Red Cliffs

BLM Red Cliffs National Conservation Area Through the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Congress designated the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) in Washington County, Utah, “to conserve, protect, and enhance…the ecological, scenic, wildlife, recreational, cultural, historical, natural, educational, and scientific resources” of public lands in the NCA. The new NCA is managed by the BLM St. George Field Office. Where is the Red Cliffs NCA? The NCA is located in south-western Washington County and includes 45,000 acres of public land. The towering Pine Valley Mountains and Dixie National Forest lie to the north, while the communities of Ivins, Santa Clara, St. George, Washington, and Leeds surround the NCA. The NCA boundary follows the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, a multi-jurisdictional land base that has been collaboratively managed by the BLM, the state of Utah, Washington County, and local municipalities since 1996 to protect the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise and other at-risk native species. What are the special values of the Red Cliffs NCA? Are there developed recreation sites and trails in the Red Cliffs NCA? More than 130 miles of non-motorized recreation trails for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trail riding, are available for public use in the NCA. The Red Cliffs Recreation Area offers camping and day-use areas in developed sites where fees are charged. Are there special restrictions in the Red Cliffs NCA? All motorized vehicle travel, including off-highway vehicles, is limited to designated roads in the NCA. No motorized or mechanized vehicle travel is allowed in the Red Mountain and Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness areas. There are also special restrictions for off-trail travel and the discharge of firearms in certain areas of the NCA. Detailed information can be found at: www.redcliffsdesertreserve.com. More Information: Information about the new Red Cliffs NCA can be found on the St. George Field Office web site at: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george.html St. George Field Office The Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert overlap in Washington County. In this transition zone, unusual plant and animal species have evolved, including the dwarf bear poppy and Shivwits milkvetch, small native plants that grow nowhere else on earth. The hot, arid Mojave Desert provides habitat for diverse wildlife species such as the kit fox, Gambel’s quail, and the Mojave Desert tortoise. This native tortoise is listed under the Endangered Species Act and is at risk of extinction due to habitat loss and other factors. The newlydesignated Red Mountain and Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness areas are also within the NCA. Here, hikers, backpackers, and horseback riders can enjoy scenic vistas, solitude, and natural quiet, just a few miles drive from local communities. T40S T41S T42S R17W Map Location R17W R17W Red Mountain Wilderness R17W St. George State Park Private US Forest Service USFS Wilderness Area Minor Roads State Existing BLM Wilderness New BLM Wilderness 1 Indian Reservation Washington 0.5 0 R14W 1 R14W 2 Miles 3 4 5 R13W Red Cliffs NCA Leeds 6 R13W 7 Black Ri Wildern St. George Field Office No warranty is made by the BLM for use of the data for purposes not intended by the BLM. This product may not meet BLM standards for accuracy and content. Different data sources and input scales may cause some misalignment of data layers. Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness BLM R15W Red Cliffs NCA R15W Congressionally Designated Boundary of NCA Red Cliffs National Conservation Area R16W Santa Clara Ivins R16W Bureau of Land Management - National Landscape Conservation System T40S T41S T42S