Trail Description Trail Distance: 5.74 miles (one way) Approximate Elevation Gain/Loss: 600 feet From the Red Reef Trailhead 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 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. From the Cottonwood Trailhead Hikers will begin on the Cottonwood Canyon trail (0.3 miles) from there the trail will fan out into five different trails. The Red Reef trail is sandwiched between the Cottonwood Canyons and Prospector trails. Be sure to follow early trail markers to make sure you are on the correct route.
Source: rec_gov · last verified 2026-05-14