15 Awesome Desert Hikes in St. George, Utah
Stunning red sandstone cliffs surround the city of St. George in southwest Utah, and this landscape makes it a playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Tons of trails nearby offer adventures for all ability levels, and you’ll surely find a few amazing trails that are perfect for you on this list of the best hikes in St. George, Utah.
As a local, these are all hikes that I have done numerous time with my kids and on my own and I love these hikes so much!
The 15 Top Hikes in St. George, Utah
These St. George, Utah hiking trails are all within a 45 minute drive from town, and most are 30 minutes or less. You’ll find hikes in Snow Canyon State Park and Red Cliffs National Reserve, and a few of these hikes near St. George, Utah are in or near Kolob Canyons. This is a very cool separate area of Zion National Park that is closer to St. George than the main canyon entrance in Springdale.
Scout Cave Trail
Johnson Canyon
Petrified Sand Dunes
Jenny’s Canyon
Lava Flow Trail
White Rocks Trail
Cinder Cone Trail
Babylon Arch
Red Reef Trail
Dino Cliffs Trail
Spring Creek
Taylor Creek Trail
Timber Creek Overlook
Quail Creek Overlook Trail
Kanarra Falls
St. George is a wonderful family-friendly destination, and all of these trails in St. George, Utah are easy to moderate, so you can bring the kids on most of them.
1. Scout Cave Trail
I am a huge fan of trails that lead to caves, and that makes Scout Cave Trail one of my favorites. With stunning views of the St George Valley and plenty of desert beauty along the way, this is definitely one of the best hikes in St. George, Utah.
LOCATION
The trailhead for the Scout Cave Trail located on the south side of Snow Canyon just outside the park. It’s about a 15 minute drive from downtown St. George. You will park in the gravel parking area to the left side of the road, and the trailhead is just across the street.
LENGTH
The Scout Cave Trail is about 3.5 miles round trip. The trail is just long enough to get the blood pumping but short enough that you can do it as a little morning or afternoon adventure. Depending on your pace, it will take around 1.5 - 2 hours to complete.
TRAIL DETAILS
The first section of Scout Cave Trail takes you along a lava flow path that is a bit rocky but well defined. The path heads down into a creek bed with lots of trees and desert vegetation, which was my favorite part of the trail.
The trail then runs along a housing development, and just past the housing, the trail starts to climb. If you look up ahead, you can even sneak a peek of the cave in the cliffs above. Climb a set of stairs and then a rocky path will take you up and into the cave.
The cave itself is not that big, but the views of the St George Valley are absolutely beautiful up here and totally worth the short climb.
Learn more about hiking the Scout Cave Trail here!
2. Johnson Canyon Trail
You can add on Johnson Canyon Trail to your Scout Cave hike or do this trail on its own. Just be aware that Johnson Canyon is closed seasonally from March 15-September 14 for preservation of natural resources.
LOCATION
The main trailhead for Johnson Canyon is near but just outside the south entrance to Snow Canyon State Park along Snow Canyon Drive.
LENGTH
The Johnson Canyon Trail is just under 2 miles out and back. It can be combined with Scout Cave Trail for a longer hike.
TRAIL DETAILS
This trail packs a lot into a short hike, with lava flows, a natural spring, and sandstone cliffs. Willows and cottonwoods dot the landscape and contrast with the red rocks. At the end of the trail, you’ll be rewarded with the gorgeous Johnson Canyon Arch which spans 200 feet.
3. Petrified Sand Dunes
The Petrified Sand Dunes are one of the most popular attractions in Snow Canyon State Park, and you'll see why on this family-friendly hike which is packed with incredible views. The dunes are basically huge hills of Navajo sandstone that cascade all around you.
LOCATION
You’ll find the Petrified Sand Dunes in Snow Canyon State Park near the Upper and Lower Galoots picnic areas.
LENGTH
This trail is only 1.2 miles out and back with just a little bit of elevation gain, so it’s a great one for the kiddos to explore.
TRAIL DETAILS
The trail winds through the Petrified Sand Dunes, so you can immerse yourself in these cool formations. The dunes are reasonably easy to navigate, just expect some uneven surfaces and some steep hills. You can continue to Hidden Pinyon Overlook near the end of the trail for even more breathtaking views!
4. Jenny’s Canyon Trail
Jenny’s Canyon Trail is a short, sandy walk to a small yet magnificent slot canyon that offers a cool refuge from the hot desert summers. It’s a great introduction to southern Utah slot canyons that the whole family can enjoy, even the littlest ones.
LOCATION
Jenny’s Canyon is located in Snow Canyon State Park, just 15 minutes from St. George. The trailhead is off of Snow Canyon Drive.
LENGTH
Jenny’s Canyon is only a half a mile round trip, so it’s probably the easiest slot canyon you can find!
TRAIL DETAILS
From the trailhead, cross a short wash to reach the canyon. Before you enter the canyon, be sure to stop at the overlook with impressive views of the sand dunes of Snow Canyon. Then head through the canyon where you can run your fingertips along the soft red walls and kids can scramble around.
Note: Jenny’s Canyon is closed from March 15 – June 1 to protect endangered habitat.
5. Lava Flow Trail
The Lava Flow Trail is one of the most unique hikes in St George, Utah, and you don’t want to miss it. The trail lets you explore lava tubes which formed when the outer surface of a lava flow cooled and hardened while the lava inside continued to flow. Eventually all of the lava flowed out, leaving these cool cave-like tubes that you can hike through.
LOCATION
This is another hike located in Snow Canyon State Park, with the trailhead along Snow Canyon Drive.
LENGTH
The Lava Flow Trail is 2.3 miles out-and-back and is considered a relatively moderate hike.
TRAIL DETAILS
Be sure to bring your headlamps or flashlights to explore this trail! Although you might not expect it at first, you will stumble across three different lava tubes you can check out on the hike. You'll also find a lot of basalt and white rocks in this area, which is a departure from the red rocks you'll find more of on other hikes in St. George, Utah.
6. White Rocks Trail
For spectacular views of Snow Canyon State Park, take a short hike to White Rocks Amphitheater. The petrified white rocks will delight the whole family, and kids will enjoy the sand hill. You can also extend your hike on the White Rocks Trail for a moderate adventure for more experienced hikers.
LOCATION
The trailhead for White Rocks is along UT-18, just outside the north entrance of Snow Canyon State Park.
LENGTH
You can do the short spur to White Rocks Amphitheater, which is only about a mile out and back, or you can take the longer 4-mile hike along the full White Rocks Trail.
TRAIL DETAILS
White Rocks is great because you can choose your own adventure! Maybe you just want to enjoy the beginning of the trail surrounded by cascading white rocks and distant views of Snow Canyon, or perhaps you want a longer trail to see more of this interesting desert landscape. Either way, White Rocks is one of the great hikes in St. George, Utah.
7. Cinder Cone Trail
Wondering where all the lava flows in the St. George landscape come from? Ancient volcanoes erupted in this area, and you can hike up to the summit of one of the cinder cones on this cool trail.
LOCATION
Cinder Cone Trail is located outside the north entrance to Snow Canyon State Park, just past the White Rocks Trailhead along UT-18 near Diamond Valley.
LENGTH
Cinder Cone Trail is just 2 miles round trip, but it’s decently steep, and you’ll encounter some loose, rocky sections. It’s not one of the hikes in St. George, Utah that I would really recommend for kids.
TRAIL DETAILS
Beyond just the fun of hiking up an ancient volcano, the Cinder Cone Trail offers spectacular panoramic views of Snow Canyon and Dammeron Valley from the summit. The trail is fairly easy to follow, but it’s quite rocky and steep so make sure to wear shoes or boots with good traction and bring trekking poles.
8. Babylon Arch
The trail to Babylon Arch features beautiful red rock formations around every corner, stunning views of the Virgin River, and, of a course, an amazing arch! Honestly, the first time I tried this trail, I wasn’t super impressed, but I’m so glad I came back again, because now it’s absolutely one of my favorite hikes in St. George, Utah.
LOCATION
The trail is located in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, about 30 minutes from St. George. Most people will start this hike from the Sand Cove trailhead, but if you have a good 4WD vehicle, you can drive farther down the road to start near a primitive camping area.
LENGTH
Starting from the Sand Cove trailhead, it’s about 2.2 miles round trip to Babylon Arch. If you’re able to drive farther down the road, you can make it more like 1.5 miles out and back.
TRAIL DETAILS
If you start from Sand Cove, you’ll hike down the road for a little bit until you reach the primitive camping area and the actual start of the Babylon Arch Trail. Then you’ll hike along a sandy and rocky trail for about half a mile. When you see the Virgin River in the distance, look to your right to find a steep sand hill. Head down the hill to arrive at the arch.
From here you can also follow a trail spur to the Virgin River. Definitely plan to take some time to explore and enjoy the trail…if you have kids who love to scramble on rocks, they will be in heaven here!
Get more details about hiking to Babylon Arch here!
9. Red Reef Trail
With a gorgeous desert backdrop, soaring red rock walls, arches, petroglyphs, rock caves, cool-looking trees, and pools for swimming (if the stream is running), this is seriously one of the best hikes in St. George, Utah that you don’t want to miss. Red Reef Trail is a hike that I take just about everyone who comes to visit this area on…I just love it so much!
LOCATION
This trail is in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, and the trailhead is located between St. George and Hurricane, just 5 minutes northwest of Quail Lake Reservoir.
LENGTH
The Red Reef Trail is 3 miles round trip with very little elevation gain. The trail is sandy and occasionally a little rocky, but it is clearly marked.
TRAIL DETAILS
As you start the Red Reef Trail, you will see a tree stump that looks like an elephant (seriously!), and soon after that a fun rock tunnel. Continue hiking for a bit, and you will come to an amazing tree with sprawling branches that my kids call the snake tree.
Follow the dry (or wet) stream bed, and you will come to a pool of water, which is a great spot to jump in when the water is flowing. Climb up to a higher section of the trail where there’s a bench that’s the perfect place for a snack break.
Then continue on and look for an arch in the rock wall straight ahead. You can hike right up to the arch to check out some petroglyphs on the ceiling on the left side of the arch. As you continue on the trail, the red cliff walls close in and surround you in a way that is truly spectacular.
Read more about the Red Reef Trail here!
10. Dino Cliffs Trail
As you might expect, the highlight of the Dino Cliffs Trail is the actual dinosaur tracks you can see here. A short hike leads you to several amazing dinosaur footprints preserved in the hardened rock.
LOCATION
You’ll find the Dino Cliffs trailhead about 15 minutes from St. George in the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.
LENGTH
It’s only about half a mile round trip to reach the dinosaur tracks, but if you hike the whole trail, it’s about 3.5 miles round trip.
TRAIL DETAILS
This trail is surrounded by beautiful red rocks, but the dinosaur footprints are what makes Dino Cliffs so special. This would be a fantastic hike for dino-loving kiddos, but it’s actually super cool for anyone to see this evidence of when dinosaurs from the Jurassic Period roamed here.
11. Spring Creek Trail
Spring Creek Canyon might not have the stunning waterfalls of Kanarra Falls or the fame of Kolob Canyons in Zion, but it is actually an equally incredible hike through a slot canyon where you won’t have to deal with the crowds at those more well-known trails.
LOCATION
Spring Creek Canyon is in Kanarraville, which is 10 minutes north of the Kolob Canyons area of Zion National Park and 20 minutes south of Cedar City. From I-15, take Old US-Hwy 91 to Spring Creek Road to get to the trailhead. CLICK HERE FOR DRIVING DIRECTIONS
LENGTH
This hike is 5 miles round trip but to get to the slot canyon section it is only about 3/4 mile in. This is an out and back hike. If you don't go the full 5 miles it is still a great hike!
TRAIL DETAILS
The trail starts out a little boring but don’t be discouraged, the good stuff is yet to come. Soon you’ll reach towering sandstone cliffs that will totally take your breath away! Head into the canyon, which will narrow in several spots, but never become too tight of a slot canyon to struggle through.
Winding your way through the depths of Spring Creek Canyon will definitely provide the amazing red rock experience that you come to the desert of southern Utah to explore…but without the crowds of the busier hikes in the area.
For more info, read all about Spring Creek Trail here!
12. Taylor Creek Trail
Soaring peaks of Navajo sandstone line the Taylor Creek Trail, and the lush vegetation makes it a cool and shaded hike during the heat of the summer. Along the trail, you’ll encounter two historic cabins, and you’ll discover an incredible double arch alcove at the end. The alcove is huge and somewhat cave-like, with a large wall of seeping water and lush green ferns.
LOCATION
Taylor Creek is located in the Kolob Canyons district of Zion National Park. Kolob Canyons is located at Exit 40 on I-15, about half an hour from St. George, and Taylor Creek is the first trailhead you will come to along Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive.
LENGTH
Taylor Creek is a five mile round trip out and back trail. It typically takes 3-4 hours to hike.
TRAIL DETAILS
The trail starts with a short and steep hike down to Taylor Creek. When you reach the bottom of the canyon, the trail levels out and runs along the small stream all the way to the end. Be prepared to cross the stream multiple times along this hike.
About a mile in, you will find the first of two historic homestead cabins along the trail. You can walk around the cabins, peeking into the windows to imagine what life was like for the settlers who built these remote cabins.
After you continue on, you'll know you have reached the end of the trail when you hit the Double Arch Alcove. It's not a true open arch, but the closed arches in the sandstone soaring high above you are still super cool.
For more info, read all about Taylor Creek Trail here!
13. Timber Creek Overlook
The views from the Timber Creek Overlook trail are simply stunning…seriously! This easy hike is a wonderful way for the whole family to experience the beautiful sandstone cliffs of Kolob Canyons.
LOCATION
The trailhead for Timber Creek Overlook is at the end of Kolob Canyons Scenic Drive, and it is a fantastic finish to a beautiful drive.
LENGTH
Timber Creek Overlook Trail is just over a mile round trip on a mostly flat, sandy trail with a only few brief sections of rocky hills.
TRAIL DETAILS
This trail features awesomes views the whole way, but the panoramic perspective at the end of the Timber Creek Overlook trail is the cherry on top! The jaw-dropping views of the rich red mountains and wild desert landscape go on for miles and miles.
Check out my blog post here for more easy hikes in Zion!
14. Quail Creek Overlook Trail
For an oasis in the southern Utah desert, head to Quail Creek State Park and hike to the Quail Creek Overlook. From here, you’ll enjoy lovely views of Quail Creek Reservoir with red rocks and mountains in the distance.
LOCATION
This hike is in Quail Creek State Park, and the trailhead is on the south side of Quail Creek Reservoir.
LENGTH
From the south shore trailhead, the hike to the overlook is just under 4 miles out and back. There is also a much longer 12-mile round trip trail if you’re looking for a challenge.
TRAIL DETAILS
This hike winds around part of Quail Creek Reservoir with impressive views over the water to the desert and mountains beyond. It’s a moderate hike with a fairly mild incline, but it is exposed with no shade. If you do get hot, you can take a dip in the reservoir when you’re done hiking!
15. Kanarra Falls
Kanarra Falls was once considered a hidden secret but not anymore. The stunning slot canyons and waterfalls make this hike about as photogenic as it comes and with all those amazing pictures posted all over social media, this hike has become a destination spot for many travelers visiting Zion + Southern Utah.
$15 permit per person is required. You can get one online CLICK HERE to get your permit online. 200 people a day will be able to get a permit so best to get one ahead of time online to make sure you get the permit needed to access the hike. Once summer hits these permits go fast.
LOCATION
Kannara Falls is located in the small town of Kanarraville, UT, just 15 minutes south of Cedar City and 1-hour north-west of Zion. Click here for map and directions from your location.
LENGTH
Kanarra Falls is 4 miles round trip but it is only a little over 2 miles round trip to get to the first waterfall and ladder. This is where I usually turn around when hiking Kanarra Falls with kids.
TRAIL DETAILS
This trail starts out on a dirt road for about 1/2 mile as you head towards Kanarra Canyon. Once the dirt road ends, you will follow a dirt path going back and forth along a small stream.
Eventually, you will be required to hike in the stream. A little over a mile in you will come to a waterfall. Just about 10 to 15 minutes past the waterfall is the famous and beautiful slot canyon....it is amazing you guys!!! Just a short hike through the slot canyon and you will come to a waterfall with a ladder to climb up.
The new metal ladder that was installed a few years ago makes the climb up fairly safe. Kids may need a little help. Once at the top, you will soon come to a large boulder and waterfall to climb. Kids will require assistance here as well. Past this section, you will follow the stream up for much more beauty and fun.....or so that is what I hear. We usually only make it a short way past the first waterfall.
Read more about the Kararra Falls Here!
Hope you enjoy all these amazing hikes in St. George, Utah! And check out even more epic hikes in southern Utah here!
Happy Adventuring,
Arika
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