Stucki Springs Trail
via Bearclaw, Santa Clara, or Bloomington

The Stucki Springs Trail lies within the Bearclaw Poppy preserve southwest of St. George. The trail itself is about 10 miles long. While it lies in barren desert, it's a popular and well-traveled trail. The trail is intermediate technical but suitable for experienced conditioned beginners -- as long as you don't take the "Classic Stucki" plunge from the Race Course (see the options below).

There are many different riding options. You'll need to ride other trails to reach Stucki, so the typical ride will be 13 to 20 miles. I've tried to hold the options on this web page to 12-14 miles, within the range of the typical rider. Take more if you want to by adding other connecting trails.

The year is 2000. Bruce's bike Banana Thunder looks west toward the Stucki Spring area from the viewpoint above Green Valley (top of the Huntsman World Senior Games hillclimb race course). The terrain you'll ride is rolling desert.

Stucki Springs lies just inside the fence of the Bearclaw Poppy preserve. If forms a loop, leaving and rejoining Bearclaw Poppy. This photo March 31, 2019, as Bruce rides away from the 4-way intersection of Stucki's origin, Bearclaw's Uphill trail and the Bloomington Microloop.

Typical trail on the southern side of the loop. We're looking north toward the Pine Valley Mountains as the trail zips and dips. March 2019.

Westbound toward the edge of Cottonwood Wash.

Westbound along the edge.

Looking south as Bruce makes the last grunt up to the wash overlook. At this spot, the trail turns from westbound to northbound.

Looking north toward the red cliffs near Snow Canyon. We're on the return trip back to Bearclaw. This is a high-speed section with a lot of dips and turns.

Randy zooms down from the viewpoint above Cottonwood Wash on a "fun ride" before the 2002 Senior Games.

Just across the stepover gate on Bearclaw Poppy.

Cottonwood Wash overlook. 13-mile out-and-back. Head west on Stucki Springs to the viewpoint overlooking Cottonwood Wash (where the trail turns 90 degrees), then double back. From Bloomington, take the Bloomington Trail westbound (Bearclaw is one-way eastbound here). The trail twists and dips on hard-pack white clay as you head northwest under the slopes of Bloomington Hill. Never ride this trail when it's wet -- the clay is easily rutted.

Outbound on the rolling white clay of Bearclaw.

South of Clavicle Hill, fork left for the Stucki Springs trail. Follow Stucki to the ride's highest point at Cottonwood Wash. You'll know you're there when you reach a fence where the trail turns 90 degrees right (to the north).

Now backtrack the way you came. (Alternate: ride north on Stucki to the Snakepit trail, and use it as your return!)

Looking to the west from the viewpoint.

 If the above video does not appear on your browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking here.

Shortly after starting out on Bearclaw, fork left on the narrower Bloomington Trail. This trail is a little more difficult than Bearclaw, but not as scenic. It will drop into a wash for much of the trip. It parallels Bearclaw as it heads northwest. Go outbound on the Bloomington Microloop. Keep straight onto Stucki. Fork right into the wash and take Snakepit to the far side of Stucki. Fork left and circle around on Stucki. As you hit the 4-way, fork left to Clavicle Hill, then turn right on Bearclaw for the return.

View west from the Bloomington Microloop trail as we reach the Stucki Springs trail.

From the Preserve parking lot at the Barrel Roll trailhead, backtrack to the Stucki Springs road (or continue south and cross Cove Wash then veer left to join the road later). After the road dips through the wash and climbs over a hill, you'll spot the Stucki Springs trail to your left at a gate in the fence. Continue south on the trail.

On the Stucki Springs road after passing through Cove Wash.

We've just crossed the fence and are heading southwest on Stucki Spring.

This loop is 19 miles, strenuous aerobic, intermediate technical with a rare smattering of advanced technical. Start in the valley downhill from the official Bearclaw Poppy Trailhead (and north of the Zen trailhead). Cross the little wash and find the downhill section of the Green Valley race loop. Go up the downhill singletrack. Near the top, turn right at the fork, following the race loop backwards. 

Dominic cranks to clear the rocks while heading "up the down staircase" on the Green Valley race course. Photo 2000.

From the top of the mesa, this is the view back towards Green Valley. The trail can barely be seen heading across the valley below -- that's where you're headed if you ride the classic loop via Green Valley. February 19, 2000.

Heading west after dropping the big plunge from the GV raceway. The classic route is still well-marked with carsonite posts, even though the fence at the mesa top scares away the out-of-towners.

From the Bearclaw Poppy Trail parking area, head uphill to the step-over gate then ride the trail south. Popular options are:
(1) turning off Bearclaw onto the Stucki Cutoff trail, riding Stucki counterclockwise and returning via Bearclaw,
(2) continuing past Clavicle Hill to Stucki, then forking onto Snakepit and turning left on Stucki for a little loop and a return via Bearclaw, 
(3) out-and-back on Bearclaw plus the southern limb of Stucki to the overlook above Cottonwood Wash.

The stepover gate marks the start of the Bearclaw Poppy preserve. Tread lightly!

After dropping the Three Fingers of Death, head south in the Wash on Bearclaw. Just after the trail pulls out of the wash, watch for a trail on your right. (There will be three more trails over the next half-mile, some of which are harder to spot. They all join into the same northwest-bound path.) This trail takes you to the classic route just below the bluff. Fork left. As you approach the fence, fork left and ride Stucki to Clavicle Hill. Backtrack on Bearclaw.

We'll cruise right underneath the rock on the right. Follow the GPX track for this route.

Take Bearclaw to Clavicle Hill. Drop down, then drop another steep pitch to a trail heading south (Bearclaw turns left to the east here). As you reach a 4-way, turn right on Stucki Springs. Keep left to take Stucki Springs to the viewpoint above Cottonwood Wash (where the trail turns north). Backtrack.

Mike Engberson descends the loose clay of Clavicle Hill on the way to the Stucki Spring trail in 2000.

Head north on the doubletrack as though you're starting the Desert Rampage race. Follow the race course. When you hit the last doubletrack before Keyhole Wash, turn right. Follow it north until it drops down into a wash. Follow the wash all the way to the Stucki Springs Road. 

Heading northwest in Cove Wash, December 8, 2011.

When you reach Stucki Springs Road, turn left and follow the road. Keep left at the road fork (right takes you to the Rim Rock trails). After dropping down a hill, you'll find the singletrack across the fence on your left.

This area is water-carved slickrock.

View north of the Pine Valley Mountains as we climb away from the wash.

The Snakepit trail can substitute for a portion of the Stucki loop, either outgoing or returning. Go to the Snakepit page for a pretzel-shaped ride using Snakepit and Snakepit Rim with the southern limb of Stucki. 

View in The Snakepit on the new alternate route. (See GPX file.) Photo courtesy Shelby Meinkey 2010