Owens Loop Trail in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve
Trail: Owens Loop Trail
Location: Red Cliffs Desert Reserve a few blocks north of downtown St. George
Difficulty: Easy with some up and down sections over uneven ground
Average Hiking Time: Around two hours at a leisurely pace
Elevation: The trailhead elevation is 2,865 feet with an elevation change from the lowest to the highest point along the trail of 330 feet.
Family-Friendly: Yes
Getting There: In St. George, go north on Main Street until you come to the end of the road at Brooks Nature Park, 452 North Main Street.
From Washington, go west on Red Hills Parkway and turn left (south) on 1000 East Street in St. George. Go one block and turn right (west) onto St. George Boulevard. Proceed west and turn right (north) on Main Street. (Main Street is between 100 East Street and 100 West Street.) Stay on Main Street until reaching the end of the road at Brooks Nature Park (452 North Main Street).
In short, make your way to Main Street in St. George and go north to the end of the road.
My wife, Deb, and I often drive an hour or more to reach the trailhead of a particularly interesting hike, it’s always worth the effort. This adventure is close to home, so close the trailhead is within the St. George city limits. Aww, can’t be much if it is that close. On the contrary, this is an easy 3.5-mile round trip hike with panoramic vistas and varied red rock structures. What is this close-by trail?
Owens Loop Trail, with the trailhead at Brooks Nature Park. Just north of downtown St. George, Owens Loop Trail begins within St. George city limits. It quickly enters the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. The hike is free and no permit necessary.
The Reserve was established in 1996 to protect a large and diverse habitat capable of sustaining wildlife populations threatened by development and habitat loss. It comprises 62,000 acres and has more than 130 miles of shared-use trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Three ecosystems—the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin Desert, and the Colorado Plateau—merge in southwestern Utah and the Reserve reflects the biological diversity of this unique region. The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Habitat Conservation Plan is administered by Washington County in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration.
Brooks Nature Park, the trailhead for our hike, is the site of the original water source for early St. George settlers. Water percolating from the surrounding red cliffs creates natural springs and a small pond complete with ducks.
We arrived at the nature park at about 9:00 am. There is a small, six or seven spaces, the parking area at the front of the park which does not have water or toilets. The temperature was in the high 50s under blue Utah sky. The trailhead elevation is 2,865 feet with an elevation change from the lowest to the highest point along the trail of 330 feet.
We quickly explored the small park, and (facing the pond) headed left around the pond on a broad path. We stopped at the pond and exchanged “good mornings” with some ducks and a giant white swan.
At the north end of the path, about 100 yards from the parking area, is a small amphitheater and a large information sign reading “Welcome to Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.” Next to the sign was an Owens Loop trail sign. We headed north up the trail in a small, narrow canyon overgrown with a riot of different plants. This section was the steepest of the entire hike. After about ¼ mile we came to the end of the canyon up against Red Hills Parkway. There is a stepover and another trail sign for Owens Loop heading southwest.
The trail later jogs northwest and finally in a loopy western direction along the top of red cliffs. The cliffs dominate the northern skyline in St. George, hence great views of the town and surrounding area. In places, the trail proceeds close to the cliff edge, be careful. There are also a few short steep sections requiring some easy rock scrambling. Much of the trail is rocky and/or over uneven layers of Slickrock. Some of the trail is up and down, but never very difficult. The western section of the trail is often faint.
Being early spring, birds were out hunting for a late breakfast and lizards scampered across rocks, warming in the sun trying not to be a late breakfast.
About one mile in is a junction with City Creek Trail, another access to Owens Loop Trail.
The trail atop the cliffs is peppered with a plethora of small caves and cavities in the red rock—great foreground views. The background views are spectacular, especially as we traversed the loop part of the trail.
The westernmost part of the trail, the loop, features clear views of Red Mountain, parts of Snow Canyon State Park, Ivins, Santa Clara, and the Dixie Red Hills Golf Course. To the south were panoramic views of St. George.
Our 3.5-mile round trip hike took a little more than two hours at a leisurely pace with many opportunities to stop and take photos. Although not deserted for a mid-week hike, we encountered only 11 people on the trail. And except for the distant faint hum of traffic from below, this is a wilderness experience.
I strongly recommend this adventure—an easy hike featuring great views and, typical of Utah, appealing red rock structures. You can’t get much closer to civilization and still feel as if you are in the backcountry.
