Turtle Reserve in St George, Utah
Place: Red Cliffs Desert Reserve aka Turtle Reserve
Easy to Moderate Hiking Ability
Hi there! I am Melissa Daams aka cUtekittypUnk aka Dixie Kitty!
When I originally started this blog it was to record favorite recipes and review new food to me in the Netherlands.
I was an American expat living in Eindhoven, Brabant, Nederland (not too far from the Belgium border).
I lived there 10+ years. I raised my kids there, having four children, and now suddenly find myself back in the states.
Originally I am from St George, Utah, and I was born and raised here until my parents moved our family to Northern Nevada when I was 9 years old.
Most of my family and extended family left Southern Utah, and about a year ago 2014, my sister moved back here. Then my husband had enough of the Dutch weather and we are here, too.
It sure has changed a lot since I was a kid.
My hope is to review some dining establishments in the area and stuff to do for people with small children.
So far so good, I have only been here a few short months and I enjoy it immensely.
Pictured below, a beautiful day in early March 2015 - this reserve has several trails appropriate for school aged children and older. At the time of this visit, I was vacationing here, and I didn't know I would be lucky enough to live within walking distance to these trails!
Officially it is called Red Cliffs Desert Reserve but by many locals it goes by Turtle Reserve because the area is a reserve for desert turtles or tortoises. I have one faint memory from my younger days in St George when my Dad brought home a desert turtle he found some where... We were gonna keep it as a pet. My Dad built a fenced in area with wood and stuff, but by the next morning the turtle was gone. Something tells me that if these turtles can survive in the desert among these rocks that they must be incredible climbers and can find their way out of someones back yard. I guess our pet turtle was not meant to be.
Just for the record, I have never seen a turtle in the reserve, but I always stay on the trails, so maybe that is the reason why.
Beautiful St George view from Turtle Park (Red Cliffs Desert Reserve)
photos courtesy of Mark Daams
Easy to Moderate Hiking Ability
Hi there! I am Melissa Daams aka cUtekittypUnk aka Dixie Kitty!
When I originally started this blog it was to record favorite recipes and review new food to me in the Netherlands.
I was an American expat living in Eindhoven, Brabant, Nederland (not too far from the Belgium border).
I lived there 10+ years. I raised my kids there, having four children, and now suddenly find myself back in the states.
Originally I am from St George, Utah, and I was born and raised here until my parents moved our family to Northern Nevada when I was 9 years old.
Most of my family and extended family left Southern Utah, and about a year ago 2014, my sister moved back here. Then my husband had enough of the Dutch weather and we are here, too.
It sure has changed a lot since I was a kid.
My hope is to review some dining establishments in the area and stuff to do for people with small children.
So far so good, I have only been here a few short months and I enjoy it immensely.
Pictured below, a beautiful day in early March 2015 - this reserve has several trails appropriate for school aged children and older. At the time of this visit, I was vacationing here, and I didn't know I would be lucky enough to live within walking distance to these trails!
Officially it is called Red Cliffs Desert Reserve but by many locals it goes by Turtle Reserve because the area is a reserve for desert turtles or tortoises. I have one faint memory from my younger days in St George when my Dad brought home a desert turtle he found some where... We were gonna keep it as a pet. My Dad built a fenced in area with wood and stuff, but by the next morning the turtle was gone. Something tells me that if these turtles can survive in the desert among these rocks that they must be incredible climbers and can find their way out of someones back yard. I guess our pet turtle was not meant to be.
Just for the record, I have never seen a turtle in the reserve, but I always stay on the trails, so maybe that is the reason why.
photos courtesy of Mark Daams
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