Steps & Rope
12/13/2021: Red Reef Trail is an easy, beautiful hike. And yes, the surrounding canyon is quite red. Quail creek is pretty. When we hike it there wasn’t much water running through the creek. I would think that it would be a nice waterway hike in spring and perhaps in fall. There are some cool steps etched into the rock where you have to hang onto a rope, which was fun. As you continue to hike, the canyon narrows and provides some nice slot-like areas. We took a side-trail to the right just before Quail Creek shoots off sharply to the northeast. The easy little side-trail takes you up to the swirling rock formations above and magnificent views up Quail Creek.
Marg’s Notes: After Fossil Canyon, we went to St. George to Red Reef Recreation Area. A very nice BLM area with a campground. Had lunch there then up the Red Reef trail. Another beautiful hike. Saw several people. Climbed up some rocks with ropes! We got to Quail Creek & could not go further. Slippery rocks & H2O. Rod found a way up the cliff, so we climbed up for views again. Hike back did not take long. 2.15 miles in, 2¼ hours. Came back Hwy 91. Gas @ the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Reservation.
Pot pie dinner.
Rod’s Ramblings from the Trail: First off, Red Reef Recreation Area looks like it has some really good campsites. You have to reserve them, but it could be a real fun place to camp.
This is a beautiful hike and so beautiful that I have forgotten to take notes along the way. At about 0.8 miles in you will come across the ropes.
If we don't do the other hikes today, then we should earmark this to come back and hike the other trails in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area. They all look relatively easy, but I do believe this (Red Reef Trail) is the most highly rated one because it is just gorgeous.
At the confluence of quail Creek and continuing to go straight where quail Creek turns to the northeast, just before you get there is a chute that you can take up to the top of the rocks if you don't want to go all the way up Quail Creek. If you take that chute, then there are all kinds of places to scramble around and get really good views of Quail Creek to your left at the top or go to the right and look at other rock formations. Be safe and explore.