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    Red Cliffs Desert Reserve

    4.3 (20 reviews)

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    Nycole R.

    About twenty years ago, I went with a group of friends from high school hiking through this reserve. For years, I had fond memories of it and how beautiful it was. Then, this year, I had the opportunity to return and see it again with my family. Not much had changed, of course, except that the water that I'd remembered was dried up. But it looks like it may have seen water earlier in the year. Go in the spring if you want to see the pools fill up. There are a few trails-mostly marked, although there are some areas where it can be easy to wander off the marked trail. There are cool rock formations that invite you to climb on them. Be careful-some of that sandstone can get slick. Be sure to bring some water with you-the sun can beat down pretty hard, especially in the afternoon. Also, if you're visiting on a weekend or holiday, come early. The parking area fills up quickly. And bring $5 in cash to pay the entrance fee via envelope. There's no attendant, so it's on your honor. I wouldn't chance it, if you're feeling like being a jerk. I saw some government trucks driving around.

    Alina S.

    I recommend downloading the All Trails app to get familiar with the trails, which is where I heard about Gecko Trail. We started on the Gecko trail, it is an in-and-out trail located behind a neighborhood so no parking fee and little to no crowds. Trail was easy for our kids and it was a perfect day to go outside. Temperature mid 50s at the end March. Popular area for mountain bikers too. Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is not to be missed during your visit!

    Ricky R.

    I had a lot of fun. We came pretty early. Hit a few trails. I am coming from Washington and it's a completely different experience. The one thing that is the same is the crowds. Just pretty busy like all hikes. It was beautiful for sure. The dinosaur stuff was pretty cool. The sites were lovely. I would love to spend a few days camping here. Drink all night hike all day.

    Paul P.

    Yelp seems to not want to listen that the address to this location is the Visitor Center. It's 15-20 minutes away from the actual park and campground. I have sent them this detail 3 times, and they keep defaulting to addresses in the middle of the city. That being said, there is a hiking area and campground 15-20 minutes north off I-15. I posted a picture and URL of the map to the entry. There are newly paved single lane roads into the camp with overnight and day use parking. This is a fee use area and not free. I went hiking at this location based on the reviews and pictures with running water. This location is desolate and there was no running water, if there is ever running water its likely only spring or fall. There is very little maintenance of the trails, markers, or view areas. You are really on your own and good luck. I would not return to this location to go hiking and would prefer Mt Charleston or Red Rock which seem to be much better maintained in the least they are closer and more suitable for hiking on a day trip.

    Steffi L.

    Love, love, LOVE this place!!!! We did a quick stop on the way from St. George to LA, and honestly, it's about as good of a nature getaway as you can get off of i15. Only $5 to enter, and there are pretty picnic areas and beautiful red rock you can take in at a fairly easy and quick pace, without having to take a huge dip into your drive time. Highly recommend -- we will be back to try other trails.

    Dino Track
    Morgan H.

    Came into the park just off Washington Parkway & I-15. Good sized parking lot that on weekends is always full to bursting. Trail starts out on a access road as you head north. We continued about 3/4 of a mile and spit off to the west towards a rocky ridge. We found a trail that ran to the south that was moving in and out of the small canyons. We saw a few other hikers and even encountered a horse back rider. Exposed with no shade so bring water for everyone. Along the trail we saw a few signs that told us of Dino tracks. As we kept going we weren't sure where they were. As we came to the bottom of a dry river wash we headed up to the side and that's were we found the tracks. They are great and easy to see. Sand obscures them, but a small broom/brush left by someone helped so we took some pics. To make it back to the car we walked down a service road from a water tower to main paved road. Then about 3/4 a mile to car parking. So many trails you could spend lots of romaine here exploring. Saw hawks, ravens and lots of lizards. Alas no desert tortoise!

    Shelby W.

    Super fun and easy family hike! it was only $5 to park ($15 if you camp)! This whole area was just breathtakingly beautiful! I was worried it might be difficult to hike bc it's red cliffs but it was super easy and super fun for everyone! It rained a little while we were there but we were able to take cover under some of the rock. It was a pretty to see. I would definitely recommend hiking here!

    Nicole D.

    This was a very pretty camp site. It was a smaller campground and seemed a little off the beaten path, which is kind of nice. It was close to the highway yet still quiet. I don't believe there were showers here, but the pretty red rocks make up for it. The camp site was very nice and included a covered patio and picnic table which was crucial due to the thunderstorm that passed through. Even in the pouring rain, we were able to cook and eat our dinner thanks to the covered area. Our camp site was $15, pay via envelope, and it was a quick drive to Zion the following morning.

    Nice park full of red rocks. Lots of hiking trails to choose from that vary in difficulty. It's a dog friendly park also. But for a black cockapoo there isn't much shade while hiking and it was close to 90" on the day we were there. Didn't realize how large an area the park encompassed until I actually looked at a map of the area. Evidently a good place to look for desert tortoises too. Morris and I decided that on our next visit here we are going to look for Gila Monsters.

    pyramid shaped sandstone

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    6 years ago

    Nice, beautiful, and peaceful nature. I have young children so we only did a quick walk on the trail. It was amazing and my kids loved it.

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    8 years ago

    Super fun, quick hike. The scenery is awesome and if you go in the spring you can cool off in the water. Good for kids too.

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    10 years ago

    Best, little known place in Washington County to take the kids for a hike!

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    Review Highlights - Red Cliffs Desert Reserve

    And bring $5 in cash to pay the entrance fee via envelope.

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    Settlers Point Luxury RV Resort

    Settlers Point Luxury RV Resort

    4.4
    (21 reviews)
    5.5 mi

    Well designed, immaculate and ready for the whole family. No there's not a lot of shade - but…read morethat's not uncharacteristic of parks in this region. Put up your awnings. The landscaping is beautiful. There seems to be a good sense of community. One perk they offer is pet services. With all the outdoor activities and nation parks in the area you can spend the day and know your fluffy family member is taken care of! That itself makes this park a 6 star resort.

    Had such a great stay! The staff was super friendly and helpful, even before we got there! Very…read moreclean RV resort and the spaces are spacious and graveled. They have a small store and nice laundry, showers & bathrooms. They also have a kids play scape, a dog play area, pickle ball courts and a pool. The pool is kind of small and always kids in it, so we didn't hang in that area. It would be a plus for people with kids, though! Very well maintained park! We brought our side by side and with our whole set up we were 75' long and they easily accommodated us in a pull through. You can drive on streets in your off roader from the park all the way to the trails and dunes. You do need to purchase a permit to off road, which you can do online before you arrive. They kept us up to date on different happenings through the week...a yoga class, a couple food trucks (which were delicious) and a derby party. Fun touches! We would definitely stay here again!

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    Pickle ball
    Pickle ball
    Settlers Point Luxury RV Resort
    Settlers Point Luxury RV Resort

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    Desert Canyons RV Resort

    Desert Canyons RV Resort

    2.5
    (11 reviews)
    7.9 mi

    We stayed at this RV park for one month and had originally planned to extend our stay for an…read moreadditional two months. However, we ended up canceling those reservations because of our experience with Sue, the manager. We even forfeited our $200 deposit because we felt that staying longer simply wasn't worth it. Unfortunately, we encountered ongoing issues with roaches and spiders, which made our stay uncomfortable. The management was another major concern. Sue was consistently rude, unprofessional, and made us feel unwelcome from the moment we arrived. The park seems to have an excessive number of rules, with new rules constantly being added on top of the existing ones. It became frustrating trying to keep up with changing expectations. It also felt very uncomfortable knowing that management closely monitors the security cameras and appears to watch residents' every move. Rather than creating a welcoming environment, it felt invasive and unsettling. The one bright spot during our stay was Johnny. He was always friendly, professional, and willing to help with anything we needed. Whenever we had questions or needed assistance, Johnny went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of. His excellent customer service was truly appreciated and made a difficult experience a little better. It's unfortunate because we were prepared to stay for several more months, but Sue's attitude and treatment of guests ultimately led us to leave early and walk away from our deposit. Based on our experience, we would not recommend this RV park to others.

    My experience at Desert Canyons Resort on Memorial Day was extremely disappointing. Families and…read morechildren were trying to enjoy the holiday when management abruptly removed us from the pool area, even though the pool was mostly empty. For a resort that advertises itself as welcoming to friends and family, the experience felt anything but welcoming. The atmosphere throughout the resort felt cold, uncomfortable, and overly controlling. Management, especially Sue and Kirk, came across more focused on enforcing authority than creating a positive environment for guests. Instead of feeling relaxed on a family holiday, many of us felt watched and unwelcome the entire time. The saddest part was seeing young children upset and crying over a situation that never should have escalated the way it did. Memorial Day should be about families relaxing and enjoying time together, not leaving stressed and disappointed. What makes this even more frustrating is the disconnect between the resort's image and the actual experience. From the outside, the resort may appear family-friendly, but our experience did not reflect that at all. The overall environment felt tense and negative rather than warm or accommodating. In my opinion, it also felt like nearly 70% of the place sat empty, which gave the impression that there may not be many repeat visitors. I would strongly encourage families looking for a peaceful, welcoming vacation spot to consider other options. Based on our experience, this was not the relaxing family atmosphere we expected.

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    Entrance
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    Office and store

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    Office and store

    Red Cliffs Desert Reserve - hiking - Updated July 2026

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