Trail guide · St. George / Santa Clara / Green Valley, Washington County

Santa Clara River Reserve and Zen Trail

St. George-area desert riding: Santa Clara River Reserve and the technical Zen loop.

Verify before you ride. E-bike rules differ by land manager and even by trail, and they change. Everything here was read from public pages on Oct 31, 2026 (America/Denver). We are not a land manager, and nothing on this site is legal advice. Check the agency and trailhead signs; when a source is missing we say "unverified."
Before you roll

No authorization found Santa Clara River Reserve trails are non-motorized. Zen: unverified.
Ask BLM St. George Field Office (435-688-3200) about e-bikes on the Reserve trails and on Zen before riding.

LocationSanta Clara River Reserve: trails along the Santa Clara River corridor; the Cove Wash trailhead is reached from St. George via Bluff Street, Sunset Blvd and Santa Clara Drive. Zen is a loop in Green Valley on the south-west corner of St. George.[1][2]
Managing agencySanta Clara River Reserve: BLM (page and brochure). Zen Trail: land manager not confirmed in the sources we read.[1][3]
E-bike statusNo authorization found Santa Clara River Reserve trails are non-motorized. Zen: unverified.
  • BLM brochure for the Santa Clara River Reserve: "All trails are limited to non-motorized users." BLM says it can identify non-motorized trails for e-bike use, and we found no such decision for the Reserve.[3][4]
  • Zen Trail: none of the official pages we read name the land manager or an e-bike rule for it. A local guide company lists Zen among trails where Class 1 is allowed; this is unconfirmed by any agency source we found.[5][2]
E-bike classesAll classes: no authorization found on Reserve trails. Zen: Unverified — check with the land manager.
DifficultyZen: advanced/expert technical, "probably the most technical ride in the St. George area," strenuous, about 1,100 ft of climbing (independent guide).[2]
The Reserve offers trails for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers (BLM). The independent guide describes the Anasazi trail complex there as "easy to technical."[1][6]
SeasonZen can usually be done year-round, weather permitting (independent guide). St. George area is described as a winter mountain biking destination.[2][6]
TrailheadZen: after a 2025 subdivision the trailhead moved south; park near the power substation south of the Bearclaw Poppy trailhead road (directions from Dixie Drive/Canyon View Drive on the guide page). Reserve: Cove Wash trailhead via Bluff St, Sunset Blvd, Santa Clara Drive (BLM).[2][1]
MoreZen loop 6.0 miles (6.6 with connector), elevation 2,700–3,450 ft, no bail-out options until about mile 5.[2]

We have not ridden or surveyed this trail for this page. Facts come from the numbered sources; official sources are labeled "official," and local business/blog sources are labeled secondary. Last checked Oct 31, 2026.

E-bike rules by land manager Trail finder

Sources

  1. official · BLM: Santa Clara River Reserve · checked Oct 31, 2026
  2. independent guide · Utah Mountain Biking (Bruce Argyle): Zen Trail · checked Oct 31, 2026
  3. official · BLM: Santa Clara River Reserve brochure/map (PDF) · checked Oct 31, 2026
  4. official · BLM: E-Bikes on BLM-Managed Public Lands · checked Oct 31, 2026
  5. commercial site (secondary) · Wild Mesa Mountain Bike Tours: E-Mountain Biking Southwest Utah (guide company; read via search excerpt only) · checked Oct 31, 2026
  6. independent guide · Utah Mountain Biking: St. George area · checked Oct 31, 2026