Zion National Park, Kolob Terrace, Kolob Reservoir
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Zion National Park |
One of the most obvious day tours is a trip to Zion National Park. The park is about 50 minutes from St. George and offers multiple locations for access.
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Zion National Park - Kolob Terrace |
This is one of the options when visiting Zion. At the town of Virgin take a turn left (follow signs) on the Kolob Terrace road. The drive to the top is breathtaking at every turn and on top you'll find Kolob Reservoir and kick-off points for some of Zion's most adventurous hikes.
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Kolob Reservoir |
This beautiful reservoir is surrounded by forest and meadows, with various locations for camping and fishing. With four-wheel drive or a sturdy vehicle on a good weather day you can follow a dirt road north of here and come out in Cedar Canyon near Cedar City, Utah.
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West Rim Trail - Overlook |
Looking east from the Kolob Terrace you'll see across the forests that cover the northwest section of the park. If you're lucky you may see some wandering California Condors hovering on the thermal updrafts.
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Red Canyon & Bryce Canyon
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Red Canyon |
If you're interested in a longer drive then Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon should be on your list. Go north on the freeway above Cedar City and Parowan to the highway 20 turn-off. Go over the mountain 20 miles and then turn north to Panguitch. Pass through the town and go seven miles south on scenic highway 89 to arrive at the junction of scenic highway 12. Turn left and go two miles. This photograph was taken at sunset in Red Canyon.
There are other scenic routes to take to get to Red Canyon. They will take longer but are worth the drive. Check the map for highways 9, 14, 143, and 148. Highway 9 goes through Zion to highway 89, and the other highways go over Cedar Mountain to connect with highway 89 further north.
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Red Canyon Formations |
The formations in Red Canyon are much like those of Bryce Canyon National Park, but this is part of the Dixie National Forest. There's a paved walking and biking trail so bring your walking shoes or your bicycle and enjoy Ponderosa Pines that blend with the red limestone formations of this area.
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Cedar Mountain, Navajo Lake, Cedar Breaks, Cascade Falls, Duck Creek
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Cascade Falls |
Looking for a cool summer getaway? This is one of the good places to go. Go north to Cedar City and travel up highway 14 to the top of Cedar Mountain. (1.2 hour drive) You'll see parts of Cedar Breaks National Monument as you go and even have the option of turning left to visit the monument. Cascade Falls is behind Navajo Lake (south) and here is where the water from Navajo Lake drains and comes out the side of the mountain. It's a short 1/2 mile walk and well worth it.
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Navajo Lake |
Navajo Lake on Cedar Mountain is a jewel in the high forest. There are boat rentals here and a small store that is open in the summer. Bring the things you need
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Cedar Breaks National Monument |
The road to Cedar Breaks is not open in the winter but this is a great high mountain retreat in the summer. Elevations in this area range near 10,000 feet and the open meadows can be filled with wildflowers. There's a good chance you'll see some wildlife in this area too.
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Virgin River Rim |
All along the southern edge of Cedar Mountain you'll have views toward Zion National Park. The valley below you is where the headwaters form for the Virgin River, and the Virgin River is the one responsible for carving Zion National Park.
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Duck Creek Village and Panguitch Lake |
Further east on highway 14 you'll find Duck Creek Village and if you wander north of highway 14 you can find Panguitch Lake which is shown in the photo to the right. Both small communities offer a few shops and even cabin rentals and some activities. |
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Grand Canyon, Marble Canyon & Lake Powell
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Grand Canyon North Rim |
It takes about 2.5 hours to drive to the Grand Canyon North Rim from St. George. Head east through Hurricane and take the southern highway toward Kanab. You'll pass Pipe Spring National Monument just before you get to Fredonia, Arizona where you'll turn south. Go up on the Kaibab Plateau through the Kaibab Forest to the North Rim.
Surprisingly there are many local St. George residents that have never seen the Grand Canyon.
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Kanab Utah |
Kanab is known as Utah's Little Hollywood and was the location for many western movies in the 1940's and 50's. Today you can tour Frontier Movie Town and see old western movie sets and dress up like a pioneer or a cowboy. There are some great little shops and restaurants in Kanab so this is a good place to stop for lunch if you head out this way. Kanab is seven miles north of Fredonia, where you turn to go south to the Grand Canyon.
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Lake Powell (Glen Canyon Nat. Rec. Area) |
As long as you are venturing out toward Kanab and the Grand Canyon North Rim, you might consider swinging over to Lake Powell too (2.5 hours from St. George). At Lake Powell you can take a lake tour on one of the big tour boats or rent your own boat for the day and travel the lake at your leisure. You can also view the Glen Canyon Dam (shown in the picture to the right) and see the mighty Colorado River as it heads southwest toward the Grand Canyon.
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Marble Canyon - Navajo Bridge |
Marble Canyon is shown below and this is the kick-off point for many of the river rafting experiences in the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.
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Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon |
This is the only way across the Colorado River between Page, Arizona and the Las Vegas area.
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Check back here in the future for other day tours from the St. George area. |
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