Shell Game
Short lollipop in Paradise Canyon: Chuckwalla out, Turtle Wall slickrock, Paradise Rim views, then the flowy Halfway Wash drop and a paved spin back.
Your timesno timed runs yet
Ride mode times every run on its own: the clock starts when you roll out of the start and stops at the finish, with splits at each marked spot. Leave Ride mode on between laps and it re-arms when you're back at the start. Times stay on this phone.
Right now at the trailhead
Get the GPS file
Scan with a friend's phone, or tap below. Then open it in your ride app.
- iPhone: tap Download, open it from the Downloads bar, then Share → Trailforks, Strava or Garmin.
- Android: tap Download, then open the file and pick your app.
- Garmin: or drag it into Garmin Connect → Courses → Import on a computer.
https://bsqrd-designs.com/dirt/shell-game/
Getting there
Park at Chuckwalla Trailhead (Red Cliffs Desert Reserve)
West side of Bluff St (SR-18), about 0.2 mi north of Red Hills Pkwy, St. George, UT 84770
- Paved reserve lot shared with climbers and hikers. Fills early on weekends.
- Start and finish are the same spot. Follow the cue sheet and the arrows on the map.
Cue sheet
| 0.0 | Chuckwallasingletrack | 0.9 mi |
| 0.9 | Turtle Wallsingletrack | 1.0 mi |
| 1.8 | Paradise Rimsingletrack | 1.4 mi |
| 3.3 | Halfway Washsingletrack | 0.8 mi |
| 4.1 | Streetpavement | 0.6 mi |
| 4.7 | SR-18 Bike Pathpavement | 0.3 mi |
| 5.0 | Back at Chuckwalla Trailhead (Red Cliffs Desert Reserve) |
Know before you go
- Red Cliffs Desert Reserve is desert tortoise habitat. Stay on signed trails; several nearby trails are hiker only.
- Beck Hill is skipped on purpose. Sources disagree on whether it is open to bikes.
- Expect sand in the washes and a few slickrock moves on Turtle Wall and the rim. Walk anything that looks sketchy.
- Halfway Wash ends in a neighborhood, so the last 0.9 mi is pavement: a quiet street, then the SR-18 bike path back up to the lot.
Ride smart
- Water: plan on about 1 L for this ride. There's none on the trail.
- Signal is spotty. Tell someone your route and your time back.
- Emergency: call 911 and say "Shell Game ride, parked at Chuckwalla Trailhead (Red Cliffs Desert Reserve), St. George, Utah", plus the coordinates from Locate me.
- Wildlife: give horses, burros and anything with horns room, and never feed them.
- Stay on trail. Desert crust and mountain soil take decades to heal.
Report a problem or share a photo
Washout, closure, new fence or a missing sign? Got a great shot of a junction? Send it. It goes straight to Ryan; photos he approves show up on this page with your credit.
Trail photos
End ride?
Turn calls, the timer and your recording stop when the ride ends.