View south from pink limestone cliffs. Ride review by Bruce August 28, 2018.
Virgin River Rim Trail
Navajo Peak SectionThe
Virgin River Rim Trail
(VRRT)
is a 32-mile point-to-point ride on the high plateau east of Cedar City. See the
VRRT trail
page
for information on the entire trail. The Navajo Peak section offers nice out-and-back
or loop ride options. Many
riders access the trail from the campgrounds at scenic
Navajo
Lake
. The
riding is intermediate in technical requirements but fairly strenuous
aerobically because of the elevation. This is the most popular segment of the
VRRT.
This section runs 8.5 miles from the Cascade Falls viewpoint on the eastern end to Te-ah Campground
west of Navajo Lake. There's access by car via improved roads at both
ends. You can also reach
the trail via connecting singletrack from campgrounds at Navajo Lake.
While most of the ride is smooth dirt, there are stretches with both embedded and loose rock.
The climbing pace is reasonable with only occasional short stand-and-crank
uphills. With the
elevation above 9000 feet, unconditioned riders will find it aerobically
taxing and may need
frequent breaks.
Typical riding along the rim. Fairly open conifer forest with plenty of wildflowers and occasional groves of aspen.
Handlebar view as we traverse the slope on the side of Navajo Peak.
The lowest elevation on this section is at Cascade Falls at 8900 feet. The western end at Navajo
Lake is slightly higher at 9100. In between, there will be two summits:
Between the Cascade
Falls overlook and the Dike Trail is a 9800 foot mountain, and on Navajo
Peak you'll reach
the highest spot of the entire trail at 9900 feet.
At the western end, access to this segment of the VRRT is via the Navajo Lake road (FR 053).
The preferred trailhead is the Navajo Lake Loop trailhead -- west of the
lake at 5.4 miles
from Highway 14 -- where 0.4 miles of dirt road and 0.4 miles of paved
road takes you to the
VRRT just west of Te-ah campground. You can also connect to the VRRT from
the Te-ah campground,
from the Navajo Lake Lodge (through the
Navajo Lake Loop trail
), from the Navajo and Spruces campgrounds via connecting trails, or via the Dike trail after
parking at the south end of the dike.
Navajo Lake Loop trailhead, with Navajo Lake in the background.
Lots of riding similar to this drone shot between Navajo Peak and the Navajo Campground trail.
The eastern end of the Navajo Peak section of the VRRT is reached by driving to Cascade Falls
and parking there. About 1/4 mile after you turn off Highway 14 on the
Navajo Lake road, FR
370 forks left. 1.1 miles later, FR 054 forks to the right. It's 1.5 miles
to the parking area
for the Cascade Falls viewpoint. The VRRT crosses FR 054 near the parking
strip.
Sample ride: Counterclockwise loop around Navajo Lake
Climbing uphill as we head away from the road. on the counterclockwise ride.
The ride I'll describe here is 12.2 miles with 1400 vertical feet of climbing. It loops counterclockwise
up the VRRT, through the Dike trail and back via the Navajo Lake Loop
trail. Details for other
options will be discussed as we reach these trails.
Park at the
Navajo Lake Loop trailhead
west of the lake. You'll be returning
via the loop trail. The Marathon trail comes in from uphill, which is also not
the trail you're looking for. Backtrack along the doubletrack 0.4 miles to the
paved road. Turn right and pedal uphill 0.4 miles uphill past Te-ah campground
and turn left to enter the singletrack VRRT. This bit of the trail is also used
as part of the Navajo Lake loop.
From the paved road, go uphill 1.5 miles. The climbing pace is reasonable as you gain 200 vertical
feet. At the trail fork, keep right and uphill to stay on the VRRT.
The
Navajo Lake Loop trail
-- the left
fork -- takes you back downhill to the Navajo Lake
Lodge area, then continues past the Navajo and Spruces campgrounds. The
westbound Navajo Lake Loop trail can be your uphill and/or return path if you're
camping anywhere along the south side of the lake.
Climbing toward the rim after passing the Navajo Lake Loop trail fork.
The first viewpoint. Not much, but it's a start. The series of cliffs and valleys to the south was created by the Virgin River.
The trail now turns south and slowly climbs to the Virgin Rim. Your first viewpoint comes 0.6
miles from the Navajo Lake Loop trail fork, mile 2.9 from the trailhead,
as the trail turns
in a small meadow.
At mile 4.7, the Navajo Campground trail forks to the right. This trail descends 600 vertical
feet over 1.2 miles down to the Navajo Lake Loop trail, then on to the
campground. On the day
of my latest ride, the trail sign was lying on the ground. The Navajo
Campground trail sees
less traffic, so without the sign you might not even notice the trail.
Rounding a turn at the trail fork for the Navajo Campground trail. The trail is to my left (right side of the photo), with a trail sign lying in the grass just outside the photo.)
Looking east at the spot where we descend from the rim toward The Saddle.
The trail now climbs back to the rim. The riding is fairly flat as you continue eastbound.
As you reach a spot where the trail begins to descend again -- around
mile 5.8 -- there will
be views of the pink cliffs. You'll be climbing to the top of them soon.
For now, descend through
a series of turns into a dip between mountains called The Saddle.
At mile 6.0, 1.2 miles from the Navajo Campground trail, you'll reach the Spruces Campground
trail at the bottom of The Saddle. Your elevation here is 9400 feet. The
Spruces Campground
trail is the steepest of the access trails, but it's also the shortest.
It drops 300 vertical
feet in 1/2 mile to the Navajo Lake Loop trail and the Spruces Campground.
Continue straight
for the ongoing VRRT.
At the Spruces trail fork in The Saddle. The signage was very good.
Arriving at the ride's best viewpoint after climbing from The Saddle.
From the Spruces trail, the VRRT climbs to regain its elevation. At 6.8 miles from the trailhead,
and 0.8 miles from the Spruces trail, you'll hit the ride's best viewpoint.
There's a little
spur that takes you 30 feet to the edge of the cliffs. Worth a stop.
The Pink Cliffs are Claron Formation limestone. This is the same rock you'll see at Cedar Breaks
and Bryce Canyon. The pink and orange rock is soft limestone from the
Tertiary Period, formed
in a large fresh-water lake about 40 million years ago.
Looking east from the viewpoint at the Claron Formation cliffs.
Getting started on the Dike Trail.
At mile 7.1 the trail reaches the Dike Trail. This is where our loop ride leaves the VRRT by
forking to the left. The Dike trail is 1.4 miles long, descending to the
Navajo Lake Loop trail.
If you elect to continue on the VRRT, it will be 2.2 miles to the Cascade Falls overlook. From
there, follow the gravel road FR 054 north 1.5 miles then fork left toward
Navajo Lake on FR
370. (A right turn on FR 370 takes you to the Duck Creek Village and campground
along Highway
14. )
At the Navajo Lake road 1.1 miles later, turn left. Watch for a sign indicating the Navajo
Lake Loop trail to complete your loop. (A left turn on Navajo Lake Loop
yeilds a lariat loop
-- and you'll need to climb back uphill to the VRRT. A right turn takes
you on an easier and
prettier return path along the north side of the lake.)
Heading downhill. Usually plush, occasionally bumpy.
The Dike Trail descends through a couple of switchbacks. The rate of descent (or climb) is reasonable.
Back to our loop ride...
The first 0.4 miles of the Dike trail is fairly flat riding. Then it descends 550 vertical
feet over the next mile through heavy forest.
At the
Navajo Lake Loop trail,
a right turn (to the east) will take you on a somewhat longer loop around the
far ea,f the lake. This includes the interesting lava boulder field.
Arriving at the Navajo Lake Loop trail.
Heading across the dike. When water levels are high, there's blue on both sides of the dike.
My sample ride takes the left turn. About 1/10th mile later, watch for a small trail descending
on your right. It goes to the road. At the road, turn left and head for
the gravel road on
the right side of the pavement. Follow this gravel road west to the dike.
Ride across the dike, then climb the singletrack up to the Navajo Lake Loop trail. At the trail
fork, keep straight and westbound.
It's another 3.7 miles on the Navajo Lake Loop trail from the Dike trail fork to the trailhead.
The trail is slightly rolling, with meadows of wildflowers among stands
of aspen and occasional
fir.
Westbound near the lake shore on the Navajo Lake Loop trail.
Riding directions, counterclockwise "Dike"
loop:
0.0 West on DT from TH N37 31.794 W112 48.539
0.4 R on paved road N37 31.887 W112 48.869
0.8 L on ST Virgin River Rim N37 31.992 W112 49.255
2.3 L (R = Navajo Lake Loop) N37 31.253 W112 48.595
4.7 R (L = Navajo CG trail) N37 30.759 W112 47.545
6.0 Straight (L = Spruces CG trail) N37 30.785 W112 46.721
6.8 Spur to viewpoint N37 30.740 W112 46.447
7.1 Fork L on Dike Trail (straight = VRRT)
N37 30.562 W112 46.142
8.5 L on Navajo Lake Loop N37 30.975 W112 45.625
8.6 R down to road N37 30.994 W112 45.659
L on road 100 feet
R on gravel road, west toward
dike
8.8 Up to edge of dike, R on dike N37 31.131 W112 45.852
9.3 ST at edge of dike N37 31.478 W112 45.663
9.4 Straight on Navajo Lake Loop N37 31.510 W112 45.662
12.2 At trailhead
Getting there, Navajo Lake Loop trailhead: From Cedar City, drive up the canyon on U-14 for 25 miles. Turn right on the Navajo Lake road
FR 053 and drive
5.4 miles past the lake. Turn right on dirt road at the sign (if you reach
Te Ah, you went too far). The road will turn back to the east. Park at the
trailhead 0.4 miles from the paved road. Water: Te Ah campground.
Bathroom: Lake Loop trailhead.
Cascade Falls overlook trailhead: Drive to the Navajo Lake
road as above. 0.3 miles later, turn left on FR 370 and drive 1.1 miles.
Turn right on FR 054 at the sign for Cascade Falls. Drive 1.5 miles and
park. The trail cross the road near the parking strip.
