A Cedar City community
Living in Hillcrest.
Cedar City's southwest side climbs onto Leigh Hill here, and Hillcrest is one of the established neighborhoods worked into that slope. Homes step up the grade for elevated valley and mountain views, most with a daylight or walkout basement underneath, and at the base of the street sit the Aquatic Center, the stocked Lake at the Hills, the ballfields, and Cedar Middle School.
I am Scott Buehler, a Southern Utah resident of 20-plus years and a licensed REALTOR and lender. This is the honest version of what the hill offers, what it costs, and what I would check on the grade before you buy or sell up here.
New to the area? Start with the Cedar City guide, then come back for the hill.
Current listings
Homes for sale in Hillcrest.
No active listings today. Hillcrest is a small, established pocket on the hill, and the people who land here tend to stay for the view, so it can sit quiet with nothing active for weeks at a time. The moment a home here lists, it shows up on this page the same day it hits the Iron County MLS. Prefer to hunt on your own? Open the map search or start from the homepage.
Buying here
Be first in line when one lists.
I keep a short list of buyers waiting on this hill and I read the Iron County MLS every morning, so when a Hillcrest home comes up I can get you in before the weekend crowd. Tell me what matters most to you up here, whether it is a true walkout, a west-facing view line, or a lot inside a short walk of Lake at the Hills, and I will line up the showing.
Selling here
Own a home in Hillcrest?
Buyers check this exact page hoping to find your street. When you are ready, list it with me and get featured on MovingUtah. Start with an honest read on what your home is worth.
Listing information comes from the local MLS and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
On this page
Life on the hill
Hillside streets with the valley spread out below.
Hillcrest sits on the southwest side of Cedar City, on the Leigh Hill grade that gives the Mesa Hills neighborhoods their name. You reach it off Royal Hunte Drive, and from there the streets climb, so the higher lots look out over the valley and across to the Iron Mountains one way and Cedar Mountain the other.
It feels different from the flat subdivisions down on the valley floor. Homes are set into the slope, most with a daylight or walkout basement, and the grade sheds water and melts snow a little faster up here. At the bottom of the hill, almost side by side on Royal Hunte Drive, are the Cedar City Aquatic Center, the stocked Lake at the Hills, the Field at the Hills ballfields, and Cedar Middle School.
I tour it as a view-and-grade neighborhood, because that is what drives value here. Two homes with the same floor plan can be worth very different money depending on where they sit on the hill, which way they face, and whether the basement opens to daylight. Reading that grade correctly is the single most useful thing you can do before you fall for any one listing up here.
Hillside highlights
The southwest side has its own logic.
A handful of things make this pocket of the hill its own place, and each one is specific: a stocked lake and a pool at the base, a middle school you can see from the street, the Iron Hills trails a short drive south, elevated valley views, quick access to the airport, and a slope that shapes every home on it.
Lake at the Hills, a couple of minutes down
The stocked lake sits behind the Aquatic Center on Royal Hunte Drive, open for fishing, swimming off a sandy beach, and kayak rentals in summer. Few Cedar City neighborhoods have a lake and a pool at the bottom of the street.
A middle school at the base of the hill
Cedar Middle School sits at 2215 West Royal Hunte Drive, right where the hill meets the valley floor. For many Hillcrest streets the middle-school run is a short trip down the grade rather than a drive across town.
Iron Hills singletrack to the south
The Iron Hills Trail System, a 30-mile network on BLM land, is a short drive south by way of the Southview Trailhead, where the easier Lichen It trail climbs the lower slopes and links to the flow trails above.
Views that come with the grade
Because the streets climb Leigh Hill, the higher lots look west to the Iron Mountains and east toward Cedar Mountain. The view is the reason the slope exists, and it is priced into the better lots.
The regional airport, minutes west
Cedar City Regional Airport sits off Highway 56 at 2560 Aviation Way, a short drive from the hill. It keeps the west side close to daily flights and the rest of the map.
A grade that shapes every home
The fall of the land means daylight and walkout basements are common and no two lots sit at the same elevation, so I compare a home's position on the hill before I ever compare price.
Homes & lots
One neighborhood, priced lot by lot.
Hillcrest is an established single-family neighborhood, platted and built in phases as the Leigh Hill slope filled in. You will not find a single repeated product here; the homes vary, and what they share is the grade. Because the ground falls toward the valley, daylight and walkout basements are the norm, and many homes carry a view off the back.
So I read it lot by lot rather than as one average. Position on the hill, the direction a home faces, and whether the lower level opens to daylight can separate two otherwise similar houses by real money. A recent three-bedroom on the hill of about 1,590 square feet listed near $440,000, which is a useful single data point, but I would not price the next home off it without checking the view, the grade, and the condition first.
The slope is the quiet detail behind all of it. A well-graded lot with a walkout and a west-facing view is a different property than a flatter interior lot on the same street, even at the same square footage. It is also why I look hard at how each specific lot sheds water and where the driveway climbs before I get excited about the view.
For buyers, read the grade before you judge value. For sellers, do the same before you choose comps, because on a hill the right three comparables matter far more than any neighborhood average. Confirm everything against the live listings.
On a hillside, two homes with the same floor plan can be two different properties, priced by the lot they sit on.
Trails & outdoors
Water at the base, dirt to the south.
Hillcrest has the unusual luck of water at the bottom of the hill and singletrack a short drive away. Lake at the Hills sits at the base off Royal Hunte Drive, and the Iron Hills trails climb the benches to the south. Here is the honest tiering, from walk-from-home to day trip.
Lake at the Hills (at the base)
Behind the Aquatic Center on Royal Hunte Drive, the stocked lake has a sandy beach, non-motorized boating, and kayak rentals from late May through August. The paved city path runs from here, an easy walk or ride from most of the hill.
Iron Hills Trail System (Southview)
A short drive south, the Southview Trailhead opens the Iron Hills network. The easier Lichen It trail climbs the lower slopes of C mountain and links to the Lava Flow flow trail and the rest of the system.
The C Trail and overlook
From the C Trailhead on the southeast side, the four-plus-mile C Trail climbs to the C Overlook for a long view over the valley and connects to the downhill flow trails above. One system, an easy lap or a real climb depending on the day.
Three Peaks Recreation Area, ~15 min
Out on the northwest valley floor, the BLM's Three Peaks area opens more than 6,000 acres of mountain-bike singletrack, OHV trails, disc golf, and room to camp.
Farther out, State Route 14 climbs east into the high country toward Cedar Breaks National Monument and Brian Head, a seasonal drive once the high road clears for the year.
Trail details come from the BLM Iron Hills pages and Cedar City parks and recreation. The wider outdoor picture, Cedar Breaks and Brian Head included, is in the Cedar City guide.
Errands & drive times
Errands, measured in minutes.
This is the practical answer to how far everything sits from up on the hill. The short version: the airport and the freeway are quick, downtown and the grocery run are a straight shot down the grade, and the pool and lake are at the bottom of the street. Times are measured from the heart of the neighborhood near Royal Hunte Drive; from the upper lots, add a minute or two.
| The errand | Where it happens | From the hill |
|---|---|---|
| Pool, lake, and ballfields | Aquatic Center & Lake at the Hills, Royal Hunte Dr | ~2 min |
| Full grocery run | Lin's Fresh Market, 150 N Main Street | ~7 min |
| Second grocery option | Smith's Food & Drug, 633 S Main Street | ~6 min |
| Freeway on-ramp | Interstate 15 at Exit 57, SR-14 via Cross Hollow Rd | ~6 min |
| Flights | Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC), Aviation Way | ~8 min |
| Healthcare | Cedar City Hospital, 1303 N Main Street | ~9 min |
| Campus and games | Southern Utah University | ~7 min |
| Dinner downtown | Historic Main Street | ~7 min |
| Mountain biking and OHV | Three Peaks Recreation Area (BLM) | ~15 min |
Farther out, the weekend map opens up fast: Brian Head's ski runs are about 45 minutes northeast, Cedar Breaks National Monument is roughly 35 minutes up State Route 14 in season, the Kolob Canyons gate of Zion is about 25 minutes south on I-15, and St. George is an hour. The full day-trip map lives in the Cedar City guide.
Schools & education
Schools, by the facts.
Hillcrest is part of the Iron County School District. The closest elementary is Iron Springs Elementary (grades K-5), at 235 North 4050 West, about two miles west across the valley floor. Cedar Middle School sits right at the base of the hill at 2215 West Royal Hunte Drive, and it feeds Cedar High School at 703 West 600 South. This side of town falls on the Cedar High attendance side rather than Canyon View on the north end.
Boundaries can shift, so confirm the current assignment for any specific home directly with the district rather than guessing from a map. For independent school information, GreatSchools and Niche both publish data you can weigh for yourself. Southern Utah University is about seven minutes away toward the center of town.
I cover the bigger education picture, including SUU, in the Cedar City guide.
At the base of the hill
The lake at the bottom of the hill.
Here is the thing that actually sets Hillcrest apart, and it is not up on the hill, it is at the bottom of it. Where the slope meets Royal Hunte Drive, Cedar City put four things almost side by side: the Aquatic Center with its indoor and outdoor pools, the stocked Lake at the Hills, the Field at the Hills ballfields, and Cedar Middle School. Most Cedar City neighborhoods drive to one of those. Hillcrest looks down on all four.
Lake at the Hills, also called Leigh Hill Reservoir, is the centerpiece. It has a sandy beach, allows fishing and non-motorized boating, and rents kayaks and paddleboards through the summer, with the paved city trail running from the shore. In practice it means a summer evening can start at your front door and end at the water without a car.
None of this is a promise about any one home, and hours and programs change season to season, so I check what is actually open before I lean on it. But the cluster at the base is real, it is walkable from much of the hill, and it is a genuine reason people want to live up here.
On Royal Hunte Drive, at the foot of the neighborhood
- Cedar City Aquatic Center, with indoor and outdoor pools, a lazy river, and a water slide.
- Lake at the Hills (Leigh Hill Reservoir), with fishing, a sandy beach, and summer kayak rentals.
- Field at the Hills, the city softball and ballfield complex off Royal Hunte Drive.
- Cedar Middle School, at 2215 West Royal Hunte Drive, at the foot of the neighborhood.
Details come from Cedar City's parks and recreation pages. Hours and seasonal programs change, so confirm current details with the city before you rely on them.
What locals know
The details I would slow down and check.
Hillcrest rewards a buyer who reads the hill: the grade, the view line, the walk to the water, and the exact position of the lot. These are the four things I would walk a friend through before they get attached to any one address up here.
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Position on the hill is the price. Two homes with the same square footage can be worth very different money depending on elevation, the direction they face, and whether the basement walks out. Read the lot before the list price.
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Confirm the view from the actual room. A west-facing lot looks to the Iron Mountains, but the view from the living space depends on the exact home and what is built below it. Stand in the room before you pay for the view.
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The lake is the amenity, and it is public. Lake at the Hills and the Aquatic Center at the base are the real draw, and they are city facilities open to everyone, so the value is simply in how close you live to them. Check the current season hours.
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Snow and water run downhill. The grade sheds runoff and melts snow faster than the flats, which is mostly a benefit, but it means how a specific lot is graded and where its driveway climbs matter. I check drainage on the actual parcel before I call it a safe bet.
Buy or sell here
The buyer side and the seller side.
Buying in Hillcrest
Hillcrest sits on Cedar City's southwest side, worked into the Leigh Hill slope near Royal Hunte Drive, one of the established neighborhoods that share the Mesa Hills setting. The streets climb the hillside for elevated valley and mountain views, and at the base of the hill you reach the Aquatic Center, Lake at the Hills, and Cedar Middle School within a couple of minutes.
Hillcrest is an established single-family neighborhood of homes built into the natural grade, so daylight and walkout basements are common and no two lots sit at quite the same elevation. There is no cookie-cutter product here; the draw is the slope, the view line, and how each home uses its spot on the hill.
Hillcrest is part of the Iron County School District. The closest elementary is Iron Springs Elementary, grades K-5, about two miles west, while Cedar Middle School sits right at the base of the hill on Royal Hunte Drive and feeds Cedar High School. This side of town falls on the Cedar High attendance side rather than Canyon View, but boundaries shift, so confirm the current assignment for any specific home with the district.
Yes, and the best of it is at the bottom of the street. Lake at the Hills sits at the base of the slope with fishing, a sandy beach, and kayak rentals in summer, and the paved city trail runs from there. For dirt, the Iron Hills Trail System is a short drive south by way of the Southview Trailhead, and Three Peaks Recreation Area is out on the northwest valley floor.
Turnover on the hill is light, so the honest answer is to price against whatever is actually live rather than a fixed range. A recent three-bedroom on the hill listed near $440,000 as a single data point, but a view lot or a full walkout can move a home well off that, so I read each one against current comps before I name a number.
The grade is the whole personality of the place. Because the ground falls toward the valley, most homes get a view and a basement that opens to daylight, and the slope sheds water and melts snow faster than the flats below. It also means the specific lot matters: I look at how each one is graded and where the driveway sits before I get attached to any view.
Ready to look? See what is on the market or tell me what you are after.
Selling in Hillcrest
Price to the hill, not to the flats. A view lot, a walkout basement, and a well-placed position on the slope are worth real money here, and comps pulled from the flat west side can miss that. Getting the right hillside comparables in front of the buyer and the appraiser is the most useful thing you can do up here.
List it with me and your home is featured across MovingUtah, on this page, on the Cedar City hub, and in the featured listings buyers browse on this site. The get featured page walks through exactly how that works.
I start with live Iron County MLS comps, then weight the things that actually drive value on the hill: the view line, whether the basement is a true walkout, the elevation and grade of the lot, condition, and how close the home sits to the lake and Cedar Middle. Then I set the number against what is really selling, not a stale average.
Yes, but on a purchase I take one role only, never both. I can work as your real estate agent or as your lender, and the role is disclosed before we move forward.
Thinking about it? Start with your number or see how featuring works.
Keep exploring Cedar City
Want a closer look at Hillcrest?
Buying, I can pull whatever is live on the hill and read it lot by lot, so you are paying for the right position and the right view instead of a neighborhood average. Selling, I will price your home against the hillside comps that actually match it, not the flats below.
Selling in Hillcrest
Want to sell your home in Hillcrest? List it with Scott Buehler and get featured on MovingUtah.
No best-agent claims and no guaranteed-price promises, just honest pricing that reads the grade, the view, and the walk to the lake before it ever names a number.