Red Cliff Desert Reserve

6/2/2010


We decided to go on a hike at the Red Cliff Desert Reserve, a park across the road from our RV park. Our RV park is located in Hurricane, Utah, 30 minutes south of Zion National Park. Looking back at our RV park across the street. We have to walk 1 mile to get to the trail head of the hike. When we first drove over to go into the reserve to start the hike, we saw that the park road was closed from June 1, to August 31, for new road construction. We got two different stories, from other campers, as to how far it was to walk to the trail head in the park. One said 1 mile and another said 2 miles. Looking forward into park. Red Cliff Desert Reserve We found the trail head and started the hike.This reserve represents a transition zone between three ecosystems: the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. I really enjoyed this hike. I guess I like wide open spaces, and all the different colors. It was a hot day in the nineties, and no shade to be found, but a really great breeze. After the red grasses, we came upon a field of tan grasses. We were looking for the pools that were suppose to be along the trail, but just saw lots of lizards running across our path.The beautiful views included the color yellow as well. But after a slow hike for a hour and a half, we realized we must have taken the wrong trail head. We turned around and headed back. It didn't matter, I still enjoyed the hike! There are the red grasses ahead, as we retrace the trail back. This is a very interesting plant!Looks like some kind of onion plant. But I am sure it is not. We both were getting very hot, as the day reached it's peak high. But we got lots of exercise and enjoyed God's creations. No one else was on the trail, which made it so much better. So peaceful and tranquil. We pass this building again as we head down the road. It looks like an old building that has been resorted. Then we cross the small stream. (Some young people in a car asked us if the road was closed as we hiked back down the road and as a road grader went down the road also. Duh! the sign said road closed, June 1 to August 31. They turned around and headed back) The pools that we were looking for, I am sure came from this stream. Another day!