In this view from Trail 281, the Pine Valley
Mountains loom above Cedar Knoll.
Cliffrose Trail System
aka Spring HollowThe Cliffrose (Spring Hollow) trail system is on Forest Service land a few miles
north of St George, on the south slope of Cedar Knoll near the Pine Valley
Mountains. The system is complex, offering many different types of riding
and variable mileage. With an elevation varying from 4950 feet at the trailheads
to 5850 on Trail 262, the expected riding season will be April through
December.
The trail system is still under construction in 2024, with
11 trails finished for a total of 16.5 miles. (In summer 2024, no active
trail construction is underway because of fire danger. You are welcome,
and encouraged, to ride these trails!) My checkout ride to hit every trail
was 23.5 miles with 2000 vertical feet of climbing.
Trails are currently designated with numbers rather than names. The numbers
change at each trail fork, so each segment has a unique number. Some trails -- or combination of trails -- are known by name, but these names may change as the system matures.
Boulders abound on Trail 264 on the eastern side of
the system.
The Twin Knolls, seen here looking south from Trail
150 at Spring Hollow, can be appreciated from multiple trails at different
elevations.
The Forest Service has opened the completed portion of the
system for riding in order to compact the trails and prevent weed
overgrowth. All trails are temporarily open for two-way riding for now, but will be downhill-only when the system is complete. Where the preferred direction is known, I suggest you ride in the "soon to be official" direction.
In general, the system seems designed for one-way loops. I
suggest you create your loops using obvious climbing trails (such as 130/131)
and known descending trails (such as 281) for your downhill.
The lower-elevation trails near the Spring Hollow trailhead
appear relatively uninviting to the newcomer. This area has been subject
to repeated fires, and is a sea of cheat grass with corpses of trees in
varying degrees of disintegration. Don't let that deter you, because the
terrain -- and the riding -- get steadily better as you gain elevation.
The positive side of the relatively bare hillside on the lower mountain
is that the trails are butter smooth dirt ribbon with only an occasional
manufactured rock rollover. There are loop rides of varying length on the
lower mountain that are suitable for beginners.
Trail 130 is an example of barren -- but very easy --
lower-elevation riding.
Easy riding and unrestricted views on Trail 202.
A short ride for beginning riders would be 150 north from
the lower (Spring Hollow) trailhead to 130, down 121 and across Cottonwood Road to 120
(signed as 150 at the other end) and back to the trailhead. This is 2.5
miles with around 150 feet if climbing.
A longer easy ride is 150 north to 130, continuing uphill on 131 and then west across the mountain on 202. The downhill on 220 (Flo Mo) takes you back to the trailhead. This is 7 miles.
The higher-elevation areas of the Spring Hollow trail system
are on a brown-dirt slope covered with a litter of large volcanic
boulders. The forest is a combination of juniper, cedar, and pinion pine.
Between trees, there's sage and low scrub.
The upper trails are also significantly more technical. The trails wind
around to dodge huge boulders, with more than a little rock embedded in
the trail. Again here, some rock gardens are placed for a riding challenge
-- while others provide a ramp to get up and across a monster boulder.
On lower Trail 281, we're riding through pinion and
cedar forest toward Cottonwood Road.
Looking north while winding back and forth on Trail
262.
The upper trails, such as 230 and 262 through 264, are for expert
or aggressive upper-intermediate riders. The "type" of technical
here is similar to Broken Mesa -- boulder dodging and banging across rock
challenges. And that's not every rider's favorite kind of biking.
A loop climbing 130/131 and 202 to 230, across the mountain eastbound to 263, down 281, then
back to the trailhead on 120 is a satisfying ride for stronger skilled
riders. This ride is 9.6 miles with around 850 feet of overall climbing.
Rock gardens abound on the upper mountain. We're
descending upper 281 in this photo.
Parking at FR 901/Cottonwood Road.
Via Cottonwood RoadOn St George Blvd, turn north on 1000 East. Turn right on Red Hills
Parkway. After around 1/2 mile, turn left (north) on Cottonwood Springs
road. Now continue north for 8 miles. When you pass the Broken Mesa
trailhead turnoff, drive exactly one mile further. When you see FR 901
coming in on your left, the lower trailhead is on the right.
A second
trailhead is 0.6 miles further up Cottonwood Road. Turn left when you reach FR 321. In
100 yards, turn left into the primitive parking area. Shown: Spring Hollow
(lower) trailhead.
There are no bathrooms, water, camping spots, or other services at either trailhead.
Parking along FR 321 just above Cottonwood Road.
Via Diamond Valley ConnectorHead north out of St George on Highway 18 (the continuation of Bluff St).
At Diamond Valley, turn right on Diamond Valley Drive. Turn right at
Saphire Drive, then right again at Amethyst Drive. It will curve around.
Just before Amethyst rejoins Saphire Drive, turn right on a small road
with a Lava Ridge trailhead sign. Stay on FR 901 for 4 miles, and it will
end on Cottonwood Road. The lower trailhead is straight across.
To reach
the upper trailhead, turn left for 0.6 miles, then left on FR 321 and left
into parking after 100 yards. Shown: upper trailhead on FR 321.
Individual Trail DescriptionsTrail 120
Trail 120/150 drops southeast from Cottonwood Road
across from FR 321.
The trail along the edge of Spring Hollow is signed as 120
on the eastern (uphill) end at the intersection of FR 321 and Cottonwood
Road 031. But it's signed as 150 at the lower trailhead at the
intersection with FR 901.
I will refer to this section of trail as 120/150 or sometimes just 150.
This segment is 1.1 miles long, with 100 feet of elevation loss when
ridden from east to west. See the listing for 150 for more details.
Trail 121 climbs north from Cottonwood Road.
Trail 121 joins the intersection of trail 130 and 131 to the
intersection of FR 321 and Cottonwood Road 031. (At this dirt-road
intersection you'll also find the bottom of Trail 281 and the top of Trail
120/150.)
Trail 121 passes immediately behind the primitive parking on FR 321. It
lies in juniper forest with a bit of sage and an occasional meadow of
cheat grass.
Trail 121 is butter-smooth, with a very gradual rate of
elevation change. It's 0.5 miles in length, with only about 50 feet of
climbing when done from FR 321 to the 130/131 fork.
One rock garden is built into the trail. Kids will probably want to
walk this. It's only around 15 feet long.
One singular challenge on Trail 121.
Trail 130 meanders through the fire scar toward the
Pine Valley Mountains.
Trail 130 begins on Trail 150, just 0.1 miles north of the
lower (Spring Hollow FR 901) trailhead. It forks to the right and begins a
gradual climb through an old burn scar. Toward the top, it enters a sparse
forest of juniper.
The combination of Trail 130 and Trail 131 has been designated "Green Climb" on Trailforks. It's the easiest way uphill, but it's a two-way route.
Trail 130 is very smooth and easy riding. It's 0.8 miles
long with just under 150 feet of climbing when done from west to east. In
this direction, it ends at the three-way trail fork with 131 and 121.
Entering a grove of cedar and juniper on 130.
Trail fork where 130 becomes 131 (on the left) and
Trail 121 forks to the right to descend. 121 links to 120/150 for a
loop.
The combination of Trail 130 and 131 from Trail 150 is a
good choice for less-strong riders to get uphill.
For riders who want a quick short ride, combine Trail 130 with 121 and
120/150 for a satisfying tiny loop ride.
Looking east at the top of Trail 131 where it can
continue as Trail 202.
Trail 131 is the climbing continuation of Trail 130 after
the fork with Trail 121. For the first 1.2 miles, it climbs northeast. As
it reaches its top elevation, there's a confusing interaction with Trail
281. A curving spur hooks you around to the right to the lower half of 281
-- which I believe will be a downhill-only trail in the future. Keep
straight and westbound to stay on 131.
Trail 131 ends at the trail fork with 202 and 264. At this
spot, Trail 202 can take you across the bench area on a long traverse to
trails 220 and 230 on the western side. At this time, 131 can be done in
either direction.
Trail 131 is 1.5 miles long, with around 200 feet of climbing. The
surface is smooth, as the terrain alternates between burn scar and
juniper/pinion forest.
Riding the opposite direction: climbing 131
northbound from Trail 130.
While most of Trail 131 is exposed dirt, you'll spend
a bit of time twisting through groves of juniper.
When riding 131 eastbound from Trail 202, there's an
incorrectly labeled trail intersection. At the fork, the trail to the left
-- currently showing a "131" marker -- will take you to trail
281. The trail downhill to the right is actually the continuation of Trail
131.
Looking north from Cottonwood Road. That's FR 901
(Diamond Valley Connector) on the right and Trail 150 on the left.
Trail 150 starts at the Spring Hollow lower trailhead, at
the junction of FR 901 and Cottonwood Road 031. Northbound on the left
side of FR 901, it extends 0.1 miles to an intersection with Trail 130 on
the right. The trail to the left is signed as 150 at this intersection,
but signed as 220 where it crosses the road just uphill.
Although I used the combination of 150 uphill and 220 as a route uphill during my exploration ride, it's now labeled on Trailforks as a downhill-only trail.
You would reach it either via Trail 230 or 201. The route combining 220 and 150 is designated "Flo Mo."
The trail going south along the edge of the trailhead
parking at FR 901 is signed as 150 on this end, but as 120 where it
originates at FR 321 near the upper trailhead.
This segment of trail is 1.1 miles long with 150 feet of elevation gain
when done from west to east. (Most riders will enjoy doing it in the
downhill direction.)
On Cottonwood Road, looking south at the entry signed
as 150.
Looking west as we make the gentle descent along the
edge of Spring Hollow.
Trail 120/150 descends to the edge of the cliffs above
Spring Hollow, then follows that edge before heading back to Cottonwood
Road.
This is a pretty section of trail, and absolutely should be included on
any loop ride you make.
Nice view to the west from Trail 202 as we pass
through scrub regrowth. We're looking toward the Snow Canyon area.
Trail 202 is an easy traversing trail that crosses the Cedar
Bench area. Although it passes through groves of juniper and cedar, most
of the trail is wide open, with views in all directions.
The surface of Trail 202 is smooth dirt, with only an
occasional challenge from embedded rock. It's a good choice for longer
miles on a beginner-level ride when combined with 220 and 131. 202 rides
well in either direction.
Trail 202 winds through juniper forest in a shallow drainage.
Another view of Twin Knolls to the south, this time
from Trail 202 and a bit higher in elevation than at Trail 150.
Trail 202 is 1.5 miles long with only about 50 feet of
elevation change. It's a good choice for packing on the miles without much
work.
Rolling through a steppe of cheat grass and juniper
as we climb 220.
Trail 220 and Trail 150 create a path from the Trail 230 intersection down to the Spring Hollow trailhead. The exact
point of transition between 220 and 150 is unclear at this time, as the lower segment of what I call 220
is signed as 150 at the bottom (0.1 miles uphill from the FR 901 parking)
and as 220 when it crosses the road just uphill.
Although I used the combination of 150 uphill and 220 as an uphill during my exploration ride, this route is now labeled on Trailforks as a downhill-only trail called "Flo Mo." To ride it in the downhill direction, you would reach the top of 220 either via Trail 230 or 201.
220 is a good climbing trail. It's 3.1 miles long with 350
feet of elevation gain. The riding is almost exclusively dirt ribbon, with
no technical challenges. Much of the trail runs through meadows, with a
grove of juniper/cedar in each shallow drainage you pass through.
It's an easy climbing route!
Partially marked trail fork, as seen looking from
Trail 230. Only 220 is numbered here in June 2024. To the right is 220;
left is Trail 202 for an easy traverse.
At the top, Trail 220 ends in a trail fork, with Trail 230
ahead and to the left. This is your path for continued -- and more technical -- climbing. To
the right, Trail 220 will traverse the Cedar Bench area for easier riding.
Banging and dodging rocks riding uphill on 230.
Trail 230 is the climbing continuation of Trail 220. But the
trail-surface character changes dramatically here. Trail 230 is an
upper-intermediate trail with significant embedded rock. The rock-banging
and rock-dodging will remind some riders of Broken Mesa.
After an initial winding climb of one mile gaining 100 feet
of elevation, Trail 230 turns to the east to traverse the hillside. It
will gently climb then descend over the next two miles. You'll have views
of the Twin Knolls to the east.
Another look south at Twin Knolls. We're now seeing
the mountains behind.
The trail surface of 230 is often bumpy!
Overall, Trail 230 is 3.3 miles long. Both ends are at the
same approximate elevation -- a bit over 5300 -- but up-and-down riding
will create around 200 feet of overall climbing either way.
Trail 230 ends at the trail fork where Trail 263 and 264
join. Uphill is 263, which will take you to 262 or to the top of the
downhill route 281.
Downhill at this intersection is 264, descending to the trail fork of
202 and 131.
Looking uphill from Trail 264 (unmarked) at the fork
for Trail 230 on the left and Trail 263 (unmarked) on the right.
Beginning the climb up Trail 262.
Trail 262 extends uphill from the intersection of Trail 263
with Trail 281. At this time, there's a dead end after 2.1 miles and 400
feet of climbing. It's worth doing, as it offers some nice riding up the
flank of Cedar Knoll.
The surface of 262 is mostly smooth dirt, but embedded
boulders occasionally break through the trail. Some have been engineered
into rock garden features, while others are simply there to dodge or bang
over.
A typical boulder challenge on Trail 262.
Almost to the dead-end.
Assuming that Trail 262 is open when you hit the Spring
Hollow trails, I do recommend that you climb it as an out-and-back. It's
worth the extra miles and the climbing!
I expect that 262 will become an upper-elevation loop in the
system. Because it's still under construction, please respect any closure
signs that appear once trailwork resumes after fire season.
We're now looking down at the Twin Knolls, with a
couple of mountain ranges visible behind.
Looking uphill as the trail picks its way through
huge volcanic boulders covered in lichen. We're just above the 230 trail
fork.
Trail 263 is a short 0.5 mile segment that connects the 264
/ 230 trail fork to the 262 / 281 fork uphill.
The combination of Trail 264 and Trail 263 has been labeled on Trailforks as "Rick's Climb." This upper-intermediate route from Trail 131 to Trail 281 can be challenging in the uphill direction. My understanding is that this segment is a two-way trail.
The bottom half of 263 is fairly technical, with embedded
boulders and rock dodging. The uphill portion is easy cruising on dirt.
The pitch is 150 vertical feet over the half mile of the trail.
At the top, Trail 263 has a completely different
character.
Fun stuff!
I don't know how the 262-263-264 trails will fit into the
trail system once it's complete. It's a bit of a challenge to climb 263
and 264, and they feel more like downhill routes. I guess we'll just have
to wait and see. In the meantime, have fun in either direction!
Trail 264 is mostly rock dodging and rollovers.
Trail 264 links Trail 263 and 230 on the uphill end to 202
and 131 on the downhill end. It's only 0.3 miles long, with around 80 feet
of elevation change. It runs downhill when done north to south.
The uphill half of 264 is fairly techy, with massive
boulders to dodge or roll over. At the bottom, the trail breaks out into
grassy meadow as it approaches the intersection with trails 202 and 131.
The trail rides like it's intended to be a downhill
once the system is complete.
Rolling north in pinion forest on Trail 281
Trail 281 seems destined to become a downhill route. At the
top, it begins at the trail fork with 263 and 262. At the bottom, it ends
at the road fork between FR 321 and Cottonwood Road 031, just down from
the upper (321) trailhead.
Trail 281 has been labeled as "Rick's Ridge" on Trailforks. The route of Trail 281 plus Trail 120 is designated as a one-way downhill-only trail all the way to the Spring Hollow trailhead.
Trail 281 is 1.5 miles long, dropping 400 feet in elevation.
For the first half, it follows the cliff edge of the canyon descending
south from Cedar Knoll. This is a very scenic area, and should be included
in the ride plan for strong bikers.
Some of Trail 281 is technical due to the rocks. But
mostly it's just a straightforward flow trail.
Descending through a turn on the edge of a canyon.
At mile 0.8 of the descent, there's a trail fork. A
connector on the right can take you to Trail 131. (The signage on this
connector appears to be wrong in June 2024. It would be correct if the
post were simply turned around.)
After the 131 connector, Trail 281 continues downhill, then
flattens out as it approaches the bottom. It ends as it hits the
intersection of FR 321 and Cottonwood Road. Across 321, Trail 121 can take
you uphill to Trail 131 for another climb. Across Cottonwood Road, the
120/150 trail can take you along the edge of Spring Hollow and down to the
lower trailhead.
Southbound on the canyon edge.
Dropping away from the 131 connector on Trail 281.
The Cliffrose system at Spring Hollow is an excellent addition to St George's riding options.
Once you get above the barren dry lower trails, it's around 15 degrees
cooler than down in the valley. Looking forward to the completion of this
system, but it's very much worth your time right now.
Getting there:Via Cottonwood Road
On St George Blvd, turn north on 1000 East. Turn right on Red Hills
Parkway. After around 1/2 mile, turn left (north) on Cottonwood Springs
road. Now continue north for 8 miles. When you pass the Broken Mesa
trailhead turnoff, drive exactly one mile further. When you see FR 901
coming in on your left, the lower trailhead is on the right. A second
trailhead is 0.6 miles further up Cottonwood Road. Turn left on FR 321. In
100 yards, turn left into the primitive parking area.
Via Diamond Valley Connector
Head north out of St George on Highway 18 (the continuation of Bluff St).
At Diamond Valley, turn right on Diamond Valley Drive. Turn right at
Saphire Drive, then right again at Amethyst Drive. It will curve around.
Just before Amethyst rejoins Saphire Drive, turn right on a small road
with a Lava Ridge trailhead sign. Stay on FR 901 for 4 miles, and it will
end on Cottonwood Road. The lower trailhead is straight across. To reach
the upper trailhead, turn left for 0.6 miles, then left on FR 321 and left
into parking after 100 yards.
