Bureau of Land Management Red Cliffs NCA (9422654337)

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 Colorado Plateau, Great Basin Desert, and Mojave Desert overlap in Washington County. In this transition zone, unusual plant and animal species have evolved, including the dwarf bearclaw-poppy and Shivwits milk-vetch, small native plants that grow nowhere else on earth. The hot, arid Mojave Desert provides habitat for diverse wildlife, such as 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 newly-designated Red Mountain and Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness areas are also within this NCA. Here, hikers, backpackers, and equestrians can enjoy scenic vistas, solitude, and natural quiet, just a few miles drive from local communities.
More than 130 miles of non-motorized recreation trails (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 a developed site where fees are collected. 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, without special authorization from BLM.
Learn more about the NCA and plan your visit: www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/blm_special_areas/nati...

Photo: Bob Wick, BLM-California