Southern Utah Getaway
Even though I am originally from Russia, I consider Southern Utah my home; after all, I spent quite a big chunk of my adult life there. This place developed my love of hiking and nature in general and this is where @rocknroamgirl was born. Of course, Southern Utah is rich with views, so some of the suggestions are not typical destinations for tourists, but gems that I was able to explore and fell in love with as a local back in the day.
Before you go…
Know that summer time feels lava hot in this part of Utah! Prepare for early morning and later evening hikes, and potentially hiding out somewhere with AC during the day. October through May the weather is generally very pleasant. If you are not scared of the sweltering summer scorchers, let’s plan a perfect summer Southern Utah getaway!
Getting there:
Southern Utah, and its epicenter, St. George, is about 390 miles from Los Angeles (5-6 hour drive depending on the traffic), 120 miles from Las Vegas (1.5-2 hours), and 300 miles away from Salt Lake City (4.5 hours away). St. George is a great place to find accommodations; another option is Hurricane.
DAY 1: Snow Canyon and Beyond
Sunrise at Snow Canyon
I highly recommend you begin with exploring the desert portion of Utah with Snow Canyon State Park.
Here are the trails to check out:
1. Scout Cave trail is 4.4 miles with near 600 ft elevation gain hike with a large open cave as a destination.
2. Jenny’s Canyon is a short 0.3 mile hike to a slot canyon, which I consider a must see here.
4. Butterfly, Lava Flow Overlook, West Canyon Road and Petrified Dunes Loop is a 2.8 mile loop trail that combines with itself 3 different views of this park - Butterly (1.1 mile). Lava Tube (2.3, includes the Butterfly in itself), Petrified Dunes (1.2 miles).
My absolute favorite part of it is Lava Tubes, and if you choose not to do this loop, head straight to the tubes (on the right hand at the beginning of the trail, follow the signs). If you are looking for a shorter hike at the beginning of the trail, then turn left for petrified dunes, which is a short walk away.
5. Whiterocks Amphitheater trail is 0.9 miles: short and sweet hike with fantastic views.
Afternoon at Veyo Pool
Plan to finish exploring Snow Canyon around noon (or earlier, depending on the weather), and start heading to Veyo Pool to cool off in the shade and take a dip in the natural springs that flow from the canyon wall. How cool is that?
The Resort at Veyo Utah is a great place to beat the heat. It is perfect for picnics, swimming, playing volleyball, hiking around the area or even camping.
Another activity that this place has to offer is climbing:
Crawdad Canyon Rock Climbing Park offers 180 bolted sport climbing routes up to 80 feet high.
Operating hours are May 21 – Sept 30: 9:00am – 8:00pm, open 7 days a week. The cost for the pool is $7 per adult per day and $5 per child per day. Pool hours are 12 to 8. Climbing is $9 per person per day. Call 435-574-2300 for reservations.
Please note that no animals are allowed, with the exception of ADA Service Animals.
When you are in the area, make sure to stop by Veyo Utah Pies and get yourself a treat. They are too good to just drive by.
Evening in Pine Valley
Finish your journey at Pine Valley Reservoir. This foresty area is peaceful and relaxing, perfect spot for a picnic and a stroll.
These three parts of the day will take you through different types of climates that Southern Utah has to offer, and let you experience this area on a whole new level.
DAY 2: Hurricane area
Spending day at Sand Hallow Reservoir
It is a lake day! If you are in St. George during the summer, it is an absolute must imho! Oh, how many fun days I had at that lake, and I still miss it even though I currently live by the ocean.
You can do pretty much anything here: swimming, cliff jumping into the clear blue water, kayaking or paddle-boarding through red rocks, fishing, diving, or just relaxing on a float! If you have a boat or want to rent one, you can wakesurf or wakeboard, too.
Park Day Use charge: $15 per vehicle.
For any reservation, go to The Beach At Sand Hollow (BASH for short), or give them a call 435-680-0715.
Note: Swimmers itch is active. Make sure to take a show after swimming in Sand Hallow and wash the towels and clothes that were wet. I had it a few times; it is not terrible, but sure is annoying.
If you don’t want to risk it with swimmers itch, try Quail Lake, which is just about a 10 minutes drive away from there and offers similar activities.
Evening at Sand Dunes
If you kayak or choose another activity that doesn’t involve getting into the lake, that means you don’t have to rush home for a shower and you can stay in the park to explore the Dunes.
I highly recommend renting a 4 wheeler here or getting a guided tour. It is a real adventure and a great place to see the sunset! Again, you can rent one from BASH.
Or Dixie Rock in St. George
If you left the Sand Hollow, but still want to catch a sunset at a pretty location, try Dixie Rock. It is a short hike to a view of the town and beautiful landscape. Location 355 Red Hills Pkwy, St. George, UT 84770.
DAY 3: Kanab
Kanab is 80 miles away from St. George, so prepare for a 1.5 hour drive to get there.
Hiking trails of Kanab in the morning and afternoon
1. Red Canyon aka Peakaboo. It is an out and back 8.7 mi trail with an elevation gain 666 ft. It is a great idea to get there by 4 wheel drive (remember to air down in tire pressure), so you will have a nice and short hike into the Peakaboo canyon. This slot canyon is perfect to explore in the summer as you will be covered by shade. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Good news: this hike is free! (more details here)
2. Another hiking option: Wire Pass trail, which is a 3.7 mile trail that leads you to the amazing slot canyon, makes it an awesome hike for the summer because most of it is out of the sun. Plan to start hiking by 8am. It requires a permit displayed in your car with an associated $6 fee per person per day to enter. (More details about the trail here)
When you finish this trail, it most likely will be afternoon and very hot, so I have a few activities that will be perfect for the rest of the day:
3. Moqui Cave is a natural history museum featuring Native American artifacts and a large collection of dinosaur tracks. The entrance fee is $5. You will be walking though the cool, cavernous interior that makes it a perfect place to hide out from the heat. Dogs are not permitted in Moqui Cave. For more information call 435-644-8525.
4. Next explore, Moqui Caverns, which is a free to visit sandstone cave located about 5 miles north of Kanab, Utah along highway 89. When you see the caves in the cliffs on your right (east), pull over on the side of the road and start walking. If you reach Moqui Cave (the famous tourist cave with Native Americans ruins in the front), you've gone about 300 yards too far. This is favorite type of hike - short and sweet, and it is a blast to explore these caves!
5. Belly of the Dragon is a 1.8 mile out and back trail in a man made tunnel that dogs are also able to use this trail.
Evening at Coral Pink Sand Dunes
If you still haven’t visited Sand Dunes, here is another chance! Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a fun place for ATV riding or just hiking - good to walk into the dunes, 45 mins walk to tall Sand Dune.
Entrance Fees: $10.00
You can rent ATV here or schedule a guided tour here
DAY 4: Zion National Park
And of course what kind of Southern Utah trip would it be, without visiting Zion National Park, right? You can spend quite a few days here, but if you only have a day to see it all, I recommend the following hikes:
1. Watchman Trail is 3.1 out and back trail. It is usually less crowded than the rest of the trails and overlooks the entire Springdale area.
2. Emerald Pools is about 2 miles, depending on which loops you would like to hike:
Lower Emerald Pool is 1.2 miles round trip, Middle - 1.7 round trip, Upper - 2.2 miles round trip. During cooler months of the year, you can see waterfalls and of course pools of water. During the summer waterfalls often dry up, but the views here are still impressive.
Access this trail by getting on the free Zion Park Shuttle as private vehicles are not allowed to enter Zion Canyon Scenic Drive. All shuttle access will be from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center on a first-come, first-serve basis. Paid parking lots, and a free shuttle into the park are available in the town of Springdale. (More information here)
3. Angels Landing is a very popular hike! It is a strenuous 4.4 mile hike with an elevation gain of 1,600 ft. The switch backs here will get your heart pumping, as do the height and the views. Also, access this trail by Park Shuttle.
4. Narrows Riverside Walk is a 1.9 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail that features a waterfall. When you get to the slot canyon (this is where Narrows part starts), you can continue further exploring by walking through the river. Some parts of the water come all the way to the waist, which is a nice bonus during the summer. Narrows is definitely a nature lover bucket list trail! Also, access this trail by Park Shuttle.
After living near this National Park for so long, I developed preferences and now only visit my favorite hikes:
5. Canyon Overlook - my favorite short hike - it is only a 1 mile out and back trail with very rewarding views!
6. Observation Point - favorite long hike, 6.8 miles with a 2,650 elevation gain. Unfortunately, this hike is currently closed due to rockfall, so keep this one in mind for future travels to Southern Utah!
Have an awesome desert adventure!
