Little Purgatory Loop

Looking northeast at outcrops of Navajo sandstone from the Historic Babylon trail. Review and photos from a ride January 28, 2011. Thanks to Shelby Meinkey, who explored this loop and found it worthy.

Little Purgatory Loop
Includes Historic Babylon Trail

This is a 6-mile loop with 1000 vertical feet of climbing, located just east of Leeds (about 10 miles north of St. George). The loop is best done counterclockwise, with a climb on the Historic Babylon Trail and a technical descent on Little Purgatory.

This ride requires advanced skills. The climb is fairly strenuous. There's one mile at 500 vertical per mile average. There are creek crossings, big boulders, and loose chunk. The tech spots are quite challenging.

The descent has a mile of tricky rock that requires advanced tech skills. The trail is constant slam-bang rock. Off-camber, facing ledges, dropping ledges, and major boulders.

From the Historic Babylon trailhead, we'll be riding through the slot in the reef, crossing the creek several time (left in the photo).

The trail crosses and re-crosses the creek several times before it reaches the loop.

The trailhead options are relatively limited. There's room for 3 to 4 cars at the Historic Babylon trailhead and 2 at the alternate trailhead. If you don't find parking, go to the Sand Cove trailhead and pedal the road to reach Historic Babylon.

The ride starts from the bottom of Grapevine Wash. Immediately, you'll join the creek as it cuts through the rock of East Reef.

Within the first 1/3 mile, you'll do several creek crossings. Riding in January, we found about 8 inches of flowing water and some very sticky mud on the creek banks. But it was possible to ride right through. The creek might be dry later in the year.

As you enter the narrow sandstone slot about 200 feet from the trailhead, there's native rock writing on the sandstone. Look to your left, about 15 feet up. There's a ledge that gets you uphill for a closer look, but don't touch the rock wall in the writing area!

Rock writing, also known as petroglyphs.

Bruce rolls through the creek on a March ride.

Some parts of the lower trail may be washed out with impassible boulders. Some riders may want to consider entering the loop from the upper alternate trailhead.

The first trail fork is the East Reef trail at mile 0.2. Turn hard to the right. The next fork (mile 0.3) is where Little Purgatory joins. Keep to the right. And the final fork is the alternate-entry trail at mile 0.4. fork left to drop through the creek.

The trail climbs through rocky scrub, contouring around the hill to the northeast. The toughest part of the climb is about mile two, as the pitch gets steeper and the riding gets a little more technical.

Mike attacks a rocky tech section on the climb up Historic Babylon in 2011.

In this 2023 drone shot, Bruce fights up the steepest part of the climb up Historic Babylon.

There will be some loose boulders and some technical challenges. While there are long stretches of fairly easy riding (and even an occasional coasting session), the uphill is a challenge.

The slope flattens as you arrive at the top. There are views to the west of Leeds and Silver Reef, with the Pine Valley Mountains looming above.

Derek leads the group across the top of the mountain with Mark close behind. The Pine Valley Mountains form the background.

View south at the meanders of the Virgin River as it approaches Quail Creek Reservoir.

As you descend via the Little Purgatory trail, the mountainside is steep as the trail switchbacks down toward the Virgin River. There are sections of very technical riding. The challenge is finding the right line, quickly, as you maintain enough speed to bang over the rock.

Those who come with the required bike-handling skill, a good plush bike, and an aggressive attitude will enjoy this slam-bang downhill. But expect to take a good beating.

Bruce rolls southbound, following the break in the shrubs that indicates which rocks are the trail.

Keep your weight back and let your front wheel float. Help the wheel across tire traps!

After a mile of the descent, the rocks disappear and you're rolling on plush singletrack. As you rejoin the Historic Babylon trail at mile 5.3, veer to the right to aim for the trailhead. (If you entered via the alternate trail, turn hard left.)

Bottom Line!

I'd recommend this loop only for strong and experienced technical riders. The loop is pretty quick, so it makes a good late afternoon "on the way into town" ride. I'd rate it both more technical and more strenuous than Zen, which some of the riding resembles. But I'd rank it just below Zen in overall fun factor.

Wheel-traps and fun hazards are nearly continuous for a mile of downhill. Mark makes a sudden stop.

A video of the Historic Babylon and Little Purgatory Loop...

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From Little Babylon, view east at hoodoos in front of the Virgin River gorge.

Riding notes, counterclockwise loop:
0.0   Step over at gate and ride toward sandstone slot
        N37 12.116 W113 20.930
        Petroglyphs high on your L on the sandstone
        Several creek crossings
0.4   Keep straight (R) on Historic Babylon N37 12.330 W113 20.958
0.5   Keep L as alternate TH path joins
1.8   Tough climb up canyon
2.3   Fence, left uphill
3.5   Summit, descend on Little Babylon
4.1   Tech stuff
5.4   At fork, L to trailhead
5.8   Back at TH

Getting there:
The dirt road to Little Purgatory has soft sandy sections. A car with four-wheel drive capability and reasonable clearance is recommended. As with other dirt roads in the area, please don't go when it's muddy!
Note that the Leeds/Silver Reef I-15 exit is split in two, with each part 1.7 miles away on opposite ends of the town of Leeds. Southbound OFF and northbound ON are located north of Leeds. Northbound OFF and southbound ON are south of Leeds.
Northbound from St. George, take the Leeds/Silver Reef exit. Drive north 1.7 miles through Leeds and continue north on the frontage road as you pass the freeway on-ramp. Southbound on I-15, take the Leeds/Silver Reef exit and turn left under the freeway, then left on the frontage road. From the northern I-15 access, drive north on the frontage road (east of the freeway) for 0.7 miles. Now turn right on the road signed for Little Babylon and Sand Cove. It will turn to dirt. Pass the Sand Cove parking area (on your left) at mile 3. Pass the alternate trailhead on your right at mile 3.5. After descending down a wash, park at the Little Babylon trailhead, 4 miles from the freeway access road. (There's not much parking at Historic Babylon. Maybe 3-4 cars. If you don't find a spot, don't "make your own." Drive back to the Sand Cove trailhead then pedal the road to the trail!)

Historic Babylon and Little Purgatory

Riding resources for this trail:
Single-page riding guide: View
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
GPX
Topo map for printing (500K): View
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to St. George area resources

Bathroom: Sand Cove trailhead
Water: bring your own
Camping: Sand Cove
Bike services: St. George