Set aside to protect the Mojave Desert tortoise and other rare plants and animals, the reserve sits at the merging of three great ecosystems: the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau.

The sprawling 60,000-acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve (which includes the designated Red Cliffs National Conservation Area) contains a one-of-a-kind convergence of multiple different desert ecosystems, jaw-dropping scenery and protected species seldom seen elsewhere.

The Utah monolith was a metal pillar that stood in a red sandstone slot canyon in northern San Juan County, Utah, United States. The pillar was 3 m (9.8 ft) tall and made of metal sheets riveted into a triangular prism.

Hiking or riding in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve provides a wide range of experiences suited for a variety of users. Trails vary from easy to extremely strenuous and involve significant challenges when adequate preparation is not made.

The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve provides many opportunities for recreation and enjoyment. However, direct and indirect impacts to wildlife and plants – trail erosion, trampling of vegetation and delicate soil crusts, and the disruption of animal’s foraging – caused by improper human use can undermine the ecological health of the reserve.

Tucked in the far southwestern corner of Utah, the expansive desert landscape of Red Cliffs National Conservation Area marks the zone where three ecosystems merge: the Mojave Desert, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau.

Want to find the best trails in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area for an adventurous hike or a family trip? AllTrails has 58 great trails for hiking, walking, and birding and more. Enjoy hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you.

If you do one thing in the eastern end of Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, consider the Red Reef Trail, which begins on the west side of the Red Cliffs Campground. This is no tame nature walk; in full, it’s about a 6-mile ramble (one-way) into a twisting rock canyon with pools of flowing water you can stomp through and swim in.

The Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is a 44,724-acre (180.99 km 2) National Conservation Area located in southwest Utah, north of St. George at the northeasternmost edge of the Mojave Desert. [1]

Red Mountain trail offers easy to challenging classic Snow Canyon hikes in the scenic Red Cliffs Desert Reserve near St. George. Got gear? Explore Utah today.