How To Hike The Exciting Red Reef Trail, Utah (There's A Waterfall Climb)

This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase. Read Disclosure.

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.

people sitting in a rock girls standing on rocks

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.

girl walking through a desert

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.

How to get to Red Reef Trailhead and St George

The Red Reef Trailhead is located just outside Leeds, a small town near St. George in Utah.

St George is the main gateway to this trail and a good place to base yourself for this hike. It’s 120 miles from Las Vegas, taking just under two hours to drive. You’ll primarily be on I-15 N for most of the drive.

You could visit on a day trip, however we recommend spending longer in the St. George region as there are so many awesome things to do there, such as explore Snow Canyon State Park, Sand Hollow State Park, and Zion National Park.

The nearest airport to St George is St. George Regional Airport (SGU), which offers flights from several major airlines, including American, Delta, Southwest, and United, and connects to most major cities.

The drive from St. George Airport to the Red Reef Trailhead is about 20.9 miles and should take around 36 minutes, driving along Washington Fields Rd for most of the journey.

You can find the trailhead on the map below…

Our Experience Hiking The Red Reef Trail

girl crossing creek on Red Cliffs trail, Utah

We arrived in Utah the afternoon before the hike, and could see the beckoning red cliffs across from our campsite.

The snow capped peak behind it just added to the deliciousness of the knowing that we had arrived in the right place, and made the BEST choice to spend at least a month in Utah soaking up the natural energy and beauty.

I don’t think you could find a more colorful place to visit.

We had the morning to spare and ducked on over to see what the Red Reef hike was all about and whether this was a worthy hike in Utah to do with kids.

There were a couple of trails I was mulling over to do, such as The Silver Reef to dinosaur tracks or the Anasazi Ruins, but it was a last minute decision to take the Red Reef Trail.

Best. Decision. Ever.

people standing in a canyon

The trailhead is at the Red Cliffs Campground, which is signposted and well marked. There are restrooms at the campground, but not on the trail, so we highly advise you go before setting off.

Look out for the Red Cliffs sign at the start of the trail, and follow the natural surface trail until you reach the canyon.

We had to wade through a small stream through the slot canyon, which was absolutely freezing. We could only walk a few steps before jumping back out on the steep and smooth rock face beside it to allow our numbed feet to find themselves again.

The trail isn’t very long, but it was an adventure!

The waterfall marks the end of the official trail, but this is really where the adventure and the beauty of this trail begins.

To the right of the waterfall are steps carved into the sandstone. A rope dangles down to help you climb up and around the falls where you can then continue walking through a slot canyon for as far as you like.

It took Savannah a few minutes to work up the courage to give it a go, but once she did and completed the climb, her excitement exploded.

She always wants to try things that test her limits and are a little on the risky side.

So of course, she was jumping up and down saying this was the most fun ever – she just climbed around a waterfall over smooth rocks while holding onto a rope.

Exploring the canyon above the waterfall was fun.

So we didn’t get too much further around as the canyon walls were too steep and the river too cold. This walk continues for almost 6 miles into the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness.

The pool beneath the waterfall is an ideal natural swimming hole and it was fun to slide down the natural shoot or to jump into the pool. It was way too cold to swim when we visited, but I could imagine in the summer it being very refreshing.

Video: Watch us hiking the Red Reef Trail

You can watch our adventures on the Red Reef trail here…

Where to stay in St George, Utah

The Red Cliffs Recreation Area Campground has 11 campsites within reddish-orange canyon walls. The Quail Creek, a seasonal stream, emerges from a canyon and flows through the middle of the campground.

The campground is open year round and most campsites have shade shelters (only Campsite 4 has no shade), as well as picnic tables, potable water, and grills.

We stayed at KOA St George Hurricane, which we weren’t too impressed with, although it was close to Sand Hollow State Park.

You can camp at the nearby Sand Hollow State Park, which is what we wanted to do but it was booked out.

Otherwise, you can stay at a hotel in St. George. Some hotels that come recommended are:

LOGE St George Utah offers free WIFI, parking, a pool with a view and a hot breakfast. It’s great for families and they allow pets.
The Best Western Abbey Inn is located in the middle of St George giving you easy access to restaurants and stories. Free breakfast, pool and hot tub.
Wingate by Wyndham is also located near restaurants and shops. It also has free shuttle, complimentary bike rental, free breakfast, pool and is pet friendly.
Inn on the Cliff is a resort option that often makes the Best of Lists! Gorgeous views, especially from the pool.