Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness
Nature preserves
11,667 acres of eroded Navajo sandstone domes and canyons inside the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, reached from the Red Cliffs campground between Leeds and Harrisburg.
Where three deserts meet
Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness covers 11,667 acres of Bureau of Land Management ground inside the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. The NCA as a whole runs to 45,600 acres and sits where the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin converge — which is why the plant and animal life here is unusually mixed for a single area.
The rock is Jurassic Navajo sandstone in huge blocks, cut by wind and water into domes and narrow canyons.
Hiking
The Red Reef Trail is the main way in. It follows Quail Creek upstream into the wilderness, and in spring, snowmelt puts short cascades and slickrock pools along the lower section — which is when tens of thousands of people walk it. The full route runs about 5.9 miles and becomes a genuine backcountry outing; most visitors do the lower part from the Red Cliffs campground and turn around.
The Cottonwood Trail is a separate moderate option of roughly 5.2 miles with about 370 feet of climbing.
Access
From I-15 between Leeds and Harrisburg, via the Red Cliffs recreation area. Day use runs sunrise to sunset year round.
Wilderness rules
Designated wilderness means no bicycles and no motorized vehicles. It also means no facilities beyond the trailhead — carry water, and expect no signage once you are past the popular first mile.
Worth reading alongside this: the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and hikes beyond Snow Canyon.
Frequently asked questions
Can I mountain bike in Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness?
No. It is designated wilderness, so bicycles and motorized vehicles are not allowed. There is plenty of legal riding elsewhere in the Red Cliffs NCA.
When does the Red Reef Trail have running water?
Chiefly in spring, when snowmelt creates short cascades and fills slickrock pools along the lower trail. That is also when it is busiest.