There are so many St. George hiking trails that you won’t want to miss. St. George is a city in the Southwest corner of Utah. It is a lesser-known outdoors town but it should really be on everyone’s radar.
What’s so great about St. George Hiking Trails
There are a ton of advantages to hiking near St. George, Utah.
First, you won’t have to drive very far. St. George is centered around so many cool hikes. Most people pass St. George on the way to Zion National Park and maybe only get out of their car for a gas and food stop. However, I really think that St. George has become a hiking destination. Some of the best hikes in Southern Utah are here!
Second, hikes in St. George won’t be as busy as hiking in other more famous places like Zion National Park, Kanab Utah, or even Las Vegas.
Third, you get a great bang-for-your-buck at St. George hiking trails! Most of the trails are not too strenuous but offer really pretty and unique views. What’s better than that?
Lastly, St. George is a really dog-friendly area!! Because the local hikes are mostly non-National Parks, it means dogs are allowed at almost all St. George hiking trails. This is probably one of my most important criteria as a dog parent. I hate having to leave the dogs in daycare!
The official Utah website has a great map for getting yourself acquainted to the area.
WHEN SHOULD I GO HIKING NEAR ST. GEORGE, UTAH?
Overall I would say hiking near St. George Utah is pretty excellent year-round.
You can hike St. George year-round, but it will be more comfortable from Fall to Spring. The weather in St. George can get very hot in the summer. As I’m typing this right now the weather in St. George was 113 degrees today – yikes!
The winter in St. George is fairly mild. It dips to around 30 but you can also have some nice sunny days.
If you want to hike in the summer, you should start early to avoid the mid-day afternoon heat. There is not a lot of shade in the St. George hiking trails because it’s more of a desert landscape so there isn’t as much tree coverage.
WHAT SHOULD I PACK FOR ST. George Hiking Trails
What you pack for hiking really depends on the time of year. For the sake of this article, I will point to the basics that will be good year-round on the St. George hiking trails.
If you are hiking in summer – remember it will be hot and you’ll want to double up on sun protection.
If you are hiking in the winter – remember it can get chilly and you’ll want at least a down jacket and insulated pants!
Hiking Boots / Shoes
Having the right shoes is super important. Whether you like lighter shoes like I do or a sturdier hiking boot, Hoka One One and Salomon are my go-to products. I would say that sneakers are ok for St. George hiking trails and you don’t necessarily need hiking boots – although they may give you more grip on rocks.
Sun Protection
Sun protection is super important out in St George – especially in the summer! Here are some of my favorites
Food!
Level Foods has been my new go-to bar. I found that their bars have been better on my stomach. They are Gluten free, Dairy free, Non-GMO.
Water Storage
I personally prefer using an MSR Drom Bag because I’m fairly lazy to take water bottles out of my bag, but both options are great. Make sure to bring plenty of water on the St. George hiking trails because there is no fill up!
Gear for your Dog
Finally don’t forget to keep your dog safe. A lot of St. George hiking trails are dog friendly which is amazing 🙂 Bring plenty of water for them and put dog boots on for their paws in the summer.
10 Most Epic St. George Hiking Trails
1. Snow Canyon Overlook – The other side of Snow Canyon
Why you should hike it: A fairly moderate and flat hike takes you to beautiful views of Snow Canyon
Total Length: 4.9 miles
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: Try going there for sunrise or sunset!! The views will be epic
Snow Canyon Overlook is located north of the town. This is one of the best St. George hiking trails because you get this crazy view for not a ton of effort. Plus, it’s not very crowded. When we went, we only saw 4 other people on the entire hike, and we were in St. George on a Saturday!
For a more in-depth review, check out my Snow Canyon Overlook hiking guide here.
2. Lava Flow Trail – Snow Canyon State Park
Why you should hike it: Super short hike that takes you through lava flow features! (as advertised)
Total Length: 0.8 miles
Dog Friendly: No
Hiking Tips: One of the shortest hikes in Snow Canyon, this is a good accessible option!
Lava Flow Trail is one of those St. George hiking trails that blew my mind. Who knew that there would be lava features in Southwest Utah? I always thought I could only find that in Hawaii.
The trail is a short 0.8 miles and there are tons of cool things to see along the way. It starts as a paved path and then you go down to more gravel.
3. Johnson Canyon – Snow Canyon State Park
Why you should hike it: Some lava views but more of the sand and beautiful red rocks through the canyon
Total Length: 1.7 miles
Dog Friendly: No
Hiking Tips: The trail is closed from 3/15 to 9/14 due to turtle conservation
Johnson Canyon (in Snow Canyon, not to be confused with the one in Banff National Park) is another nice short hike in St. George. Rated as an easy hike, this trail will take you to see more of the lava than Lava Flows Trail.
You will also walk through sand and see some of the beautiful rock formations as you head into the canyon.
4. Whiterocks Ampitheater Trail – Snow Canyon State Park
Why you should hike it: Beautiful views of contrasting red and white rocks
Total Length: 0.9 miles
Dog Friendly: No
Hiking Tips: There is no shade on this trail either but luckily the hike is short
Rounding out the hikes in Snow Canyon State Park… Whiterocks Amphitheater Trail is another aptly named trail. This trail takes you around to the white rocks that provide an amazing contrast to the red rocks around it.
I was always surprised when I saw that St. George had these rock formations too. There are a lot of hiking trails in St. George, Utah but for some reason, I never knew how beautiful the area was! I always thought these rock formations were only in places like the Valley of Fire.
5. Owen’s Loop – Red Cliffs Recreation Area
Why you should hike it: Beautiful cliff hiking and views of St. George town
Total Length: 2.7
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: There are a few turns as you make your way up. Make sure you follow your maps to stay on the right trail!
Owen’s Loop is a really good trail for those just passing by, or if you want a quick hike in town. Owen’s Loop is right on the northern edge of St. George and it’s a great option if you don’t want to drive too far.
There is a bit of elevation so it’s also a fairly nice, quick workout.
6. Yellow Knolls Trail – Red Cliffs Recreation Area
Why you should hike it: See interesting large yellow rocks that are famous in the area
Total Length: 3.8
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: There is some fire damage in the beginning but after that it’s a beautiful hike!
Yellow Knolls Trail is in the Red Cliffs Recreation Area just north of the town. It is “across the street” from Snow Canyon and is another great place to explore.
Of all the St. George hiking trails, Yellow Knolls is probably the least popular because it gets overshadowed by Snow Canyon. The parking lot will rarely be full and that can be nice for someone who is looking to escape the busy mayhem.
7. Chuckwalla Trail – Red Cliffs Recreation Area
Why you should hike it: You could see a desert tortoise here!
Total Length: 1.7 miles
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: Another shorter option in the Red Cliffs area!
Chuckwalla Trail is a shorter option in the Red Cliffs. It’s a nice trail in St. George that has again great views of the red rock. If you are lucky, you can also see a desert tortoise! Some hikers have reported seeing them around the area.
8. Elephant Arch – Red Cliffs Recreation Area
Why you should hike it: A walk through sand takes you to a cool-looking arch that.. you guessed it.. looks like an elephant
Total Length: 3.8 miles there-and-back
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: Make sure you wear grippy shoes as the last scramble up to Elephant Arch can be a bit challenging (although it’s short)
Elephant Arch is one of the most popular hikes in St George. There were around 20 people around the arch when we went on a weekend. It’s easy to see why this St. George trail is so popular! It’s a flat, pretty easy hike on dirt (and then sand). And the elephant arch really does look like an elephant. It makes for great photo opportunities.
For a more in-depth review, check out my Elephant Arch hiking guide here.
9. Paradise Canyon Trail – Red Cliffs Recreation Area
Why you should hike it: One of the longer trails in Red Cliffs for a harder workout and fun red rock formations
Total Length: 5.4 miles
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: There is no shade so it can get very hot in the summer
There aren’t as many popular long hikes in St. George, but Paradise Canyon Trail is one of them. At 5.4 miles, this hike will take you around 2 hours to complete.
There are a few places where different trails connect but look for the cairns and they should help guide you along this St. George hike.
10. Yant Flat aka Candy Cliffs – Dixie National Forest
Why you should hike it: It’s a poor man’s version of White Pocket
Total Length: 3.4
Dog Friendly: Yes
Hiking Tips: The drive up there does get gravel-y but most cars should be able to make it. You also might lose cell service
Yant Flat is also known as Candy Cliffs because during sunrise and sunset it really does feel like you are in Candyland. The landscape is so spectacular you really have to be there to see it.
The hike itself is over 3 miles but it’s completely flat and easy to get to in the dark (if you want to hike during sunrise or sunset). This is truly one of the best St. George hiking trails and worth the longer drive.
What Should I do After Hiking Near St. George, Utah?
Personally, I didn’t find the food options to be that amazing in St. George. Most of it is American chain restaurants and nothing felt too exciting to me.
However, there is one snack we really enjoyed – Nielsen’s Frozen Custard! I haven’t had frozen custard but this spot is super famous. I really enjoyed this as a post-hike snack.
Have you been on any st. george hiking trails before? What did you think?
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3 Comments
I haven’t been to St-George but am pinning this for future reference.
I love hiking with my dogs and am looking for a camper/tow vehicle so we can go on mini excursions together.
Good informations. Yant Flat looks amazing!!
We almost made it to St. George in April. We had a plan on staying there for few nights before going to Zion and Bryce but I got sick and had to cancel that plan. I enjoy reading your post.