Cut by water, sculpted by wind and time, Snow Canyon’s Navajo sandstone cliffs
share the same history and geology as Zion National Park to the east. You may
find yourself wondering why it isn't a national park.

Snow Canyon is popular with road cyclists touring the park’s scenic drive and
hikers exploring the network of trails through the main canyon and numerous
side canyon options. At dawn and dusk, the park provides unique wildlife
viewing when coyotes, kit foxes, quail and roadrunners come out to feed.
Harder to find are the protected desert tortoises, peregrine falcons and Gila
monsters. The attraction of numerous bolted routes throughout the canyon lures
rock climbers of all skill levels and kids will love playing on the parks’
sand dunes. Make a reservation on the Utah State Parks reservation site.

Cut by water, sculpted by wind and time, Snow Canyon’s Navajo sandstone cliffs share the same history and geology as Zion National Park to the east. You may find yourself wondering why it isn't a national park.


Snow Canyon is popular with road cyclists touring the park’s scenic drive and hikers exploring the network of trails through the main canyon and numerous side canyon options. At dawn and dusk, the park provides unique wildlife viewing when coyotes, kit foxes, quail and roadrunners come out to feed. Harder to find are the protected desert tortoises, peregrine falcons and Gila monsters.

The attraction of numerous bolted routes throughout the canyon lures rock climbers of all skill levels and kids will love playing on the parks’ sand dunes. <a href="http://utahstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/snow-canyon-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=UT&parkId=345781" rel="nofollow">Make a reservation on the Utah State Parks reservation site</a>.

$6/car $3/Utah seniors (62 and over). Camping fees start at $20/night.

Bird's eye view of the park

Snow Canyon State Park

A large block of Navajo Sandstone is the geologic setting of the approximately
18,700 acre Red Mountain Wilderness. Newly designated in 2009, a portion of
this Wilderness is within the also newly-designated Red Cliffs National
Conservation Area. The Santa Clara River channel bounds this unit on the west,
while Snow Canyon State Park partially wraps around its southern and eastern
boundaries. The mountain top is a dramatic expanse red sand and slickrock.
Rugged sandstone outcrops push up through pinyon pine, Utah juniper, and an
understory of sagebrush, manzanita, and scrub oak. Numerous mammals, birds,
and reptiles reside in this Wilderness. Mountain lion, bobcat, and common and
kit fox are the more elusive mammals, while mule deer, coyote, jackrabbit, and
cottontail are the most commonly observed wildlife. Various raptors, passerine
(aka perching birds or songbirds) and nonpasserine birds fill the air
including hawks, quails, road runners, sparrows, and hummingbirds. Along with
the usual side-blotched and whiptail lizards visitors could see the desert
spiny and Great Basin collared lizards. Hikers and backpackers enjoy panoramic
vistas of the spires and mesas of Zion National Park to the east, the Virgin
River Gorge to the south, and the high peaks of the Beaver Dam Mountains on
the west. Equestrians find many opportunities for trail riding in the Red
Mountain Wilderness, with some trails leading to spectacular overlooks into
Snow Canyon, where black basalt flows overlie the red and white Navajo
sandstone, creating a dramatic visual contrast. Visit the Red Cliffs National
Conservation Area web page for more information about trails in the Red
Mountain Wilderness.

A large block of Navajo Sandstone is the geologic setting of the approximately 18,700 acre Red Mountain Wilderness.  Newly designated in 2009, a portion of this Wilderness is within the also newly-designated Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.  The Santa Clara River channel bounds this unit on the west, while Snow Canyon State Park partially wraps around its southern and eastern boundaries. The mountain top is a dramatic expanse red sand and slickrock. Rugged sandstone outcrops push up through pinyon pine, Utah juniper, and an understory of sagebrush, manzanita, and scrub oak. Numerous mammals, birds, and reptiles reside in this Wilderness. Mountain lion, bobcat, and common and kit fox are the more elusive mammals, while mule deer, coyote, jackrabbit, and cottontail are the most commonly observed wildlife.  Various raptors, passerine (aka perching birds or songbirds) and nonpasserine birds fill the air including hawks, quails, road runners, sparrows, and hummingbirds. Along with the usual side-blotched and whiptail lizards visitors could see the desert spiny and Great Basin collared lizards. Hikers and backpackers enjoy panoramic vistas of the spires and mesas of Zion National Park to the east, the Virgin River Gorge to the south, and the high peaks of the Beaver Dam Mountains on the west.  Equestrians find many opportunities for trail riding in the Red Mountain Wilderness, with some trails leading to spectacular overlooks into Snow Canyon, where black basalt flows overlie the red and white Navajo sandstone, creating a dramatic visual contrast.  Visit the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area web page for more information about trails in the Red Mountain Wilderness.

Red Mountain Wilderness

During the Formative Period (ca. 700 B.C. to A.D. 1200) the indigenous people
(labeled by archaeologists as Ancestral Puebloans or Virgin Anasazi) became
corn and bean farmers who irrigated their crops by diverting water from
streams like the Santa Clara River. They constructed permanent village sites
and produced fine quality ceramics. Populations living along the Santa Clara
River appear to have increased between A.D. 700-1100 (Pueblo I-II), leaving
abundant and tangible evidence of their presence on Land Hill and river
corridor.

After A.D. 1200, archaeological sites attributable to the Ancestral Puebloans
become increasingly rare, suggesting that changing climatic conditions or
other factors forced a change in lifestyle for these early farmers. During the
Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric Periods (after approximately
A.D.1200-1800), the only indigenous people who permanently occupied the region
were the Southern Paiute. At springs and along the stream channels, they, too,
practiced small-scale farming. Hunting and gathering of native plants were
also important in the economic adaptations of the early Southern Paiute.

The Shivwits Band of Southern Paiute continue to make the banks of the Santa
Clara their homeland. Permanent agricultural settlements were established by
Mormon pioneers along the Santa Clara River during the mid-19th Century. These
settlements often displaced the Southern Paiute who had traditionally
cultivated the same lands along the river. The early Mormon settlers of
southern Utah used the nearby canyons and hills in the area. Several
geographic features still bear the names given to them by those early
residents: “Big Rock,” “The Gate Rocks,” and Cove Wash.

The public is invited to visit the Santa Clara/Land Hill Area of Critical
Environmental Concern (ACEC) commonly known as the Land Hill Heritage Site.
Located in the west central portion of Washington County, the Land Hill
Heritage Site is directly southwest of the communities of Ivins and Santa
Clara and east of the Shivwits Indian Reservation.

The Land Hill Heritage Site is part of the **Santa Clara River Reserve**. The
reserve protects open space, archaeological and natural resources, and
recreational opportunities important to local communities. Contained within
the reserve is the Santa Clara/Land Hill **Area of Critical Environment
Concern** , which contains numerous prehistoric sites and vital riparian
habitat.

During the Formative Period (ca. 700 B.C. to A.D. 1200) the indigenous people (labeled by archaeologists as Ancestral Puebloans or Virgin Anasazi) became corn and bean farmers who irrigated their crops by diverting water from streams like the Santa Clara River. They constructed permanent village sites and produced fine quality ceramics. Populations living along the Santa Clara River appear to have increased between A.D. 700-1100 (Pueblo I-II), leaving abundant and tangible evidence of their presence on Land Hill and river corridor.

After A.D. 1200, archaeological sites attributable to the Ancestral Puebloans become increasingly rare, suggesting that changing climatic conditions or other factors forced a change in lifestyle for these early farmers. During the Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric Periods (after approximately A.D.1200-1800), the only indigenous people who permanently occupied the region were the Southern Paiute. At springs and along the stream channels, they, too, practiced small-scale farming. Hunting and gathering of native plants were also important in the economic adaptations of the early Southern Paiute.

The Shivwits Band of Southern Paiute continue to make the banks of the Santa Clara their homeland. Permanent agricultural settlements were established by Mormon pioneers along the Santa Clara River during the mid-19th Century. These settlements often displaced the Southern Paiute who had traditionally cultivated the same lands along the river. The early Mormon settlers of southern Utah used the nearby canyons and hills in the area. Several geographic features still bear the names given to them by those early residents: “Big Rock,” “The Gate Rocks,” and Cove Wash.

The public is invited to visit the Santa Clara/Land Hill Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) commonly known as the Land Hill Heritage Site. Located in the west central portion of Washington County, the Land Hill Heritage Site is directly southwest of the communities of Ivins and Santa Clara and east of the Shivwits Indian Reservation.

The Land Hill Heritage Site is part of the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/santa-clara-river-reserve" rel="nofollow">Santa Clara River Reserve</a>. The reserve protects open space, archaeological and natural resources, and recreational opportunities important to local communities. Contained within the reserve is the Santa Clara/Land Hill <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/planning-101/special-planning-designations/acec" rel="nofollow">Area of Critical Environment Concern</a>, which contains numerous prehistoric sites and vital riparian habitat.

Land Hill Heritage Site

There are numerous trails for hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers within
the Santa Clara River Reserve (SCRR). These trails offer a variety of
experiences including discovering prehistoric rock art, hiking sandy washes,
viewing scenic desert landscapes, and savoring the cottonwood rich riparian
corridor of the Santa Clara River. For more information on the Reserve, visit
the Santa Clara River Reserve website.The SCRR is managed by zones. Trail
markers reference these zones so you will always know which zone you are in.
Each zone has different restrictions and limitations intended to protect
resources and ensure quality visitor experiences. To find out more about zones
visit the Management Zones webpage.

There are numerous trails for hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers within the Santa Clara River Reserve (SCRR). These trails offer a variety of experiences including discovering prehistoric rock art, hiking sandy washes, viewing scenic desert landscapes, and savoring the cottonwood rich riparian corridor of the Santa Clara River. For more information on the Reserve, visit the Santa Clara River Reserve website.The SCRR is managed by zones.  Trail markers reference these zones so you will always know which zone you are in.  Each zone has different restrictions and limitations intended to protect resources and ensure quality visitor experiences.  To find out more about zones visit the Management Zones webpage.

Santa Clara River Reserve

The public is invited to visit the interpreted Fort Pearce Historic Site,
listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the State of Utah
Register of Historic Places. Located approximately 12 miles south of St.
George, Utah, the historic site is generally accessible year-round, via the
unpaved Warner Valley Road. Other heritage points of interest on public lands
are nearby, including the Honeymoon Trail and the interpreted Warner Valley
Dinosaur Track Site. The small structure at the Fort Pearce Historic Site is
one of only three remaining stone guard posts built during Utah’s Black Hawk
War. This “war” was actually period of intermittent raiding between 1865 and
1870, during which the Ute Tribe, led by Chief Black Hawk (Antonga), and other
Native Americans allies attempted to drive the Mormons from the Ute
traditional homelands. Mounted Ute raiding parties, often joined by Navajos,
stole Mormon livestock, attacked outlying ranches and settlements, and killed
settlers who interfered with the raids. More than 100 Native Americans and at
least 70 Mormons were killed during the raiding. To protect their herds and
homes, local Mormon militia constructed a series of protected guard or sentry
posts, called ‘forts’, along major trails and travel corridors in central and
southern Utah. Four to six armed men with horses were stationed at each post,
to attack and delay the Indian raiding parties, while a rider raced to the
nearest settlements with a warning. Horses were stabled at night in the guard
posts, to ensure that the early warning ride could be made without delay. Fort
Pearce Wash was one of the primary routes along which Ute-Navajo horsemen
traveled to raid the livestock herds and settlements of the St. George Basin.
A site was selected in the spring of 1866, on a high bluff overlooking a
narrow, steep-sided canyon, just above the only natural spring for miles, for
a guard post along Fort Pearce Wash. A small number of armed men could easily
defend this location and water from the spring would support the defenders and
their stock. A work party of 20 men began construction on that guard post on
December 4, 1866, working for nearly a month to quarry enough local sandstone
to construct the dry-laid or mud-mortared defensive structure and a stock
corral; the post and the drainage were named in honor of Major John D.L.
Pearce of the Iron County Militia. The dimensions of the roofless guard post
were approximately 42 feet north-south by 22 east-west, with 7 to 8 foot high
walls and one exterior doorway. The interior of the structure was divided by a
partition wall into two rooms. Small protruding rectangular abutments were
added off the northwest and southeast corners as flanking walls and 10
vertical firing slits or gun ports were constructed near the tops of the
walls. No armed conflicts are known to have taken place at Fort Pearce, but
the guard post was manned, at least intermittently, from 1866 until 1873, when
peace negotiations and U.S. Army actions ended the raiding that was known in
Utah as the Black Hawk War.

The public is invited to visit the interpreted Fort Pearce Historic Site, listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the State of Utah Register of Historic Places.  Located approximately 12 miles south of St. George, Utah, the historic site is generally accessible year-round, via the unpaved Warner Valley Road.   Other heritage points of interest on public lands are nearby, including the Honeymoon Trail and the interpreted Warner Valley Dinosaur Track Site. 

The small structure at the Fort Pearce Historic Site is one of only three remaining stone guard posts built during Utah’s Black Hawk War.  This “war” was actually period of intermittent raiding between 1865 and 1870, during which the Ute Tribe, led by Chief Black Hawk (Antonga), and other Native Americans allies attempted to drive the Mormons from the Ute traditional homelands.  Mounted Ute raiding parties, often joined by Navajos, stole Mormon livestock, attacked outlying ranches and settlements, and killed settlers who interfered with the raids.  More than 100 Native Americans and at least 70 Mormons were killed during the raiding.  

To protect their herds and homes, local Mormon militia constructed a series of protected guard or sentry posts, called ‘forts’, along major trails and travel corridors in central and southern Utah.  Four to six armed men with horses were stationed at each post, to attack and delay the Indian raiding parties, while a rider raced to the nearest settlements with a warning.   Horses were stabled at night in the guard posts, to ensure that the early warning ride could be made without delay.

Fort Pearce Wash was one of the primary routes along which Ute-Navajo horsemen traveled to raid the livestock herds and settlements of the St. George Basin.  A site was selected in the spring of 1866, on a high bluff overlooking a narrow, steep-sided canyon, just above the only natural spring for miles, for a guard post along Fort Pearce Wash.  A small number of armed men could easily defend this location and water from the spring would support the defenders and their stock.  A work party of 20 men began construction on that guard post on December 4, 1866, working for nearly a month to quarry enough local sandstone to construct the dry-laid or mud-mortared defensive structure and a stock corral; the post and the drainage were named in honor of Major John D.L. Pearce of the Iron County Militia.  

The dimensions of the roofless guard post were approximately 42 feet north-south by 22 east-west, with 7 to 8 foot high walls and one exterior doorway.  The interior of the structure was divided by a partition wall into two rooms.  Small protruding rectangular abutments were added off the northwest and southeast corners as flanking walls and 10 vertical firing slits or gun ports were constructed near the tops of the walls.   No armed conflicts are known to have taken place at Fort Pearce, but the guard post was manned, at least intermittently, from 1866 until 1873, when peace negotiations and U.S. Army actions ended the raiding that was known in Utah as the Black Hawk War.

Fort Pearce Historic Site

Utah State Parks: Boat, fish, and swim on the tranquil waters at Gunlock
Reservoir or enjoy an afternoon picnic on the beach. Warm waters during summer
and a mild winter climate make the park a year-round destination. The county
road to the park is the Old Spanish Trail used by horsemen and raiders from
Sante Fe, New Mexico to Los Angeles from the 1820 s until the gold fields
became the destination after 1849 and a shorter route was taken.

Nearby St. George offers big city amenities such as championship golf and
outlets in the warm climate of southwestern Utah. Visitors to Gunlock can
continue south on Old 91 to visit the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation
Area and the northernmost Joshua Trees in North America or return east to see
the Santa Clara River Reserve or Snow Canyon State Park. Zion National Park is
90 minutes east. There are no reservable campsites, but there are 5 first-
come, first-served sites in a campground with a vault toilet or camping on
beaches.

Utah State Parks: Boat, fish, and swim on the tranquil waters at Gunlock Reservoir or enjoy an afternoon picnic on the beach. Warm waters during summer and a mild winter climate make the park a year-round destination. The county road to the park is the Old Spanish Trail used by horsemen and raiders from Sante Fe, New Mexico to Los Angeles from the 1820 s until the gold fields became the destination after 1849 and a shorter route was taken.


Nearby St. George offers big city amenities such as championship golf and outlets in the warm climate of southwestern Utah. Visitors to Gunlock can continue south on Old 91 to visit the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area and the northernmost Joshua Trees in North America or return east to see the Santa Clara River Reserve or Snow Canyon State Park. Zion National Park is 90 minutes east. There are no reservable campsites, but there are 5 first-come, first-served sites in a campground with a vault toilet or camping on beaches.

$7/car $4/Utah seniors (62 and older) day use. Camping is $13/night.

Southwestern Utah is part of Utah's "Dixie," the warm- weather, southernmost and lowest-elevation retreat of the state.

Gunlock Reservoir

Boating Dixie

Boat, fish, and swim on the tranquil waters at Gunlock Reservoir or enjoy an afternoon picnic on the beach.

Utah State Parks

The region's iconic red rock is part of a fascinating landscape combining features of the Colorado Plateau with the Mojave Desert and Great Basin.

Southwest Utah Desertscapes

Gunlock State Park

The Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness now contains a total of 11,712 acres and is
managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the
state of Utah. In 2009 the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness became part of the now
over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness,
you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary
opportunities for solitude. In an age of _"...increasing population,
accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization,..."_ you play
an important role in helping to _"...secure for the American people of present
and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness"_ as
called for by Congress in the Wilderness Act of 1964. Please follow the
regulations in place for this area, and use Leave No Trace techniques when
visiting to ensure protection of its unique natural and experiential
qualities.

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in
different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of
the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply.

**Leave No Trace principles:**

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

**Regulations:**  
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally
prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the
use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment,
bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of
aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.
In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or
mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a
specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

**Contact Information:**

> OUTDOOR RECREATION PLANNER: Dave Kiel  
> 345 East Riverside Drive  
> St. George, UT 84790  
> Phone: 435-688-3210  
> Fax: 435-688-3252  
> Email: david_kiel@blm.gov  
> 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday

The Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness now contains a total of 11,712 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Utah. In 2009 the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization,..." you play an important role in helping to "...secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by Congress in the <a href="http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisact" rel="nofollow">Wilderness Act of 1964</a>. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique natural and experiential qualities.How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply.Leave No Trace principles:<ol><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_1.php" rel="nofollow">Plan Ahead and Prepare</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_2.php" rel="nofollow">Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_3.php" rel="nofollow">Dispose of Waste Properly</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_4.php" rel="nofollow">Leave What You Find</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_5.php" rel="nofollow">Minimize Campfire Impacts</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_6.php" rel="nofollow">Respect Wildlife</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_7.php" rel="nofollow">Be Considerate of Other Visitors</a></li></ol>Regulations: Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.Contact Information:<blockquote>OUTDOOR RECREATION PLANNER: Dave Kiel 345 East Riverside Drive St. George, UT 84790 Phone: 435-688-3210 Fax: 435-688-3252 Email: <a href="mailto:"david_kiel@blm.gov"" rel="nofollow">david_kiel@blm.gov</a> 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday</blockquote>

Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness

The United States Congress designated the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness in 2009
and it now has a total of 11,667 acres. All of this wilderness is located in
Utah and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The Cottonwood Canyon
Wilderness is bordered by the Cottonwood Forest Wilderness to the north.The
approximately 11,700 acre Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness is within the newly-
designated Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and shares a common boundary
with the Cottonwood Forest Wilderness, located on the Dixie National Forest.
Here, massive blocks of Jurassic age Navajo Sandstone have been eroded by wind
and water, leaving rounded domes and numerous small canyons. The resulting
landscape is both austere and intimate, affording outstanding opportunities
for solitude and natural quiet, just minutes away from the major population
centers of Washington County. Convenient trail access makes this wilderness a
popular choice for hikers and equestrians. Visit the Red Cliffs National
Conservation Area web page for more information about trails in the Cottonwood
Canyon Wilderness. Although it is at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau,
the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness supports plant and animals species that
typify the arid Mojave Desert. Pockets of desert shrubs cover the sand dunes
and rocky outcrops of this wilderness. Mojave Desert species, such as Utah
agave, banana yucca, scrub oak , and single-leaf ash, are found in the
lowlands and line the dry washes. At higher elevations, pinyon pine and Utah
juniper dot the rocky slopes of the wilderness area. Mule deer, mountain lion,
bobcat, and kit fox live here, as they do farther east on the Colorado
Plateau. Mojave Desert species, including the federally-listed threatened
Mojave Desert tortoise and the Gila monster and chuckwalla reptiles are also
residents of the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness. Golden eagles, red-tailed
hawks, and the western screen owl circle the craggy canyons of this wilderness
area, searching for prey. On the right day, at the right time, lucky visitors
may see bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and Cooper's, and sharp-shinned hawks
in the area.

The United States Congress designated the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness in 2009 and it now has a total of 11,667 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Utah and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness is bordered by the Cottonwood Forest Wilderness to the north.The approximately 11,700 acre Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness is within the newly-designated Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and shares a common boundary with the Cottonwood Forest Wilderness, located on the Dixie National Forest. Here, massive blocks of Jurassic age Navajo Sandstone have been eroded by wind and water, leaving rounded domes and numerous small canyons. The resulting landscape is both austere and intimate, affording outstanding opportunities for solitude and natural quiet, just minutes away from the major population centers of Washington County. Convenient trail access makes this wilderness a popular choice for hikers and equestrians. Visit the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area web page for more information about trails in the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness.  Although it is at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau, the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness supports plant and animals species that typify the arid Mojave Desert. Pockets of desert shrubs cover the sand dunes and rocky outcrops of this wilderness. Mojave Desert species, such as Utah agave, banana yucca, scrub oak , and single-leaf ash, are found in the lowlands and line the dry washes. At higher elevations, pinyon pine and Utah juniper dot the rocky slopes of the wilderness area. Mule deer, mountain lion, bobcat, and kit fox live here, as they do farther east on the Colorado Plateau. Mojave Desert species, including the federally-listed threatened Mojave Desert tortoise and the Gila monster and chuckwalla reptiles are also residents of the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness. Golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and the western screen owl circle the craggy canyons of this wilderness area, searching for prey. On the right day, at the right time, lucky visitors may see bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and Cooper's, and sharp-shinned hawks in the area.

Nestled beneath the backdrop of the Pine Valley Mountains, riparian
environments created by Quail and Leeds Creek wind their way through rounded
hills, shaded canyons, and soaring cliffs of Navajo Sandstone.

This welcomed oasis within the **Red Cliffs National Conservation Area**
protects critical habitats for the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise,
endangered native fish of the Virgin River system, native and migratory birds,
and other desert species.

The Red Cliffs Recreation Area provides a small campground, shaded picnic
area, historic and paleontological sites, and miles of trails for hiking,
mountain biking, and horseback riding.

# Red Cliffs Recreation Area Information

## **Hours of Operation:**

  * The **Red Cliffs Campground** and all day-use areas are open year-round.
  * Day-use hours of operation are from sunrise to sunset.

## **Vehicle Access and Parking:**

  * Vehicle height restricted to 11ft 9in to pass through two narrow tunnels beneath the I-15 freeway.
  * Day use parking is extremely limited. Expect parking to be full on weekends, holidays, and most days during the spring and fall.
  * Please be respectful of others by not parking in, or walking through, reserved campsites.
  * Parking on vegetation or along the road is prohibited. Vehicles impeding traffic are subject to citation and towing.
  * Vehicles with trailers must park at the White Reef Trailhead.

# Recreation Activities

As you explore the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area please follow all
posted regulations.

## **Camping:**

  * The **Red Cliffs Campground** includes 11 sites with shade shelters, picnic tables, potable water, and grills.
  * **Reservations are required** for all sites and can be made at **recreation.gov** , or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Camping fees are $15 per night per site.
  * First-come first-serve camping is not allowed. Camping is prohibited at all trailheads and day-use areas.

## Dinosaur Tracks:

  * Exposures of Jurassic age sandstone preserve **dinosaur tracks** along the **Silver Reef Trail** and **Red Reef East Trail**.

## Ancestral Puebloan History:

  * View structures of the Ancestral Puebloans at the **Red Cliffs Archaeological Site** via the **Anasazi Trail**.

## Mormon Pioneer History:

  * The **Orson B. Adams House** was built in the early 1860s, during the settlement of Harrisburg.

## Quail Creek:

  * The **Red Reef Trail** follows Quail Creek upstream as it enters the **Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness**. Tens of thousands of visitors hike the first section of this trail each spring when snowmelt creates short cascades of water that pools in slickrock bowls.

Nestled beneath the backdrop of the Pine Valley Mountains, riparian environments created by Quail and Leeds Creek wind their way through rounded hills, shaded canyons, and soaring cliffs of Navajo Sandstone.

This welcomed oasis within the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/utah/red-cliffs-nca" rel="nofollow">Red Cliffs National Conservation Area</a> protects critical habitats for the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise, endangered native fish of the Virgin River system, native and migratory birds, and other desert species.

The Red Cliffs Recreation Area provides a small campground, shaded picnic area, historic and paleontological sites, and miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

<h1>Red Cliffs Recreation Area Information</h1>

<h2>Hours of Operation:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>The <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-cliffs-campground" rel="nofollow">Red Cliffs Campground</a> and all day-use areas are open year-round.</li>
	<li>Day-use hours of operation are from sunrise to sunset.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Vehicle Access and Parking:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>Vehicle height restricted to 11ft 9in to pass through two narrow tunnels beneath the I-15 freeway.</li>
	<li>Day use parking is extremely limited. Expect parking to be full on weekends, holidays, and most days during the spring and fall.</li>
	<li>Please be respectful of others by not parking in, or walking through, reserved campsites.</li>
	<li>Parking on vegetation or along the road is prohibited. Vehicles impeding traffic are subject to citation and towing.</li>
	<li>Vehicles with trailers must park at the White Reef Trailhead.</li>
</ul>

<h1>Recreation Activities</h1>

As you explore the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area please follow all posted regulations.

<h2>Camping:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>The <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-cliffs-campground" rel="nofollow">Red Cliffs Campground</a> includes 11 sites with shade shelters, picnic tables, potable water, and grills.</li>
	<li>Reservations are required for all sites and can be made at <a href="https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/202162" rel="nofollow">recreation.gov</a>, or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Camping fees are $15 per night per site.</li>
	<li>First-come first-serve camping is not allowed. Camping is prohibited at all trailheads and day-use areas.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Dinosaur Tracks:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>
	Exposures of Jurassic age sandstone preserve <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-cliffs-dinosaur-track-site" rel="nofollow">dinosaur tracks</a> along the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/silver-reef-trail" rel="nofollow">Silver Reef Trail</a> and <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-reef-east-trail" rel="nofollow">Red Reef East Trail</a>.
	</li>
</ul>

<h2>Ancestral Puebloan History:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>View structures of the Ancestral Puebloans at the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-cliffs-archeological-site" rel="nofollow">Red Cliffs Archaeological Site</a> via the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/anasazi-trail" rel="nofollow">Anasazi Trail</a>.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Mormon Pioneer History:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>
	The <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/orson-b-adams-house" rel="nofollow">Orson B. Adams House</a> was built in the early 1860s, during the settlement of Harrisburg.
	</li>
</ul>

<h2>Quail Creek:</h2>

<ul>
	<li>The <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-reef-trail" rel="nofollow">Red Reef Trail</a> follows Quail Creek upstream as it enters the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/cottonwood-canyon-wilderness" rel="nofollow">Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness</a>. Tens of thousands of visitors hike the first section of this trail each spring when snowmelt creates short cascades of water that pools in slickrock bowls.</li>
</ul>

**Day Use Activity Pass** : $5 per vehicle

Pay via credit card with the _**Recreation.gov Mobile App**_
_**www.recreation.gov/mobile-app**_. It is recommended that you download this
app before arrival as cell phone reception is unreliable.

Additional forms of payment accepted: Cash or Check

**America the Beautiful Passes** are accepted.

Detailed payment instructions are located on site at Red Cliffs Recreation
Area.

Red Cliffs Recreation Area

### When Dinosaurs Roamed

Preserved in the rocks of the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is
evidence that dinosaurs once roamed this area millions of years ago. Fossil
footprints, or tracks, were first discovered in these sandstone cliffs in
1998, and are aiding scientists in their understanding of ancient life. When
this track site was re-examined in 2012, paleontologists found 17 tracks and
identified them as Grallator and Kayentapus. Eubrontes tracks can be seen near
the end of the trail.

When dinosaurs left their footprints here 190 million years ago, the landscape
of the southwest was in transition. Aridity was increasing; the large
meandering rivers and shallow lakes that characterized an earlier geologic
time were giving way to wind-blown seas of sand. The Red Cliffs Track Site
occurs in the transition zone between the Kayenta Formation and Navajo
Sandstone formed during the Jurassic Period. In this transition zone, river
deposited siltstones, mudstones, and fine-grained sandstones typical of the
Kayenta Formation are layered with crossed-bedded, windblown sandstone typical
of Navajo Sandstone. The tracks here are in fine-grained sandstone and were
probably left in the soft sediments of a stream or lake edge during a wetter
climatic cycle.

### Who's Toes are Those?

Although paleontologists cannot tell from tracks which specific type of
dinosaur made them, tracks can be tied to a general group of dinosaurs based
on shape and size. This allows for names or ichnotaxa to be given to the track
forms themselves. The three different types of tracks found in Red Cliffs have
been identified as Grallator, Eubrontes, and Kayentapus. Paleontologists
suggest the Grallator and Eubrontes tracks have been made by Megapnosaurus and
Dilophosaurus. The dinosaur linked to the Kayentapus track remains unknown.

Tracks are trace fossils that are not actual parts of animals or plants, but
objects or signs left behind by them. Other trace fossils include coprolites
(mineralized feces) , gastroliths (stomach stones), and skin or feather
impressions. There are three different types of track impressions: true
tracks, under-tracks, and natural casts. True tracks are the initial imprint
made by the dinosaur. Under-tracks are the layers beneath the true track which
carry a less detailed impression. Natural casts are the sediments that fill
the true track.

### Location of the Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site

The tracks and trackways of this site may be seen along the Silver Reef Trail
additional dinosaur tracks may be seen along the Red Reef East Trail.

Within the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, massive exposures of the
Jurassic age Kayenta Formation and Navajo Sandstone that preserve
scientifically important dinosaur tracks and trackways, bone beds, plant
fossils, and silicified wood are conserved and protected for the benefit and
enjoyment of present and future generations.

Please help protect paleontological sites. It is illegal to dig, remove, or
collect vertebrate fossils without a permit. Never make molds or castings or
apply anything to fossils and trackways. You can help protect these
irreplaceable sites by not walking or sitting on fossils or trackways. Thank
you.

<h3>When Dinosaurs Roamed</h3>

Preserved in the rocks of the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/utah/red-cliffs-nca" rel="nofollow">Red Cliffs National Conservation Area</a> is evidence that dinosaurs once roamed this area millions of years ago. Fossil footprints, or tracks, were first discovered in these sandstone cliffs in 1998, and are aiding scientists in their understanding of ancient life. When this track site was re-examined in 2012, paleontologists found 17 tracks and identified them as Grallator and Kayentapus. Eubrontes tracks can be seen near the end of the trail.

When dinosaurs left their footprints here 190 million years ago, the landscape of the southwest was in transition. Aridity was increasing; the large meandering rivers and shallow lakes that characterized an earlier geologic time were giving way to wind-blown seas of sand. The Red Cliffs Track Site occurs in the transition zone between the Kayenta Formation and Navajo Sandstone formed during the Jurassic Period. In this transition zone, river deposited siltstones, mudstones, and fine-grained sandstones typical of the Kayenta Formation are layered with crossed-bedded, windblown sandstone typical of Navajo Sandstone. The tracks here are in fine-grained sandstone and were probably left in the soft sediments of a stream or lake edge during a wetter climatic cycle.

<h3>Who's Toes are Those?</h3>

Although paleontologists cannot tell from tracks which specific type of dinosaur made them, tracks can be tied to a general group of dinosaurs based on shape and size. This allows for names or ichnotaxa to be given to the track forms themselves. The three different types of tracks found in Red Cliffs have been identified as Grallator, Eubrontes, and Kayentapus. Paleontologists suggest the Grallator and Eubrontes tracks have been made by Megapnosaurus and Dilophosaurus. The dinosaur linked to the Kayentapus track remains unknown.

Tracks are trace fossils that are not actual parts of animals or plants, but objects or signs left behind by them. Other trace fossils include coprolites (mineralized feces) , gastroliths (stomach stones), and skin or feather impressions. There are three different types of track impressions: true tracks, under-tracks, and natural casts. True tracks are the initial imprint made by the dinosaur. Under-tracks are the layers beneath the true track which carry a less detailed impression. Natural casts are the sediments that fill the true track.

<h3>Location of the Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site</h3>

The tracks and trackways of this site may be seen along the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/silver-reef-trail" rel="nofollow">Silver Reef Trail</a> additional dinosaur tracks may be seen along the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/visit/red-reef-east-trail" rel="nofollow">Red Reef East Trail</a>.

Within the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/utah/red-cliffs-nca" rel="nofollow">Red Cliffs National Conservation Area</a>, massive exposures of the Jurassic age Kayenta Formation and Navajo Sandstone that preserve scientifically important dinosaur tracks and trackways, bone beds, plant fossils, and silicified wood are conserved and protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. 

Please help protect paleontological sites. It is illegal to dig, remove, or collect vertebrate fossils without a permit. Never make molds or castings or apply anything to fossils and trackways. You can help protect these irreplaceable sites by not walking or sitting on fossils or trackways.  Thank you.

Day Use Fee: $5 per vehicle. Cash or check only. The **America the Beautiful
Passes** are accepted here and allow free day-use.

Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site

Experience peacefulness and solitude as you ride the BLM's Sunshine Loop
through fascinating desert scenery. Interesting dry washes, colorful buttes
and abruptly rising escarpments impress mountain bikers all along this half-
day trip. The 8.5 mile (13.5 km) loop trail has a More Difficult Rating mostly
because of difficult trial surfaces in some stretches.

Experience peacefulness and solitude as you ride the BLM's Sunshine Loop through fascinating desert scenery. Interesting dry washes, colorful buttes and abruptly rising escarpments impress mountain bikers all along this half-day trip. The 8.5 mile (13.5 km) loop trail has a More Difficult Rating mostly because of difficult trial surfaces in some stretches.

Sun Valley Mine

Camping along the Sand Mountain Pipeline Road is authorized in eight numbered
sites each with a steel fire ring. Campsites are first-come, first-serve and
occupancy is limited to 14 days in a 28 day period.

This area provides full access to the Sand Mountain Open Off-Highway Vehicle
Area. Campsites are managed by the St. George Field Office in cooperation with
the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: Campsites are typically accessible from the south by any
vehicle with at least medium clearance. Access from Waddy’s Corral requires
four-wheel drive.

Adjacent restrooms are located at 37.1053, -113.4327, just north of the
camping area along the Sand Mountain Pipeline Road.

It is your responsibility to adhere to current fire restrictions. Campfires
are permitted in steel fire rings only. Never leave a campfire unattended and
make sure it’s DEAD OUT before leaving.

Camping along the Sand Mountain Pipeline Road is authorized in eight numbered sites each with a steel fire ring. Campsites are first-come, first-serve and occupancy is limited to 14 days in a 28 day period.

This area provides full access to the Sand Mountain Open Off-Highway Vehicle Area. Campsites are managed by the St. George Field Office in cooperation with the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

PLEASE BE ADVISED: Campsites are typically accessible from the south by any vehicle with at least medium clearance. Access from Waddy’s Corral requires four-wheel drive.

Adjacent restrooms are located at 37.1053, -113.4327, just north of the camping area along the Sand Mountain Pipeline Road.

It is your responsibility to adhere to current fire restrictions. Campfires are permitted in steel fire rings only. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure it’s DEAD OUT before leaving.

Gravel campsite with metal fire ring and brown, numbered placard (#3) against a backdrop rolling red dirt hills and the Pine Valley Mountains.

Graveled campsite against a backdrop of rolling red dirt hills and the Pine Valley Mountains.

Sand Mountain Pipeline Designated Dispersed Camping Area

Orson B. Adams House The St. George Field Office has completed rehabilitation
of a mid-19th century Mormon pioneer residence for adaptive re-use. This small
sandstone masonry house was built in 1863 for the Orson B. Adams family, in
the now abandoned Mormon agricultural settlement of Harrisburg, located
approximately 15 miles north of St. George. Critical to the successful
completion of the rehabilitation project were partnerships with Washington
County, the Utah Heritage Foundation, and the National Trust for Historic
Preservation; technical assistance from the Utah State Historic Preservation
Office; and volunteer labor during several phases of the project. The Adams
house is open sporadically for public visitation with the assistance of
volunteer docents. In 2004, Washington County, Utah State University (USU),
and the Utah Chapter-American Society of Landscape Architects worked with BLM
to create a conceptual plan for public recreation use of the 215 acres that
surround the Adams house. Quail Creek flows through the tract, creating a lush
riparian area with tall cottonwood trees and willows. Other historic
Harrisburg structures, terraced gardens, an orchard, fields outlined by native
rock walls, irrigation ditches, and wagon roads are preserved on the property.
Students and faculty from USU documented the features of this still-intact
19th century agrarian landscape, as part of the first Historic American
Landscape Survey conducted in Utah. The final concept plan will integrate the
Adams house with a system of linked hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian
trails that connect to trails in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area, the Red
Cliffs National Conservation Area, and the nearby historic Silver Reef mining
district. Based on the conceptual plan, BLM completed an environmental
assessment for the proposed development of a non-motorized trail system and an
equestrian trailhead. Today the White Reef Trailhead provides access to a
trail system that visits 5 public use sites within the Red Cliffs Recreation
Area including the Orson B. Adams House.

Orson B. Adams House

The St. George Field Office has completed rehabilitation of a mid-19th century Mormon pioneer residence for adaptive re-use.  This small sandstone masonry house was built in 1863 for the Orson B. Adams family, in the now abandoned Mormon agricultural settlement of Harrisburg, located approximately 15 miles north of St. George.   Critical to the successful completion of the rehabilitation project were partnerships with Washington County, the Utah Heritage Foundation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation; technical assistance from the Utah State Historic Preservation Office; and volunteer labor during several phases of the project.  The Adams house is open sporadically for public visitation with the assistance of volunteer docents.  

In 2004, Washington County, Utah State University (USU), and the Utah Chapter-American Society of Landscape Architects worked with BLM to create a conceptual plan for public recreation use of the 215 acres that surround the Adams house.  Quail Creek flows through the tract, creating a lush riparian area with tall cottonwood trees and willows. Other historic Harrisburg structures, terraced gardens, an orchard, fields outlined by native rock walls, irrigation ditches, and wagon roads are preserved on the property.  Students and faculty from USU documented the features of this still-intact 19th century agrarian landscape, as part of the first Historic American Landscape Survey conducted in Utah.  The final concept plan will integrate the Adams house with a system of linked hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails that connect to trails in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area, the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, and the nearby historic Silver Reef mining district.

Based on the conceptual plan, BLM completed an environmental assessment for the proposed development of a non-motorized trail system and an equestrian trailhead. Today the White Reef Trailhead provides access to a trail system that visits 5 public use sites within the Red Cliffs Recreation Area including the Orson B. Adams House.

Orson B. Adams House

The Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway received official
designation in 1990. The route resides in the extreme southwestern corner of
Utah within the Mojave Desert and offers an alternative north-south route to
Old Highway 91. The Backway traverses 18.9 miles through the Beaver Dam
Mountains by way of Bulldog Pass and Bulldog Canyon. The Backway delivers
remarkable views of the rugged Beaver Dam Mountains and Beaver Dam Mountains
Wilderness. At its southern end the Backway passes through the Beaver Dam Wash
National Conservation Area (NCA) as well as the Woodbury Desert Study Area.
Wildland fires have left their mark on the landscape, but pockets of Joshua
trees and native vegetation unique to the Mojave Desert can be observed along
the route.

Dispersed camping is permitted on BLM lands bordering the Backway. Camping
within the Beaver Dam Wash NCA is limited to 39 numbered campsites with a
metal fire ring. Sites are first-come, first-serve and occupancy is limited to
14 days in a 28 day period. It is your responsibility to adhere to current
fire restrictions. Campfires are permitted in steel fire rings only. Never
leave a campfire unattended and make sure it’s DEAD OUT before leaving.

The Backway often requires high-clearance vehicles. The road receives
intermittent maintenance and may become impassable during periods of heavy
precipitation. No services are available along the Backway.

The Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway received official designation in 1990. The route resides in the extreme southwestern corner of Utah within the Mojave Desert and offers an alternative north-south route to Old Highway 91. The Backway traverses 18.9 miles through the Beaver Dam Mountains by way of Bulldog Pass and Bulldog Canyon. The Backway delivers remarkable views of the rugged Beaver Dam Mountains and Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness. At its southern end the Backway passes through the Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area (NCA) as well as the Woodbury Desert Study Area. Wildland fires have left their mark on the landscape, but pockets of Joshua trees and native vegetation unique to the Mojave Desert can be observed along the route.

Dispersed camping is permitted on BLM lands bordering the Backway. Camping within the Beaver Dam Wash NCA is limited to 39 numbered campsites with a metal fire ring. Sites are first-come, first-serve and occupancy is limited to 14 days in a 28 day period. It is your responsibility to adhere to current fire restrictions. Campfires are permitted in steel fire rings only. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure it’s DEAD OUT before leaving.

The Backway often requires high-clearance vehicles. The road receives intermittent maintenance and may become impassable during periods of heavy precipitation. No services are available along the Backway.

Official Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Byway entrance sign surrounded by vibrant, green Mojave Desert flora and fauna in the foreground and the Beaver Dam Mountains rising in the background.

Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Byway Entrance Sign

Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway

Utah State Parks: At 3,300 feet above sea level, relatively low elevation for
Utah, Quail Creek Reservoir boasts some of the warmest waters in the state and
a mild winter climate. Quail Creek lures boaters and anglers year-round. Spend
a day on the water or visit a nearby state or national park, then retire to a
campsite in a spectacular red rock desert setting.

The maximum depth of Quail Creek can reach 120 feet, so it is cold enough to
sustain the stocked rainbow trout, bullhead catfish, and crappie. The Utah
Division of Wildlife Resources also stocks largemouth bass and bluegill, which
thrive in the warmer, in the upper layers of the reservoir. Make a reservation
on the Utah State Parks reservation site

Utah State Parks: At 3,300 feet above sea level, relatively low elevation for Utah, Quail Creek Reservoir boasts some of the warmest waters in the state and a mild winter climate. Quail Creek lures boaters and anglers year-round. Spend a day on the water or visit a nearby state or national park, then retire to a campsite in a spectacular red rock desert setting.


The maximum depth of Quail Creek can reach 120 feet, so it is cold enough to sustain the stocked rainbow trout, bullhead catfish, and crappie. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources also stocks largemouth bass and bluegill, which thrive in the warmer, in the upper layers of the reservoir.
<a href="http://utahstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/quail-creek-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=UT&parkId=345711" rel="nofollow">Make a reservation on the Utah State Parks reservation site</a>

$10/car up to 8 people. Senior (Utah residents over 62 years of age): $4/car
up to 8 people. Camping starts at $15/night.

Quail Creek State Park

Camping on the south side of Quail Creek Reservoir is authorized in eight
sites, each with a picnic table and metal fire ring. Campsites are available
on a first-come, first-served basis and occupancy is limited to ONE NIGHT. A
portable toilet and dumpster are available on site.

This area provides convenient access to Quail Creek Reservoir and miles of
non-motorized trails nearby.

Camping amenities are provided by the Washington County Water Conservancy
District in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management. Please park, camp,
and concentrate activity on durable surfaces to limit impacts to vegetation
and fragile soil crusts.

It is your responsibility to adhere to current fire restrictions. Campfires
are permitted in steel fire rings only. Never leave a campfire unattended and
make sure it’s DEAD OUT before leaving.

Camping on the south side of Quail Creek Reservoir is authorized in eight sites, each with a picnic table and metal fire ring. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and occupancy is limited to ONE NIGHT. A portable toilet and dumpster are available on site.

This area provides convenient access to Quail Creek Reservoir and miles of non-motorized trails nearby.

Camping amenities are provided by the Washington County Water Conservancy District in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management. Please park, camp, and concentrate activity on durable surfaces to limit impacts to vegetation and fragile soil crusts.

It is your responsibility to adhere to current fire restrictions. Campfires are permitted in steel fire rings only. Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure it’s DEAD OUT before leaving.

Official Washington County Water Conservancy entrance sign states, “Day use or overnight camping only. One day limit. Please clean up after yourself and your pets. Violators will be prosecuted. Please call 435-673-3617 for additional information.

Washington County Water Conservancy entrance sign

Rolling hills with striated, red rock formations surround a flat, gravel camping pad with associated picnic table and metal fire ring.

Gravel camping pad and picnic table at Quail Creek Reservoir Designated Dispersed Camping Area

Flat, gravel campsite with an associated picnic table and metal fire ring with a desert wash full of lush vegetation in the background.

Flat, gravel campsite with a desert wash full at Quail Creek Reservoir Designated Dispersed Camping Area

Quail Creek Reservoir Designated Dispersed Camping Area

This site is a Joshua Tree forest noted for its high number of trees. This
area really allows people to get up close and personal with the strange, Dr.
Seuss-like cactus trees. The Virgin river runs through west of the forest,
creating a welcome oasis from the Mojave desert scenery. No facilities, but
dispersed camping is permitted. If you are lucky you may glimpse the desert
tortoise, but don`t disturb them or remove them, because they are a threatened
species.

This site is a Joshua Tree forest noted for its high number of trees. This area really allows people to get up close and personal with the strange, Dr. Seuss-like cactus trees. The Virgin river runs through west of the forest, creating a welcome oasis from the Mojave desert scenery. No facilities, but dispersed camping is permitted. If you are lucky you may glimpse the desert tortoise, but don`t disturb them or remove them, because they are a threatened species.

Joshua Tree National Landmark

The approximately 63,500 acre Beaver Dam Wash NCA is located in the
southwestern corner of Washington County, Utah, along the state lines of
Nevada and Arizona. The landscape provides an interesting ecological
transition zone between the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin.

Its creosote bush, white bursage, and other desert shrubs grow at lower
elevations and provide habitat for desert bighorn sheep and the Mojave Desert
tortoise, a threatened species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Joshua
trees and dense stands of blackbrush cover the slopes of the Beaver Dam
Mountains, which rise along the eastern boundary of the NCA. Surface water
flows in the upper reaches of Beaver Dam Wash, but rarely travels all the way
through the NCA. Riparian vegetation along the stream channel is important
habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. At this time, there are no
developed recreation facilities in the NCA.

The approximately 63,500 acre Beaver Dam Wash NCA is located in the southwestern corner of Washington County, Utah, along the state lines of Nevada and Arizona. The landscape provides an interesting ecological transition zone between the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin. Its creosote bush, white bursage, and other desert shrubs grow at lower elevations and provide habitat for desert bighorn sheep and the Mojave Desert tortoise, a threatened species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Joshua trees and dense stands of blackbrush cover the slopes of the Beaver Dam Mountains, which rise along the eastern boundary of the NCA. Surface water flows in the upper reaches of Beaver Dam Wash, but rarely travels all the way through the NCA. Riparian vegetation along the stream channel is important habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. At this time, there are no developed recreation facilities in the NCA.

Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area

Experience red sand beaches, visually stunning red rock formations and some of
the best trails and ATV riding in the state. This easy-to-access park has a
variety of activities for adventurers of any age, type and skill level, and is
an ideal spot if you are looking for watersports, fishing, motorized
recreation, or family camping.

The park’s 1,322-acre reservoir is warm, which makes it great for swimming and
water skiing as well as boating. In addition to the water fun, Sand Hollow is
one of the area’s most popular spots for ATVs and OHVs, offering riders more
than 6,000 acres of sand dunes that have open riding as well as technical
trails where you can test your skills.

This off-road attraction is the ideal complement on your Road to Mighty
itinerary to the nonmotorized trails of nearby Zion National Park, meaning you
can enjoy both the quiet of the national park and the buzzing adrenaline of
wide-open and free off-road adventure. Rentals are available. Make a
reservation on the Utah State Parks reservation site.

Experience red sand beaches, visually stunning red rock formations and some of the best trails and ATV riding in the state. This easy-to-access park has a variety of activities for adventurers of any age, type and skill level, and is an ideal spot if you are looking for watersports, fishing, motorized recreation, or family camping. 


The park’s 1,322-acre reservoir is warm, which makes it great for swimming and water skiing as well as boating. In addition to the water fun, Sand Hollow is one of the area’s most popular spots for ATVs and OHVs, offering riders more than 6,000 acres of sand dunes that have open riding as well as technical trails where you can test your skills.


This off-road attraction is the ideal complement on your Road to Mighty itinerary to the nonmotorized trails of nearby Zion National Park, meaning you can enjoy both the quiet of the national park and the buzzing adrenaline of wide-open and free off-road adventure. Rentals are available. <a href="http://utahstateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/sand-hollow-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=UT&parkId=345761" rel="nofollow">Make a reservation on the Utah State Parks reservation site</a>.

$10/car up to 8 people. Senior (Utah residents over 62 years of age): $5/car
up to 8 people. Walk-in: $4/person. Camping starts at $18/night.

Sand Hollow State Park

Old Spanish Trail National Historic Trail, 1829-1848In 2002, Congress
designated the Old Spanish Trail (OST) as America's 15th National Historic
Trail, to acknowledge the significant role that this long-distance trail
network played in the exploration and settlement of the interior Mountain
West, southern Nevada, and southern California.

The OST is jointly administered by BLM and the National Park Service along its
2,700 mile length, in partnership with other federal, state, tribal, and local
government agencies, as well as private land owners, that administer or own
lands along the trail.

Between 1829 and 1848, commercial traders, explorers, horse thieves, and
settlers traveled this difficult pack trail between the Spanish colonies in
New Mexico and southern California. Each spring, trade caravans left Santa Fe
with dozens of pack mules loaded with woolen blankets woven in New Mexico and
made the lengthy trek to southern California's coastal settlements. This long
distance pack trail network came to be known as the "Old Spanish Trail".

The primary travel route, labeled the Northern Route of the OST, passed
through northeastern New Mexico, western Colorado, along nearly the entire
length of east-central Utah, across the hot, arid Mojave Desert of southern
Utah and Nevada, and finally through the mountain passes of southeastern
California.

Bartering and selling their blankets and serapes in California for horses and
mules and exotic goods, like silk from China, the traders drove large herds
back to New Mexico along this route. Over time, multiple, parallel, and
intertwined routes developed, many following trails that had long ago been
pioneered by American Indians.

In 1848, New Mexico began charging a duty on goods being packed to California,
reducing the profitability of the commercial trade caravans. Wagon traffic
increased and use of the OST as pack trail declined dramatically after this
date.

Old Spanish Trail National Historic Trail, 1829-1848In 2002, Congress designated the Old Spanish Trail (OST) as America's 15th National Historic Trail, to acknowledge the significant role that this long-distance trail network played in the exploration and settlement of the interior Mountain West, southern Nevada, and southern California. The OST is jointly administered by BLM and the National Park Service along its 2,700 mile length, in partnership with other federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies, as well as private land owners, that administer or own lands along the trail.Between 1829 and 1848, commercial traders, explorers, horse thieves, and settlers traveled this difficult pack trail between the Spanish colonies in New Mexico and southern California. Each spring, trade caravans left Santa Fe with dozens of pack mules loaded with woolen blankets woven in New Mexico and made the lengthy trek to southern California's coastal settlements. This long distance pack trail network came to be known as the "Old Spanish Trail". The primary travel route, labeled the Northern Route of the OST, passed through northeastern New Mexico, western Colorado, along nearly the entire length of east-central Utah, across the hot, arid Mojave Desert of southern Utah and Nevada, and finally through the mountain passes of southeastern California. Bartering and selling their blankets and serapes in California for horses and mules and exotic goods, like silk from China, the traders drove large herds back to New Mexico along this route. Over time, multiple, parallel, and intertwined routes developed, many following trails that had long ago been pioneered by American Indians. In 1848, New Mexico began charging a duty on goods being packed to California, reducing the profitability of the commercial trade caravans. Wagon traffic increased and use of the OST as pack trail declined dramatically after this date.

Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Arrowhead [Trails] Highway The Arrowhead Highway-was the first “scenic
highway” through southern Utah. The concept of such a route was proposed in
1914 by businessmen in Las Vegas, to encourage automobile tourism between Los
Angeles, CA and Salt Lake City, UT, through southern Nevada. Their proposed
route followed the route of a late 19th century wagon road, the “Old Mormon
Road” and the earlier “Old Spanish Trail”. Touring clubs and local communities
in southern California, Nevada, and Utah published maps and promoted tourist
travel on “the Arrowhead Trail”. As few segments of the route were constructed
roads, mechanical breakdowns, flat tires, and overheated engines in remote
areas challenged even the most adventurous travelers. In 1918, the first
stretches of road in southern Utah were improved by Washington County prison
work crews and laborers from St. George and Santa Clara, working with horse
teams and “Fresno scrapers”. The route of the Arrowhead Highway through Beaver
Dam Wash NCA closely followed the alignment of the later paved U.S. Highway
91. Artifacts and structures associated with early service stations that
supplied water, gasoline, tire repairs and overnight tent camping areas to
travelers on the Arrowhead Highway have been documented in the NCA.

Arrowhead [Trails] Highway The Arrowhead Highway-was the first “scenic highway” through southern Utah. The concept of such a route was proposed in 1914 by businessmen in Las Vegas, to encourage automobile tourism between Los Angeles, CA and Salt Lake City, UT, through southern Nevada. Their proposed route followed the route of a late 19th century wagon road, the “Old Mormon Road” and the earlier “Old Spanish Trail”.  Touring clubs and local communities in southern California, Nevada, and Utah published maps and promoted tourist travel on “the Arrowhead Trail”.   As few segments of the route were constructed roads, mechanical breakdowns, flat tires, and overheated engines in remote areas challenged even the most adventurous travelers.  In 1918, the first stretches of road in southern Utah were improved by Washington County prison work crews and laborers from St. George and Santa Clara, working with horse teams and “Fresno scrapers”.  The route of the Arrowhead Highway through Beaver Dam Wash NCA closely followed the alignment of the later paved U.S. Highway 91. Artifacts and structures associated with early service stations that supplied water, gasoline, tire repairs and overnight tent camping areas to travelers on the Arrowhead Highway have been documented in the NCA.

Snow Canyon State Park

Directions

Reviews

Nearby Parks

Red Mountain Wilderness

Land Hill Heritage Site

Santa Clara River Reserve

Fort Pearce Historic Site

Gunlock State Park

Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness

Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness

Red Cliffs Recreation Area

Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site

Sun Valley Mine

Sand Mountain Pipeline Designated Dispersed Camping Area

Orson B. Adams House

Mojave Desert Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway

Quail Creek State Park

Quail Creek Reservoir Designated Dispersed Camping Area

Joshua Tree National Landmark

Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area

Sand Hollow State Park

Old Spanish National Historic Trail

Arrowhead (Trails) Highway