Red Cliffs National Conservation Area

Red Cliffs National Conservation Area
Red Cliffs Desert Reserve
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
A photo of the Red Cliffs with Pine Valley Mountains in the background
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area
A map of the United States showing the location of Red Cliffs National Conservation Area
A map of the United States showing the location of Red Cliffs National Conservation Area
Map of the United States
LocationWashington County, Utah, United States
Nearest citySt. George, Utah
Coordinates37°09′22″N 113°33′14″W / 37.156°N 113.554°W / 37.156; -113.554
Area44,725 acres (181.00 km2)
Established2009
Governing bodyBureau of Land Management
Official website

The Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is a 44,724-acre (180.99 km2) National Conservation Area located in southwest Utah, north of St. George at the northeasternmost edge of the Mojave Desert.[1] It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of the National Landscape Conservation System, and was created as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.[2]

The Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) is part of the larger multi-jurisdictional Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, which was created in 1996 to protect the habitat and populations of the desert tortoise and other species.[3] Part of the NCA was designated in 2009 as the Cottonwood Canyon and Red Mountain wilderness areas, which are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The Pine Valley Mountains and Dixie National Forest are north of the NCA. The NCA is located within the watershed of the Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River. There are over 130 miles (210 km) of non-motorized trails in the NCA.

  1. ^ "Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, Utah". Public Lands Information Center. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  2. ^ Holt, Rush D. (March 30, 2009), Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Washington, DC: Library of Congress, archived from the original on December 12, 2012, retrieved May 26, 2012
  3. ^ "Red Cliffs National Conservation Area". St. George Field Office, Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2012.