Up in the winding hills of Washington county, someone had a great idea to make a trail for children. It is almost like a lost preschool garden in the middle of the juniper trees. The Children’s Forest at the Kiln used to have interpretive signs for plants and animals in the area, but most have fallen into disrepair. We love the idea of a nature trail for kids, and even without the signs, the trail was fun an interesting. It ends at a historical charcoal kiln, which is a lovely destination for little ones.
The Children’s Forest at the Kiln requires a short ride over gravel roads outside Leeds, Utah. The road is always passable by car, but you’ll need specific directions to find the trailhead. See our detailed instructions at the bottom of this post. You’ll know you are in the right place, because there is a nice stone marker announcing the trail at the small parking area.
The trail is short and easy to follow at just a half mile loop. We explored the entire loop and the walk was nice, even though we were disappointed that the signs were unreadable. We hope they make some repairs to these signs soon, because we love the idea of a nice educational trail with built in stops for toddlers.
The Children’s Forest at the Kiln Trail is appropriate for everyone. In fact, the only visitors we saw on a recent spring day were two octogenarians sitting peacefully in the shade next to the kiln. Though this adventure is a little off the beaten path, that adds to the charm. Give the Children’s Forest at the Kiln a try. If you are in the area, make sure to stop at the CCC Conservation Camp and Red Reef Waterfall.
Directions
Traveling south on I-15 take exit 23 (Leeds, UT) and turn right onto Silver Reef Road. Traveling north on I-15 take exit 22 (Leeds, UT) and travel north through town (Main Street) to Silver Reef Road (I-15 entrance for northbound travel).
Follow Silver Reef Road through the homes and subdivisions. Silver Reef Road turns to the south. Stay on the main road headed west which becomes Oak Grove Rd. After passing a final subdivision, the road drops into a creek bed, and turns to gravel. There is a Dixie National Forest Sign and a few hundred yards further is an information board. Continue right onto FR032 at the “Y”. Follow FR032 for 1.5 miles and then turn right to stay on FR032. Go another mile and shortly after the road crosses over Leeds Creek, look for a parking area on your right hand side.
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