The temps are FINALLY starting to drop and if you are looking for a fun new hike to try, Candy Cane Cliffs is one of the best hikes in the area that almost no one knows about. Officially know as Yant Flat, this hike has some of the most unique and beautiful rock formations in Southern Utah.
Yant Flat lies at the base of Pine Valley Mountain, high above the city. As you see the area from St George, Yant Flat is where the Red Cliffs NCA ends and Pine Valley Mountain begins. On the trail, after an easy, gradual uphill climb through the pine trees for about a mile, you arrive at a dramatic landscape shift of stunning rock formations. The red and white Navajo Sandstone with its honeycomb weathering is fun to explore and stunning to look at. Arriving at the sandstone playground from the forest you walk through to get there feels like you are walking out of one world into a completely different one.
Located 30 minutes from town, the dirt road that accesses Yant Flat is accessible with any car or truck when the road is dry. From the trailhead to the ‘trailtail’, the hike is about 1.5 miles, making the roundtrip loop a little over 3 miles long. If you choose to stay above the sandstone, the total elevation gain is only a few hundred feet. This is a great, short hike that most can do. If you are looking for more miles, this area offers almost endless route options, especially if you like to bushwack.
