Southern Utah · St. George

Moe's Valley and the Zen Trail

The place

One of Southern Utah's most loved recreation and conservation landscapes.

Just southwest of St. George, Moe's Valley is a compact stretch of high desert famous for its sandstone bouldering - and home to rare wildlife found almost nowhere else. The area takes in the Bear Claw Poppy trail system, the Moe's Valley bouldering area, the Zen Trail biking & climbing network, and Green Valley Gap.

Most of it sits on state trust land inside Zone 6 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. These maps show what's out there - climbing, trails, habitat, and land status - so people can understand it and help protect it.

Why it matters

Protected today - but not permanently

3,400+
acres that could lose protection
65+
miles of trails at stake
4
federally listed species
1
irreplaceable landscape

More than 3,400 acres of Greater Moe's Valley could be removed from the protections tied to the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Those protections are linked to the Northern Corridor project - and if that project changes, the conservation lands could lose their status too. Without it:

  • Public recreation access could be reduced or permanently lost.
  • Habitat for the threatened Mojave Desert Tortoise could be fragmented.
  • Habitat for the endangered Dwarf Bear Poppy could be impacted.
  • State trust land could be sold and developed, permanently altering the landscape.

Meet the species that live here →

Stand with the orgs fighting for climbing

Two organizations do this work - join them

Southern Utah Climbers Alliance

The local nonprofit leading the fight for Greater Moe's Valley - on the ground, in the meetings, and at the trailheads. Your membership and dollars go straight to this campaign.

Join & support SUCA →

Access Fund

The national nonprofit that has protected America's climbing for 30+ years and backs 150+ local climbing organizations. A joint membership supports Access Fund and sends a share directly to SUCA.

Join Access Fund + SUCA → accessfund.org

And a local backbone: The Desert Rat, St. George's outdoor shop since 2009, whose gear, knowledge, and steady support have been critical to the fight for our open space. thedesertrat.net

Stay in the loop

Get campaign updates

Hearings, comment deadlines, and news move fast. Drop your email and we'll keep you posted on how and when your voice matters most.

No spam. We'll only email about protecting Greater Moe's Valley, and you can opt out anytime.

Share the trail

Tag your photos, help tell the story

Post your Moe's Valley and Zen Trail shots on Instagram with these hashtags so riders, climbers, and hikers can find them - and so the campaign can show how many people this place matters to.

See #moesvalley on Instagram →