Red Cliffs Desert Reserve

Church Rocks

This trail is a popular slickrock, biking trail and is a nice, scenic trail for hikers as well.  Access exists to the trail via a culvert under I-15 but has no legal standing and involves private property just south of the City of Washington’s large water tank.  Another I-15 underpass is available from a community trail starting in the Sienna Hills development on the south side of the highway that connects directly into the Grapevine trail.  For many users, the trail is best reached from the Grapevine trailhead via the Grapevine and Prospector trails, a distance of about 1.5 miles from the trailhead to the wash where the Church Rocks loop trail begins, or from the Cottonwood trailhead via the Prospector trail, a distance of about 5 miles from the trailhead to the intersection with the loop.

 The Church Rocks loop is a moderately difficult, mostly slick-rock trail, about 2.6 miles in length with an elevation gain of about 185 feet from the wash to the highest point on the ridge, and a total up and down elevation change of about 750 feet. To do the loop trail from the Grapevine trailhead, follow the Grapevine trail to its intersection with the Prospector trail and follow Prospector to one of its two intersections with the Church Rocks loop.  You may take the short connector trail to the Church Rocks loop that climbs to the upper section of the trail or take the Prospector trail east to the lower Church Rocks trail. There are several “illegal” trails in the area of the first part of the Prospector trail that can cause some confusion, but trail signs and cairns should keep you on the correct trail. The mostly slick-rock trail may not be inviting to some equestrians because of the hard substrate and some steep climbs on the red rock. The highlights of the hike/ride are the views of the beautiful Church Rocks formations just beyond of the eastern end of the trail and many unique, red rock formations along the way.  The trail lies entirely on lands administered by SITLA.