Trail Head GPS: 40.363, -111.70082 Located in Pleasant Grove, Utah, this easy and fun hike is perfect to take the family or young scout groups on. The trail head is located next to the Kiwanis park at the end of E 200 S. There is a large dirt parking lot where the road ends. The trail is well groomed and very wide for those larger groups that explore this awesome hike. As you near the waterfall you will start to hear and see it through the trees. At this point of the trail you will also notice that the elevation of the trail will incline quickly. Total elevation change on this hike is roughly 375 feet. But don't worry, the hike is downhill the whole way out and will pass quickly as you walk back to your car. Watch the little ones around the top of the waterfall if you choose to make the climb up to the top as it is a tall drop off. Continuing on this trail will eventually lead to multiple other hikes that lead you through the Mt. Timpanogos area.
With waterfalls, swimming holes, and ancient pictographs, it’s no surprise that the Red Reef Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the St. George area. At just 1.5 miles round trip, this trail is excellent for everyone in the family, including children and beginners. Trailhead The Red Reef Trail begins near Campsite 2 in the Red Cliffs Campground, just before the road crosses Quail Creek in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area. Red Cliffs is located about 15 miles northeast of St. George. Directions from St. George Take Exit 22 off of I-15. Turn south onto Old Highway 91 and continue south for about 2 miles. Turn right at the signed junction for Red Cliffs Recreation Area. Continue under the freeway then turn left and follow the road into the Red Cliffs Campground. Directions from the North Take Exit 23 from I-15. Turn left off the exit, then right onto Main Street/Old Highway 91. Continue south for 3.5 miles to the signed junction on the right. Continue under the freeway then turn left and follow the road into the Red Cliffs Campground. Parking at the trailhead requires a $5 day use fee per vehicle. Parking spaces are very limited, making access difficult on busy weekends. The BLM may even turn cars away during peak usage due to lack of parking. NOTE: The freeway underpass used to access Red Cliffs will not accommodate vehicles taller than 11’9”. The Hike The Red Reef Trail begins by traversing a sagebrush-covered bench above Quail Creek before dropping down to the watercourse. The trail follows the creek for a short distance before a well-worn path appears on the left. This leads to the upper falls and moki steps, but it is worth following the stream another 150 yards to the base of the lower pools and waterfall (37.228237,-113.410511). Beyond the lower falls, keep an eye out for a large alcove on the right (37.229305,-113.410987). Most hikers pass by this, but it makes a great side trip if you have the time. This alcove, likely once used by ancient Native Americans, contains at least two pictographs. Appreciate the rock art without touching it so that it can be preserved for future generations. Do not add to graffiti on the walls. The canyon narrows just beyond the alcove. Those trying to keep their feet dry might have a tough time as the trail approaches a few more pools and small waterfalls. Just to the right of the upper falls there are deep steps cut into the rock face that are commonly known as moki steps. You can use the moki steps to access the more difficult sections of the canyon above, but for most, this is the turnaround point of the family friendly section of the Red Reef Trail. Relax at the pools and enjoy the scenery before returning the way you came. Round trip mileage is approximately 1.5 miles. Rules and Regulations A day use fee of $5 per vehicle is required. Pay fees at the self-pay station near the entrance to the campground. You may use Federal Inter-agency Annual, Access, and Senior Passes for day use fees. Stop by the self-pay station for more information. All pets must be on leash no longer than 6 feet. No littering. Pack out what you pack in. Special Considerations Quail Creek has high potential for flash flooding. Do not enter the canyon if it is raining, if the creek is flowing swiftly, or if there is a high chance of precipitation. If you notice a sudden change in water clarity or flow, seek higher ground. The depth of the pools can vary, especially after flood events. Never jump into a pool without first verifying depth. Area: Red Cliffs Nearest Town: Washington, UT Difficulty: Easy* Distance: 1.5 miles round trip Dog Friendly: Yes, leashes required Optimum Season: Year round Latitude: 37.224395 Longitude: -113.406284 Usage: Heavy Credits This trail guide by Backcountry Post.
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My Cub Scout Son is selling these awesome cards to support his way through scouting. Half of the purchase price goes directly into his scouting account to purchase gear, uniforms, and his way through camp.
Purchase your card here and we will mail it to you!
Price of the card is $20.00 with a $1.00 shipping and handling fee to offset the cost of stamps and the Paypal fee.
This card has hundreds of dollars of deals and free items! Plus 1 adult gets into the 2016 Scout Expo and The Big Outdoors Expo in Provo, UT for FREE!
This #WebelosWednesday we take a look at requirement 2B of the Webelos Duty To God In Action.
2B: Discuss with your family how the Scout Oath and Scout Law relate to your beliefs about duty to God.
I personally have recited the Scout Law since I became a Boy Scout 25 year ago... Wow that makes me sound old! I fully believe that if you adopt these words and practice them in your daily life, they will make you a better person and draw you closer to your family and Father in Heaven.
This in n' out 5 mile hike is one that you will remember forever. Wonderful hike for the whole family to take. The entire trail is sand which will slow your pace down, but children 5+ should not have too many issues. Remember, your legs are just a bit longer than the kids so don't rush too fast. Along the trail there are 14 markers / information stops (Points of interest include; Fremont Indian granaries, petroglyphs, and wildlife). These work great to gauge your distance as number 14 is the end of the trail where it meets the Lower Falls. The hike, for the most part, follows Calf Creek through a beautiful red rock canyon. At the end of the trail is the 126 foot Lower Calf Creek waterfall. The pool is roughly 10-15 feet at it's deepest point and the water feels like one degree above freezing when you first jump in. Pack a lunch and relax on the beach in the middle of a canyon in Escalante, UT.
Parking: Just off of highway 12 near Escalante, UT. The trailhead is located within Calf Creek Campground. Day use parking is $5.00 and overnight camping is $15.00/day. The trail is very popular and parking can become an issue during holidays. Best to start this hike early morning so you beat the heat and the rush of other hikers.
This #MeritBadgeMonday we take a look at requirement #6 of the Genealogy Merit Badge. I have heard on a few occasions that you do not know where your going unless you know where you have been. This is very true when it comes to genealogy. You do not fully know who you are until you know who you came from. For some it might be knowing why and how your family is really good at making raspberry jam. For me, it's understanding why there is a love of working with your hands and gardening. Usually we tend to like and do the same things that our parents like and do... and where did they start? Traditions in my mind define our families. In a good way our traditions separate us from others (how boring would it be if everyone was good at everything) and make us unique in this big melting pot of a world. One why of showing your lineage is through a Family Tree or using a Fan Chart. An excellent resource on creating these images is FamilySearch.com. This website is owned and maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Another great website is Ancestry.com Family Tree
Imagine crossing a swampy area in your canoe and you hear the distance rib-it rib-its. Do you know if it is a frog or a toad?... The hint is in the area where you hear the croaking. Since you are in a swampy area, the chances are extremely high that you just heard a frog. Even though frogs and toads are of the same animal group they are very different animals. Below are some ways to identify between a frog and a toad. Frogs:
Narrow Bodies
Eyes are large, round, and high on the head
Skin is smooth and moist
Habitat is near water
Longer hind legs
Able to jump high and long distances
Many predators
Toads:
Do not require their home to be near water
Wider / flatter bodies
Hind legs are shorter and less powerful
Will take small hops and sometimes will run rather than jump
Skin is dry, bumpy, and rough
Eyes are lower on the head and almost "football" shaped
Not many predators. Their skin lets out a bitter taste and smell that burns the eyes and nostrils of its predators.
Awesome Critter Video posted on YouTube by NatureNorth of the 7 week hatching and growth cycle of a frog.
#HowToTuesday
Cub Scouts love to cover their hands with sticky, gooey stuff... and then touch your couch and curtains, or rub it into the carpet. GAK is a fun science experiment that satisfies those needs to have gooey stuff in you hands and produces a fun toy for them to take home (and rub into the carpet at their own homes). You will need the following items per boy:
8 oz of white school glue (like Elmer's, but any brand works great)
1 tsp Borax (found in the laundry detergent isle)
8 oz of hot water
4 oz of cool water
Mixing bowls
Measuring Cups
Food Coloring (optional)
1 tsp Spoon
2 spoons (use separate spoons during the first steps of mixing)
Lets start mixing!
Empty out the glue into the mixing bowl. To make sure that we get all of the glue out I like to fill the bottles 1/4 full of cool water (2 oz) from the tap and shake out the rest. This is where the 4 oz of cool water comes into play. You should now have 8 oz of glue and 4 oz of water in your mixing bowl. Place a few drops of food coloring in and start mixing until all ingredients are completely incorporated. Next, measure 8 oz of hot tap water in your measuring cup and add 1 tsp of Borax. Mix these two ingredients together until the Borax dissolves in the water. Don't worry, the water will be a little cloudy and its alright if there are a few particles of Borax floating around in the cup. This next step is when the magic happens. Pour the Borax water into the mixing bowl of the glue/water mixture and start mixing together. Instantly as you combine the two mixtures you will see the reaction beginning. Eventually it will become to thick for you to mix with the spoon... time to get your hands dirty. Complete the mixing process by squishing the mixture with your hands and fingers. Store your newly created slime in a zip baggy for the boys to take home.
Tips:
If you have been mixing for ever and there seems to still be a large amount of water at the bottom of the bowl. Remove your GAK and pour out the water into the sink. Place your GAK back into the bowl and mix again until it is a smooth / rubbery consistency. Repeat if needed.
Optional food coloring... I would suggest using the food coloring. Especially if you have a large group of scouts. The boys will recognize which GAK is theirs based on the color they used or even better, what color they created with multiple colors.
Wash your hands after use. Borax has been known to irritate your skin if left on too long.
Keep it away from the carpet. It is somewhat easy to pick it off the carpet... unless someone has stepped on it. Also, do not let it sit on your clothing. It will adhere itself to any fibers and will actually try to travel through the fabric (found this one out the hard why with my daughter and her t-shirt).
On this #MeritBadgeMonday we take a look at Req. 4c of the Sports Merit Badge 4c. Draw diagrams of the playing areas for your two sports. With Super Bowl approching us this weekend, it only seemed fitting to have the diagram for Football be our first pick. As you look through all the diagrams for each sport's playing field ask yourself the following: What items are similar between each sport? What makes each sport unique? How many are played on grass? How many positions are associated with each sport? Are numbers always present with each sport? Which sport are you running the most in? and any other questions you can ask yourself...
01/19/2015 Today we honor a great man who not only had amazing contributions to the civil rights of all people, he also fully understood what it meant to be a Boy Scout. Thank you Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for your contribution to the rights of all and for living the Scout Law.
With the recent outbreaks of Measles at Disneyland and this time of year being the busiest with cases of Influenza, we thought it would be a good time to cover a few things for the Public Health Merit Badge on this #MeritBadgeMonday.
Leaders: As many of you know, your voice can only travel so far. Especially as a group of Scouts are talking or firing at the shooting sports range. The following (world wide) whistle commands relate to Archery.
Two whistle blasts: archers may proceed from the waiting line to the shooting line.
One whistle blast: archers may place an arrow on the bowstring and begin shooting.
Three whistle blasts: archers may walk forward to the targets and pull their arrows.
Four or more whistle blasts: stop shooting immediately.
For Scouts: It is of the most importance of safety to follow the Range Master's commands at all times.
#MeritBadgeMonday
