Joshua Tree Scenic Backway (near St. George, Utah)
Did you know there’s a forest of Joshua trees in Utah? Tucked into the far southwestern corner of the state, this hidden pocket of the Mojave Desert feels like a miniature version of California’s famous Joshua Tree National Park—complete with funky yucca woodlands, world-class limestone climbing, and the chance to spot the elusive desert tortoise. The Joshua Tree Scenic Backway (sometimes called the Mojave Desert/Joshua Tree Road Scenic Backway) winds for nearly 19 miles across the Beaver Dam Mountains, linking Old Highway 91 with sweeping overlooks of Red Mountain, Snow Canyon, and the St. George Valley. This area is covered in Chapter 1 of my e-book, The Wanderer's Guide to Southwest Utah.
The approach on Highway 91 (shown above) is itself quite scenic. Expect big-skies, long views into the Red Mountain Wilderness and Snow Canyon country, and a classic Mojave plant community—dense stands of Joshua trees (Yucca jaegeriana), blackbrush, creosote, and bursage—right at the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert. The backway is roughly 18–19 miles, usually passable to high-clearance 2WD in dry weather; always check conditions. Access it from Old Hwy 91 west of St. George; the junction is well signed.
The Old Spanish Trail was a rugged trade route that followed Highway 91 through Southwest Utah, linking Santa Fe, New Mexico, with Los Angeles, California, during the early 19th century. Traders, explorers, and settlers used this network of paths to move goods such as woolen blankets, horses, and mules across some of the harshest landscapes in the American West. In Utah, the trail cut through red rock canyons, desert plateaus, and river valleys, leaving behind traces of campsites and wagon ruts that mark its difficult passage. It wasn’t a single, fixed road but rather a series of routes adapted to terrain and seasonal challenges, making it both a lifeline for commerce and a grueling test of endurance.
Southwest Utah’s stretch of the trail highlights the blend of cultures and histories that shaped the region. Native peoples had long used many of the same corridors for travel and trade before Spanish and Mexican traders adopted them, and later American pioneers and settlers followed. The trail brought not only goods but also cultural exchange, connecting distant communities across the desert frontier. Today, parts of the Old Spanish Trail are preserved as a National Historic Trail, offering visitors a chance to walk or drive segments that echo with the footsteps and hoofprints of those who braved its demanding route nearly two centuries ago. Where you see cutouts like those in the photo above, you are near a section of the Old Spanish Trail.
Climbing along the backway
This corridor doubles as a gateway to some of the St. George area’s best limestone. The route passes spurs leading into the Woodbury Desert Study Area, where the Woodbury Road Crags (GPS 37.01784, -113.85191) —aka Kelly’s Rock, Black & Tan, and The Solstice—offer dozens of bolted routes on clean limestone. Approaches are short on good dirt tracks; 70–80m ropes and a healthy rack of quickdraws are the norm.
Farther north and east, the broader Utah Hills zone includes well-known sectors like Gorilla Cliffs (GPS 37.069459, -113.828926) and the Wailing Wall/Cathedral complex (Welcome Springs). These are higher, breezier crags with vertical to slightly overhanging pocket-pulling; shade and aspect vary, making shoulder seasons especially good. Access is via signed dirt roads branching from Old Hwy 91 and nearby connectors used by the backway. Always drive and park on durable surfaces and avoid cryptobiotic soil.
Camping & regulations
Camping rules change as you cross jurisdictional lines. Along the backway:
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Within Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area (NCA): Camping is limited to 39 numbered, designated sites equipped with steel fire rings. First-come, first-served; 14 days max in any 28-day period. Use only the provided rings when seasonal fire restrictions allow, and drown, stir, and feel your fire dead out.
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Outside the NCA on adjacent BLM lands: Traditional dispersed camping is generally allowed where previously used sites exist—choose durable, already-disturbed pads and keep vehicles within 30 feet of the roadway unless signed otherwise. (If in doubt, default to designated sites inside the NCA.)
There are no services on the backway. Bring all water, pack out all trash (including micro-trash from tape and tag ends of rope), and keep group sizes low to preserve the area’s quiet feel.
Desert tortoises: driving, camping, and climbing with care
You are in active habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1990. Tortoises spend much of the year in burrows and are most visible in spring and early fall—especially after rains—when they forage and move between burrows. Population stressors include habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, raven predation on juveniles, disease, and unmanaged OHV use. That makes your fieldcraft matter.
Practical guidelines:
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Drive slowly on the backway, especially on warm days; tortoises bask or cross roads. If you spot one in the road, stop until it moves off on its own—never pick up or “help” a tortoise unless directed by wildlife authorities.
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Camp and climb away from burrows. Burrow entrances look like half-moon holes; avoid crushing them with tires or foot traffic. Keep dogs leashed.
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Do not feed wildlife and secure food/scraps; supplemental food boosts raven numbers, which increases predation on young tortoises.
Trip logistics
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Season: Year-round with best conditions October–May; summers are hot with little shade. Storms can make clay sections slick—don’t rut wet roads.
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Navigation: Carry a paper map or offline GPS from Chapter 1 of our Southwest Utah ebook. which shows the backway, climbing spurs, and the Woodbury Road Crags waypoint.
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Natural highlights: Joshua tree woodlands on the eastern Mojave fringe; bighorn country in the upper drainages; broad views over St. George valley and Snow Canyon.
More about Joshua trees
Joshua trees are one of the most iconic plants of the American Southwest, and they’re special for several reasons:
1. They only grow in a very limited range.
Joshua trees (Yucca jaegeriana in Utah and Nevada; Yucca brevifolia in California) are native to the Mojave Desert. Utah’s Joshua Tree Scenic Backway is actually the northern and eastern edge of their natural range, which makes it one of the few places outside of California where you can see these “forests.”
2. They’re not actually trees.
Despite their name, Joshua trees are a type of yucca, part of the agave family. They can grow over 30 feet tall, branching in wild, twisted forms that give desert landscapes a surreal, almost Dr. Seuss–like character.
3. They’re ancient desert survivors.
Some Joshua trees may live hundreds of years. They thrive in harsh desert conditions—intense sun, little rain, alkaline soil—where few other large plants can survive. Their fibrous leaves and shallow but wide-reaching root systems help them capture and store scarce water.
4. They depend on a single pollinator.
Joshua trees have a fascinating relationship with the yucca moth, which is the only creature that pollinates their flowers. In return, the moth lays its eggs in the blossoms, and the larvae feed on a portion of the seeds. It’s a rare example of true mutualism in nature.
5. They’re ecologically important.
Joshua tree groves provide habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. In Utah, they share the desert with the threatened Mojave desert tortoise, making this ecosystem both fragile and unique.