‘Goddesses’ trail completed
Hiker-only path goes through sandstone formations at Red Rock Canyon
One of the key Red Rock Canyon Open Space trails - a hiker-only segment through scenic sandstone “fins” - has been
completed.
![]() Coreen Toll, who has helped lead the effort with her husband, Shanti, said the completion gave her “a sense of accomplishment. Before this,” she added, “I'd take it for granted when I hiked a trail.” Master-planned as a place to walk and appreciate nature, the trail is closed to cyclists and horses, according to City Parks Development Manager Chris Lieber. Toll thanked the many people who have volunteered on the trail, which required two major sets of timber steps and several rock walls. With signage planned soon, hikers will be able to access the trail near the open-space parking lot off High Street and take it up to an intersection with a pre-existing dirt road that is to be designated a trail. The Contemplative Trail passes through rock formations above the Sand Canyon area in the west part of the open space. Sand Canyon, which is between the trail and the Crystal Hills subdivision farther west, is to remain natural. For the final workday, about 30 people pitched in, including about 10 people from a Mormon youth group. The only other hiker-only segments in Red Rock are the Red Rock Canyon path (which parallels the broader Red Rock Canyon Trail) and the dismount area along the Quarry Trail, Lieber said. The Red Rock master plan shows the trail as the Contemplative Trail. The hope of the Garden of the Goddesses Club is that it will come to be known by the name of the club that built it. The club was formed in hopes of instilling more awareness of feminine contributions to the city and the world in general. The Tolls had originally suggested naming Red Rock Canyon Open Space by that name. Westside Pioneer article |