Road runs North to South and comes into the picture from the town of Leeds from the north
 

This is the Sandstone Mountain area of the Reserve with the Babylon Road giving access to Sand Cove Camping, and all trails shown in the picture.

Trails in Sandstone Mountain area include:

1. Flicker Trail

2. Sandstone Mountain Trail

3. Sidewinder Trail

4. Raven Trail

5. Red Tail Trail

6. Arch Trail

3. LITTLE PURGATORY AREA

4. BABYLON AREA (BOTTOM CENTER OF PHOTO)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All trails in Little Purgatory can  be accessed from The Babylon Road heading south from the town of Leeds.

 

This map also shows the Babylon area at the bottom center with The Arch and The Virgin River Trail locations.

 

   

Trails in Little Purgatory area include:

1. Little Purgatory Trail

2. Historic Babylon Trail

3. Hell's Half Acre Trail

4. East Reef Trail

5. A portion of The Virgin River Trail

A couple pics from the Sand Cove Primitive Camping area

Trails in Babylon area include:

1. Arch Trail

2. A portion of The Virgin River Trail

 

 

 

White Reef Area

White Reef area of the Reserve is located due west of the Babylon & Hurricane areas just across I-15. This area (besides the trail system) has a ghost town called old Harrisburg and is the site of an old movie set. It also includes the Red Cliff Recreation Area with a campground.

Trails in this area are listed at right  and can be located on the map above for a good indication of where they are with  respect to the area.

Cottonwood and Red Cliffs Area

The Prospector Trail runs through this area and a part of the Grapevine area , which is listed below. 

Thank You for visiting the Red Cliff Desert Reserve

​

For more information, please visit: www.redcliffsdesertreserve.com

                                                      

I found a good spot to spend the night, but not a very comfortable one. I spent the entire night just trying to stay warm enough to get a few hours sleep, but seemed like I spent more time awake and shivering than I did sleeping.

When the sun finally started to show itself the next morning, I did nothing but thank God for the light and the fact that I had made it thru another cold night of shivering and trying to stay warm. I decided that day that I was not going to go anywhere. I was going to sit there and wait for any sign of people or maybe the sound of a chopper. Besides, I was too beat up and exhausted from bushwhacking and not getting any sleep. Finally around 10am that morning, I hear the faint sound of a chopper. Getting louder by the second, I knew they were out there for a reason and was hoping that reason was me.. Growing louder and getting closer, I see him coming over the ridge behind me and almost lost it with joy. I jumped up, grabbed my red bandana and started waving it hoping that they would spot me down below. They flew right over me and kept on going. Hopes were shattered just for a few seconds until I see them make a U turn and fly back to my location. When they got to me, they stopped and hovered above for a couple minutes, and then flew away. Not knowing what was going to happen next or what their plans were, I tried to relax and stay calm until the 2nd stage of the rescue took place. It was about 4 hours later that I heard someone yelling in the distance. They had finally arrived at my location. I yelled back again and again. They had come to my rescue :) 

I find out later the story behind the rescue effort and the chopper coming and going. As they were hovering above me , they were getting a GPS track on my location. They then flew back to the trailhead and put together a hiking team to hike up to my location. I can't thank WCSAR for their expertise and their concern about the condition I was in when they found me.      

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. It was an experience that I will never forget and one that I hope I never have to go thru again

bottom of page