Yant Flat: A Guide to Hiking The Candy Cliffs of Utah

Wander Among The Epic Candy Cliffs of Utah on Yant Flat

When you think of hiking in Utah, you’re most likely imagining the state’s Mighty 5 National Parks. Epic parks such as Zion, Arches, or Bryce National Park come to mind for the average traveler.

While these parks are must-see places for any nature lover, it’s highly recommended to explore other less-visited nature spots throughout Utah. Also, popular national parks usually involve heavy tourism, crowded trails, and high prices, especially when visiting during peak season.

Despite our love for the Mighty 5, we wanted to see some of the more secluded parks and hikes Utah has to offer. Which honestly happens to be great alternative during times like 4th of July weekend. Nathan and I were considering Zion, but had heard it hit full capacity. FULL CAPACITY!!

If you’re doing the same, or maybe craving a more intimate experience in nature, then be sure to check out the many less-trafficked trails. One not to miss is the unique Candy Cliffs of Utah known as Yant Flat. A true geological wonder found deep in the dry desert.

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What Are the Candy Cliffs of Yant Flat?

So what is Yant Flat you ask? Many consider it a hidden gem of southern Utah and for good reason.

These desert “flats” are essentially colorful rolling hills of sandstone rock formations. Similar to the the famous Wave of Arizona, this colored rock is made up of swirls of red, orange, yellow, pink, and even white wavy bands that stretch across a wide, rocky plateau.

Alongside the colors are interesting quilted-looking patches that reside within the rock. These were formed from geological processes of extreme joints and cross-bedding.

Both create a beautiful pattern and surreal-like environment to roam about.

How Do I Get There?

Yant Flat is about 1 hour away from the popular city of St. George. If you’re not already staying here, know that this is one of the larger cities in the southwestern region of Utah.

You can find a wide variety of lodging, restaurants, shopping, groceries, and any other supplies you need. We stayed for a few nights in St. George and found a multitude of incredible hikes nearby, Yant Flat being one of them.

To reach Yant Flat, it does require some off-roading on a slightly rugged dirt road. While 4-wheel drive is preferred, it’s still possible to make the drive on a 2-wheel drive sedan. We ourselves didn’t have much trouble trekking out in my Toyota Corolla.

Although if you do venture out in a smaller car, we recommend traveling in from the east side from the town of Silver Reef. It’s a faster, less-rugged route compared to the western route near Snow Canyon State Park.

From Silver Reef, expect a 30 minute drive over 8.5 miles of dirt road. Follow Oak Grove Road till it turns to gravel, then go right to start on Forest Road 032. This eventually turns into Forest Road 031 which you will stay on the entire way to the trailhead.

The easiest thing to do would be to just plug Yant Flat into Google Maps when you’re in Silver Reef and it will give you this exact route.

After 8.5 miles, the Yant Flat Trailhead is on the left side of the road. Technically the trail to reach Yant Flat is named Anna’s View Point Trail. You can park anywhere off to the side.

Hike Details

Distance: About 2 miles roundtrip – can be extended longer
Elevation: 300 ft
Route Type: Out and back
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Time to Complete: 2-4 hours

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

Preferred seasons to hike are fall & spring, try to avoid hiking in the summer as temperatures can reach 90°F – 100°F
Expect full sun exposure with the exception of minor shade from a few trees off the trail
- To prep, bring a protective hiking hat, sunscreen, and enough water to stay hydrated while hiking
Wear proper hiking shoes as this trail takes you through dirt, sand, and steep rock once at Yant Flat
- Consider these 3 Performance Day Hiking Shoes should you need a pair for day hikes
If hiking in the warmer months, expect to be swarmed by lots of flying bugs like flies and gnats
- These things are ruthless and follow you the entire way but let up once you reach Yant Flat
No restrooms available on site

Overall, this is a fairly quick hike if you go directly from the trailhead to Yant Flat and back. You could extend the hike longer if you choose to roam more around the flats.

Once at Yant Flat, we wandered around the area for about 1 hour, taking pictures and exploring the landscape. In total, it took us about 3 hours to complete the hike. Granted we took our time and moved at a slow pace since we were hiking during the summer.

Starting the Trek to Yant Flat

After parking and prepping your gear, find the trailhead on the left side of the road from where you drove up. This first portion of the trail is mainly flat and takes you through the heart of the Utah desert in the lower forest base of Pine Valley Mountain.

From the start of the trail all the way up to Yant Flat, you’ll walk for about 1 mile through a lovely desert/forest scene of red dirt and green foliage.

You can’t see Yant Flat up ahead, but if you turn around, you’ll see majestic mountain ranges off in the distance. Surely in the winter these peaks are most likely snow-capped which would add to the already beautiful scenery.

The scenery doesn’t change much during this part of the trail. However, we still enjoyed the easy walk along the flat trail as well as all the unique sounding bugs in the area. Loud buzzing, clicking, and even high pitched screeching sounds were coming from all directions.

BEWARE THE BUGS IN THE WARMER SEASON

We completed this hike during the hot month of July (crazy right?) so the bugs are definitely more abundant during this time. Besides hearing all the strange sounds, we were unfortunately pestered persistently by tons of small flies.

Whether you’re walking or standing, these bugs are ridiculous and will hound you relentlessly. When standing still for only a few seconds, I saw about 30 flies flying and crawling just around my legs.

I’m sure if you visit outside of summer, you’ll have a much more enjoyable walk to Yant Flat since you’ll be avoiding the intense heat and all the bugs.

Despite the fact, we managed to find beauty in our surroundings and still managed to be happy out here.

Reaching Yant Flat Over The Hill

Once you reach a sandy incline, you know you’re getting close. Somehow the trail goes from densely compacted dirt to straight up soft sand. Trekking up this felt like we were at the beach and provided a little bit of a workout. If you’ve never hiked in soft sand before, well expect it to be twice as difficult.

After you reach the top, the trail disappears and you’ll start to see your first view of Yant Flat.

Follow the cairns, or small stacked rocks, that lead you down to the overlook of Yant Flat. Or if you don’t see the cairns, just keep walking forward you’ll eventually stumble upon the massive view of the sandstone flat.

From up here, you have the best view of Yant Flat. You can see the colorful rolling hills as well as the rocky mountains off to the side and in the distance.

Once you’re ready, trek down from either the left or right side to stand atop the flat. We chose the left side since the right side looked a bit steeper and trickier to get down.

The ground is fairly grippy making it easy to walk down or even scoot down on your butt. We had to do both.

Wandering The Candy Cliffs

Once you get down to Yant Flat, it’s time to freely explore!

From up close, you can see the intricate patterns of the joints along the rock as well as all the many different colors swirling throughout.

Streaks, patches, bands, and waves of oranges, reds, and whites make this place feel like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

Like little kids, it felt like we were just dropped off at a playground. We walked, skipped, climbed, and even laid about the fun & wonky terrain. Taking in each point of the area while admiring the scenic desert cliffs and views from a multitude of different spots.

We also noticed one amazing thing – ALL THE BUGS WERE GONE. What a relief!

Down near the middle, you’ll see one of the tallest points that you can climb up to. Reach the top and peer over the hill to see breathtaking views of the desert valley and far off mountain ranges.

The view alone makes it completely worth the mini climb up this hillside.

When standing below the Yant Flat hills, it’s easy to be thrown for a loop. Seeing the tall rolling sandstone above you can deter your sense of balance and make you feel bits of vertigo.

If anything, this just adds to the already surreal environment.

Feel free to keep exploring the sandstone hills outside of this main area. The flats stretch a bit further out than what you see initially.

Just be cautious of the cliff-sides as there are some drop offs that can be a little sketchy.

Once you’re done, climb back up the way you came to get back to the trail.

And we’ll admit, the climb back up is steep and required a few breaks on our part!

Experience The Desert A Different Way at Yant Flat

If you’re looking for a break from the busier national parks in southern Utah, then you need to check out Yant Flat for a one of a kind experience in nature.

Enjoy a quick 1 mile hike through the desert, then be rewarded with an extraordinary landscape of colorful sandstone hills and epic valley views. Out here, the freedom to explore is immense as you can walk across the flat freely without being restricted to an actual trail.

Wander curiously like you’re a kid again, relax with someone special to you, or just take in the peaceful serenity independently in what feels like a very spiritual environment.