Southern Utah Series: Red Reef Trail (Leeds, UT) - Exploratory Route

Please answer these questions when you RSVP:
Q1. What is your cell number?
Q2. Do you plan to drive up and back on Fri; or will you be staying overnight and hiking Coalpits Wash (posted separately) on Sat?

Please read the entire description. New participants will be required to sign a Waiver similar to the Disclaimer below.

Questions: text Jim at 702-515-9824.

📌 I have not done this trail so the hike is exploratory and the descriptions below were copied from the internet! This will be an adventure!

The Red Reef Trail follows the Quail Creek drainage as it enters the Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness and then passes into the Cottonwood Forest Wilderness of the Dixie National Forest. Ten of thousands of visitors hike this first 0.6-mile section of trail each spring when snowmelt from the Pine Valley Mountains creates short cascades of water that pools in slickrock bowls of the beautiful red Navajo Sandstone.

To continue beyond this popular destination, hikers must use a series of small toe holds (Moki steps) carved into the sandstone to ascend this first obstacle. After 0.4 miles the route will leave the Quail Creek drainage and enter a side canyon on the left.

Alternate Description: The hike begins by walking across a sandy sagebrush bench above Quail Creek. There are several braided paths and a social trail leading up a side canyon; try to stay on the main trail. The trail will soon drop down to the watercourse. Stay in the watercourse to the base of the first waterfall instead of following the trail when it heads out of the watercourse to the left. You can either backtrack to the trail after admiring the waterfall or, potentially, scramble up the red rock to the left of the pool below the falls.

After bypassing the falls, you will soon notice a large alcove up canyon to the right. Follow a faint social trail across the creek, up a wash, and then cross country to the alcove. You’ll see some graffiti inside the alcove as well as a darkened roof from many past fires. Two pictographs in red can be seen outside the alcove to the left.

Follow the social trail back across the creek to the trail and continue up canyon. The canyon narrows and the trail crosses the creek, with rocks in place to hop across on. Soon you will come to two pools, each at the base of a small fall. Skirt the first pool on the left and scramble up the side of the falls using Moki steps and stop at the base of the second falls. There are Moki steps up the right side of these second falls and there may be a fixed rope. If there's no fixed rope, I will have 30' of webbing and Erich will go first to attach the webbing. If you wish to turn around here and head back, it is a lovely 1.5 mile hike round trip.

The trail actually continues up canyon past numerous dry falls, up a side canyon, and to a saddle that drops down to the Cottonwood trailhead, but this adventure is more technical and much longer than the popular route described here.

QUICK STATS
Trailhead: Red Reef Trail
Distance: 5.7 miles
Elevation Gain: not sure
Elevation of Peak: n/a
Difficulty: Challenging
Class: Some class 1 trail leading to challenging class 2 and 3 scrambling
Exposure: Yes
Pace: Slow to Moderate
Duration: 4.0 hours

Gear: Approach shoes are recommended; trekking poles are not recommended; gloves are optional

No pets, children or guests. Everyone starts on the Wait list. You must be on the Going list to attend.

The Red Reef Trail starts at the Red Cliffs Campground. There is a $5 fee per car and a minimal amount of parking. So we will meet at White Reef Trailhead (tap on Map Pin for GPS directions), form a carpool(s) and leave at 10:00am Utah time (1 hour ahead of Vegas time) for the short drive to our trailhead.

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Tentative Schedule Red Rock Series:
3/28 - Hollow Rock Peak & Biker Bar
3/29 - Good Call
4/4 - Crabby Appleton Peak
4/11 - Imagination Trench
4/18 - Goodman Peak – Jim’s birthday 4/20

Tentative Schedule Charleston Series:
5/2 to 8/1 or 8/8

Tentative Schedule Southern California & Southern Utah:
4/24 - Red Reef Trail (Leeds, UT)
4/25 - Coalpits Wash (La Verkin, UT) - already posted
4/26 - Scout Cave (St George, UT)
8/8 or 8/15 - Ashdown Gorge (Cedar City, UT)
8/29 - Taylor Creek (UT)
9/18-20 - Big Pine Lakes (CA) – already posted
10/3 – Candy Cliffs/Yant Flats (UT)

Disclaimer:
Please be aware that your Meetup organizers are not tour guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would take if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you acknowledge, understand, accept, and agree that hiking and other outdoor activities can be dangerous and can cause serious bodily injury and possibly death. The organizers of this group and current and former members cannot be held responsible or liable in any way for the actions of any participant - including you - at any event. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or any injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for this event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer, and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers of this Meetup group.