Bearclaw Poppy Trail
(historic Green Valley Trail)

Gary and Brian on the white clay near Clavicle Hill The Bearclaw Poppy Trail lies southwest of St. George. It joins Green Valley to the west side of Bloomington, curving scenically around Bloomington Hill. You can ride it from either end as an out-and-back (11 miles round trip), or grab a few city streets to make a 11.5-mile loop. You can also use this trail as a piece of a much larger ride including Stucki Springs (around 20 miles), or throw in the one-way westbound Bloomington Microloop for variety on an out-and-back.

This trail is a blast to ride. Highlights include a not-too-tough aerobic one-mile hill climb, a run down a desert wash, a series of short "scary but not too hairy" drop-offs, and a roller coaster hard-pack BMX course.  And you can ride it year-round -- at an elevation of 2700 feet down near the Arizona border, this trail never sees snow. We'd rate the trail moderate aerobic and intermediate technical. If you don't stop to play, it's very quick ride -- one you can easily hammer in the morning before work or golf.

Picture: Gary and Brian Argyle stop to admire the scenery. August 1, 1998

The Bearclaw Poppy Trail has an introductory video.  Click here for our video download page.

From the Green Valley end, the trail starts with a modest one-mile climb up the side of a sandstone canyon to warm you up. (That's if you ride to the trail from town. If you drive to the new parking area, you'll have only a short jaunt uphill before the real fun starts.) The trail descends into a roller-coaster BMX course in red, white, and orange desert dirt. (Hilltop GPS N 37° 05.162'  W 113° 38.831')

Gary descends from the bluff towards the "Lion's Paw" or "Three Fingers of Death." from this drop, the trail winds along the a wash (the dark streak at center right). Picture August 1, 1998

Gary rolls down towards the Lion's Paw, also called the "Three Fingers of Death"

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First the red stuff: the "Three Fingers of Death." Plunge down to the valley floor. Of the options here, the left "finger" is easier. Or hold to the right after the initial descent and find the singletrack that winds around at a more leisurely pace. (This singletrack will be your uphill route if you're doing the ride as an out-and-back.)

Next comes orange: "the wash." Rock and roll across the desert on the firm wash bottom.

Uphill on the hardpack From the wash, the trail goes on to the white clay of the "Acid Drops," the last of which is the dreaded Clavicle Hill! (GPS N 37° 04.209'  W 113° 39.299') Be sure to keep LEFT at the last drop. (Right goes towards Stucki Springs.)

Now it's on to the BMX course south of Bloomington Hill -- the "Roller Coaster." The trail rock'n rolls through hard-packed desert dirt. Awesome! Keep on the main trail at all times. Resist the temptation to "explore" -- whether on foot or bike -- because you're in the desert preserve.

Brian hits an uphill on the roller coaster ride towards Bloomington. Photo July 20, 1999. This photo available as wallpaper.
After a storm, watch the bottom of the dips for tire traps!

As the trail reaches Bloomington, you can turn around and do it all backwards, or take the city streets six miles back to the trail head. Be sure to catch the petroglyphs just past the end of the trail in west Bloomington.

Picture: Brian poses in front of ancient rock carvings. August 1, 1998

Buff biker and petroglyphs
Just for fanatics? NOT! In the winter, the temperature is nice at any time of day. We ride in shirt-sleeves in January. If you have younger children, we suggest you take them to the Bloomington trailhead, where they can ride the tamer stretches of white clay trail on the Bloomington end.

During the summer, it's best to go early in the morning. If you start your ride by 7 a.m., you'll enjoy pleasant temperatures.

Kristen (age 10) rides along the edge of a wash below the cliffs of Bloomington Hill. March 5, 1999.
The valley floor is shale of the Chinle formation of the late Triassic. During that time (about 220 million years ago), this corner of Utah was covered by shallow sea. The sea gave way to red mud-flat and flood deposits of the Moenave formation. The bluffs are capped with lava flowing from volcanoes of the late Cenozoic. The volcanoes in this area are an extension of the northern Arizona volcanic field, and were very active around 8 million years ago. 

Savannah (white helmet, Dominic's daughter) and Kristen (right, Bruce's daughter) enjoy the rolling clay trail on a warm late-winter's day. March 5, 1999.

The Bloomington end of the trail is fun for kids
Green Valley Trial Map Getting there, Green Valley: Take the Bluff Street I-15 exit in St. George and turn west. Immediately turn south (left) at the first light. Go over the hill and at the T intersection at the bottom of the hill turn right. Head northwest about two miles on Dixie Drive. Turn left at Canyon View Road, heading uphill toward the Green Valley Spa. (If you reach a "Green Valley Market" with gas pumps, you just passed it. Turn around and backtrack to the second road on your right.) Drive past the spa onto dirt at the end of the road. Turn right at the top of the mesa, then immediately left to drive down into the deep valley. You can park here and ride to the road that climbs the RIGHT side of the little sandstone canyon. Or, you can stay in your car and turn right on dirt, then drop left down into the valley 100 yards later. Follow the improved gravel road up to the parking area about 3/4 mile later. Trailhead N 37° 05.509'  W 113° 37.689'

Bloomington: We recommend that youngsters go to the Bloomington end of the trail! Go to the west end of Navajo Drive in Bloomington. Go across the cattle guard. See the low rail on the fence 100 feet to your right? That's the trailhead. Bloomington N 37° 03.116'  W 113° 37.362'
Riding resources for the Bearclaw Poppy Trail:
Larger detail maps:
Trail topo map in GIF format:  Bearclaw.gif
Larger-area map including Stucki Springs loop:  StuckiLoop.gif
Track files (to download, right-click and select "Save target as..."):
Garmin Mapsource track files: Entire Area, Bearclaw, Stucki Springs Long Loop, Stucki Springs Short Loop, Bloomington Microloop:  
National Geographic TOPO file of area:  Stucki-Bearclaw-Bloomington
Graphic exchange format (Topofusion) trail files:  Bearclaw, Stucki-Loop, Link-to-Stucki, Bloomington Micro westbound, Bloomington return.
Google Earth:  Entire Area, Stucki Springs Long Loop, Stucki Springs Short Loop, Bearclaw, Bloomington Microloop:  
Quick on-trail guide:  Printable, one-page riding guide to this trail!

For lodging in the St. George area, as well as travel guides and information on other activities, may we suggest:
Things to do, lodging links:  http://www.utah.com/stgeorge/   http://www.go-utah.com/St-George 
Snow Canyon:  http://www.utah.com/stateparks/snow_canyon.htm 
Red Cliffs Recreation Area - Camping:  http://www.ut.blm.gov/stgeorge_fo/sgfored_cliffs.html 
Quail Creek State Park:  http://www.utah.com/stateparks/quail_creek.htm 
 St. George BLM info:  http://www.ut.blm.gov/stgeorge_fo/ 
Zion National Park:  http://www.nps.gov/zion/    http://www.zion.national-park.com/   http://www.zioncanyon.com/ 
Utah National Forest Camping and Picnic sites:  http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/maps/brochures/camp_picnick_utah.pdf

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Original review 1998. Latest update ride 2007.
Copyright 2007 Mad Scientist Software Inc