East Reef
The East Reef trail is accessed directly from the East Reef trailhead near the southern end of the Babylon Road, about 3 miles south of the Reserve’s northern boundary. Parking is available for two or three vehicles. The trail winds about 1½ miles from its trailhead on the Babylon road to its northern junction with the Historic Babylon trail on the west side of the reef. Visitors will find the trail to be of moderate difficulty due to the ups and downs encountered while travelling over the reef. However, much of the trail on the west side follows old road beds that are level and composed of a firm dirt substrate. Total up and down elevation change is about 260 feet. The trail is signed but user cairns presently help hikers, bikers, and equestrians stay on the designated route going up and over the ridge (including some rocky sections) and in spots on the west side where the trail moves from one road bed to another. Dinosaur tracks can be found on light-colored sedimentary rocks along the east side of the Reef, just as they are near trailheads for the Historic Babylon and Mineshaft trail further north on the Babylon Road. From the top of the ridge at its southern end, visitors may have excellent views of the Virgin River corridor and lava cliffs immediately to the south. Petroglyph panels on the northern end of the trail on the ridge’s west side provide interesting opportunities for exploration. Visitors are cautioned to respect these archeological sites and report any vandalism observed in this area. The trail crosses lands administered by the BLM within the Red Cliffs NCA and land owned by the State of Utah and administered by the Division of Wildlife Services.
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- The Babylon Area Map shows the relationship of the Virgin River trail with all other trails in the Babylon complex.
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- This map shows how the Mineshaft trail starts and ends with the Babylon Road and the Historic Babylon trail.
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- The East Reef trailhead is located near the end of the Babylon Road and provides parking for two or three vehicles at this stepover.
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- Visitors will wind their way up over a steep ridge and may view the Virgin River from this southern overlook.
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- Once on the west side of the ridge, visitors will travel across an old jeep road running along the bottom of the ridge.
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- Partway back to the north, visitors will drop down into the wash bottom and follow user trails with some signing on their way to the northern end.
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- Observant visitors will find this beautiful set of petroglyphs in the northern segment of the trail. Visitors are asked to be respectful of these historic features and to avoid any additional markings.
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- The trail then returns to a dirt jeep road as it climbs in elevation heading north.
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- Visitors will see this bad land environment to the west of the trail in what is called Little Purgatory.
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- The trail ends at this junction with the Historic Babylon trail with connections to the Historic Babylon trailhead, the Little Purgatory trail, and the Mineshaft trail.
