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Utah is not short of amazing hikes and rocky landscapes to explore, but one hike that’s sure to wow you is the Red Reef Trail in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, just outside of St George.
This short and moderately challenging trail is little more than an hour’s walk, and very family-friendly, which makes it one of the most popular trails in the area.
What makes this trail exciting is it passes through the Quail Creek, and has you wading through water and into Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness.
As you traverse up the creek, you are surrounded by imposing canyon walls and red rock formations. There are areas where you need to scramble and climb over boulders, turning this wilderness into a natural playground.
If you’re thinking of hiking the Red Reef Trail, but not sure whether it’s the right hike for you or what to expect, here is a complete guide on how to hike this trail in Utah.
About the Red Reef Trail Hike
- Distance: 3.5km or 2.1 miles (out and back trail)
- Elevation Gain: 67 meters
- Difficulty: moderate
- Trailhead location: the trailhead is located in Red Cliffs Campground, from this location.
The Red Reef Trail is a memorable red rock wonderland. The 3.5 km (2.1 mile) hike takes you along a Cottonwood filled canyon amidst towering cliffs, and brings you traversing through several pools inside a slot canyon.
The canyon narrows throughout the trail until it is just a few feet wide. Towards the end of the hike, you reach a beautiful little waterfall cascading over the smooth red rocks.
It’s located in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, a sprawling 60,000-acres of jaw-dropping scenery, bio-diversity, and epic adventures.
It encompasses the Red Cliff Recreation Area and the nearby Snow Canyon State Park.
This area is technically a transition zone between the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau, and so offers a mixture of plants and animals from each of these regions.
I loved seeing the cholla trees, a scary favorite of our South West travels.
The Red Cliff Recreation Area provides a welcome relief in the desert with its looming cliffs and riparian habitat, although some trails could be hot in the summer.
Although the trail is open all year round, the best time to hike is from February through October.
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