Santa Clara River Reserve, near St George, Utah

Hiked September 21, 2024. This was a short hike, after a day of solar outreach as part of the Southwest Astronomy Festival. The NPS and the local St. George astronomy group (and I!) set up solar telescopes at the Red Hills Desert Garden, a demonstration garden for low-water and native plants acceptable for local landscaping. That was down in St. George, proper, adjacent to Pioneer Park (which I've hiked in the past -- In fact, I've hiked it at least twice, but I only see one post in my history; never blogged the other one, I guess), and not far from the Days Inn on Saint George Blvd, where I've stayed, in the past. (In fact, on my unblogged visit to Pioneer Park, I walked over there from the Days Inn).

The Santa Clara River Reserve (BLM) is actually near Ivins, Utah, but that's a pretty small place. From Saint George, get on Old Highway 91. If you stay on Old Highway 91 long enough, it's actually a bypass for the Virgin River Narrows, so if I-15 is closed (or, during the serious construction delays of past years), it's a viable shortcut for passenger vehicles, and only marginally longer in travel time. But I digress.

Heading north on Old Highway 91, past Pioneer Parkway, it's about two miles until you reach S. Anasazi Road. It'll be a dirt road on your left, and not necessarily signed for "Anasazi Valley Trailhead." There's a large dirt lot, less than 1000 feet in, on your right. Less than 1000 feet later, there's another parking area, on your left. Passenger vehicles can park in either lot. If you're an RV or towing a trailer, definitely try the first one. That one has room for you to turnaround. No significant difference in your hiking distance, either way.

The BLM website for the Santa Clara River Reserve is here. A copy of the paper map/brochure for the area is currently here.

From either trailhead, you're basically going to want to head uphill, towards the southwest. The trail weaves its way up the hill, as should you (no cutting of switchbacks!). At the first crest, there's the remains of an Ancestral Puebloan "farmstead." By remains, we mean just a few stones that would outline the base. Not a lot to see there, but a nice lesson in what archeologists can figure out.

Continue on up, past the "farmstead," but keeping the cliff on your right, and you'll start encountering both modern signs telling you to respect and protect the evidence of prehistoric residents of the area, and the evidence, itself. Walk carefully around the area to find additional petroglyphs, but don't walk on the actually marked rocks; you'll speed erosion and loss of these ancient artifacts.

From the petroglyphs, you overlook the Santa Clara River, and, at the time I was there, some nice, green cottonwood trees. The trees would preseumably be nicely colored in another month or two.

I continued somewhat past the signed petroglyphs I saw, to see if there were more, further along the ridge. I didn't see any, which doesn't necessarily mean there weren't any. But I didn't find them. Turned around when I felt I had passed the main concentration.

All told, about three miles roundtrip. I can't say for sure, because I botched my Alltrails recording.

Since it's not a national park or national monument, dogs would presumably be allowed on this trail. At least, I did not see any indication that they were not permitted. There are some sharp volcanic rocks, but it isn't too hard for you or your hypothetical dog to avoid those rocks. Obviously, if you do bring a dog, bring a bag and clean up after them!