Babylon Area
The Babylon area is located immediately north of the Virgin River between the communities of Leeds and Hurricane, Utah. It is a fairly remote area accessed primarily by irregularly-maintained dirt roads and jeep trails. The area is characterized by rugged, austere environments, extraordinary red rock mountains and unique formations, as well as riverine environments in a canyon complex. Seven trailheads are located in the area including the Toquerville Mine, Sand Cove, Sand Cove Primitive Recreation Site, Mineshaft, Historic Babylon, East Reef, and Babylon Mill Site. A total of thirteen trails are situated in this exceptional area including the Babylon Road and Sand Cove Access (both open to motorized travel) and the Arch, Flicker, Sandstone Mountain, Sidewinder, Red Tail, Raven, Mineshaft, Historic Babylon, Little Purgatory, East Reef, and Virgin River trails. Motorized travel is allowed on the Babylon Road, the Sand Cove Access road, the unnamed access to County well-heads, and portions of the Sandstone Mountain trail not otherwise marked as closed to such travel. All other areas are closed to motorized vehicles for wildlife and resource protection. The area is accessed off Old Highway 91 immediately north of the town of Leeds by taking the road known as 900 North and travelling 1½ miles on blacktop and sandy segments to the northern boundary of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve/NCA. High clearance vehicles are recommended and 4WD vehicles are strongly encouraged to navigate rough or steep sections of the access roads. Trails in this area are often hiked or ridden in various configurations of loops and linked connections. Summertime temperatures can be extreme and require good judgment and appropriate preparation on the part of visitors to ensure safe travel (especially adequate water and protection from the sun). Wet weather can also make travel on the access roads difficult and dangerous in some locations requiring extra precautions. Most lands within the area are public lands administered by the BLM in the Red Cliffs NCA. Some small, isolated pieces are owned by the Virgin River Land Preservation Association or the State of Utah and administered by the Division of Wildlife Resources. See the individual trail narratives for specific photos and route descriptions.
