The Candy Cliffs in the Yant Flat area of the Cottonwood Forest Wilderness are one of the most beautiful areas in all of Utah.

These cliffs are relatively accessible from the Cottonwood Forest Road 031 being about 1.2 miles from the parking area.

There are two areas to explore. The area to the right and straight ahead from the main trail is fairly deep with one large hill that can be ascended. There is also a stream that runs down the right side with many pools. There is another area east of this which is more open and bowl shaped and is possibly more interesting with some petroglyphs.

Trail Rating

Overall rating = moderate

Distance: 2.4 miles return to the cliffs plus off trail exploration – easy
Elevation gain: ~900 feet depending on how much climbing you do – difficult
Terrain: Sand trail to the cliffs then slickrock travel – moderate
Exposure: High slickrock cliffs which must be descended with caution – moderate

To see the trail rating system used here see Trail Rating System

Getting There

Take exit 23 from the Interstate I15 and turn right onto Silver Reef Road. Follow the paved Silver Reef Road for 1 mile where it changes to the Oak Grove Road.

Follow the paved Oak Grove Road 0.4 miles where the pavement ends at a bridge and the Dixie National Conservation Area sign.

From here follow the gravel forest road 032 up the hill bearing right at an intersection a short ways along. Continue on road 032 to the Oak Grove Campground Road which turns to the right. This junction is 3.2 miles from I15. Keep straight ahead at this junction where the road changes to Forest Road 031.

Follow road 031 in a westerly direction for another 7.3 miles for a total of 10.5 miles from I15 to the Yant Flat trail opposite Road 903. Park on either side of Forest Road 031 at Road 903.

Road Condition

The Danish Ranch Road, forest road 031, is a fairly good quality road for the most part. There are some rutted and rocky sections which need a high clearance vehicle to navigate.

The Trail

The trail is along an old road running south from the parking area at road 903 along Forest Road 031. It gradually ascends along the sandy trail to the cliff edge about 150 higher and 1.2 miles distant.

From this point you can explore the cliffs to the east and to the west. Directly opposite where the trail reaches the cliff edge is a beautiful knoll which you can descend to and from there climb to the top. The route that we took down to this hill was a short distance south east of where the trail reaches the cliffs. The slickrock slopes are fairly steep so you need good footwear.

Access to the east area is down a steep trail into the relatively open bowl. Here there are many colorful hills to explore. Off to the extreme right of this bowl is a stand of bushes and just beyond these bushes and down a small ledge are the petroglyphs.

You can spend hours exploring the cliffs to the east and west.

Here are some pictures taken on along the trail to the north west section of the cliffs.

Here are some pictures taken on along the trail to the south east section of the cliffs.